The 3-2-1: Three key plays, two game balls, one burning question from South Carolina's loss to Alabama

Three Key Plays
Fourth and nine
South Carolina trailed 14-0 with 1:43 left in the first half. The Gamecocks had been able to move the ball a little but not finish off drives, and it appeared it would happen again as they faced fourth and nine from the 36.

It was too far for a field goal, so there was no choice but to go for it. Mazeo Bennett ran a cross and turned upfield. The Alabama secondary ignored him.

LaNorris Sellers hit wide-open Bennet in the end zone. The touchdown set off a wild end to the half that saw the Gamecocks score 12 unanswered points before the break.

Holding penalty that killed the drive
Alabama had just retaken the lead, but South Carolina was marching down the field. The Gamecocks were skillfully mixing the run and pass to keep Alabama off-balance. But a holding penalty on Kamaar Bell changed a 1st and 10 from the Alabama 28 to a 1st and 20 from the 38.

The penalty killed the drive and South Carolina had to send Alex Herrera out for a 51-yard field goal, which would have been a career-long. Coming away with no points was devastating in a two-point loss.

Two-point conversion
Sellers hit Nyck Harbor in the end zone to pull South Carolina within two points, pending the conversion. The Gamecocks dialed up a perfect play, with misdirection that got Vandrevius Jacobs open in the back corner of the end zone.

But Sellers felt the oncoming pass rush and wasn’t able to put the right touch on the pass, sailing it into the stands. South Carolina actually got the ball back on the onside kick, but this was the golden opportunity that slipped through their hands.

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Two Game Balls
Kyle Kennard
All week the question was whether Kennard and Dylan Stewart could get to Jalen Milroe. Alabama apparently missed the conversation, because the Crimson Tide allowed Kennard to wreak havoc. He finished with seven tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, a safety, a quarterback hurry, and another rush that led to a sack. Alabama spent the entire second half trying to avoid him.

Raheim Sanders
Sanders picked up 78 yards on 16 carries and had four catches for 25 yards. He ran with power and explosiveness and was South Carolina’s best offensive weapon. Honorable mention to LaNorris Sellers. He made some crucial mistakes, which is why I didn’t give him the game ball, but overall he went on the road and outplayed Heisman contender Jalen Milroe.

One Burning Question
Can the Gamecocks build on another missed opportunity?
For the second time this season, South Carolina largely outplayed a highly-ranked opponent only to lose in the end. Against LSU, it was highly suspect penalties that doomed the Gamecocks, but against Alabama, it was South Carolina’s own mistakes.

South Carolina’s margin for error is so small that it is hard for the Gamecocks to overcome missed opportunities. Yet the Gamecocks overcame a bunch of them – a missed touchdown pass from Sellers to Gage Larvadain in the second quarter, two careless fumbles by Sellers, a missed wide-open two-point conversion – to have a chance at the end. That’s encouraging.

Sellers looked like the real deal, albeit one who still makes freshman mistakes. Sanders looked healthy again. The defense, especially the line, was outstanding in allowing the Gamecocks to outgain the Crimson Tide 374-313. But this isn’t horseshoes or hand grenades and near misses are still misses and the Gamecocks need to put it together as they face the back half of the season.

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