Week 7 Preview: Scouting the Alabama Crimson Tide

The South Carolina football team finds itself in a very similar situation to what it did last week.

This past Saturday, the Gamecocks took on an Ole Miss squad coming off an upset loss to an unranked team. South Carolina’s Week 7 opponent, No. 7 Alabama, will be looking to similarly rebound in a big way.

Before the game kicks off at noon on ABC, here’s what the Crimson Tide bring to the table.

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How they got here

Alabama is one of three college football programs to hold the No. 1 spot in the AP poll this season. The Crimson Tide earned that distinction after pulling off a 41-34 upset win over then-No. 2 Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

But the team’s stay atop the rankings would be short-lived after it fell victim to an upset one week later. Alabama entered its matchup against Vanderbilt as 22.5-point favorites, but the Commodores retained possession of the ball for just over 42 minutes on their way to a 40-35 victory over the Crimson Tide.

Before beginning SEC play, Alabama picked up three dominant wins over non-conference FBS opponents. The Crimson Tide won big over Western Kentucky (63-0), USF (42-16), and Wisconsin 42-10) to start the season 3-0.

Last time out

The Gamecocks have faced off against Alabama only once in the past 14 years. The most recent matchup in the two teams’ all-time series took place in 2019 and resulted in a 47-23 win for the Crimson Tide.

Ryan Hilinski had a solid performance as South Carolina’s primary signal caller, throwing for 324 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception on 36-of-57 passing. Rico Dowdle also had a strong display on the ground, running for 102 yards on 10 carries.

However, the Gamecocks’ defense struggled to contain Tua Tagovailoa (28-of-36 passing, 444 yards, five touchdowns) and Devonta Smith (eight receptions, 136 yards, two touchdowns), two stars of an Alabama offense that generated 571 total yards.

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Where they sit in the rankings

The Crimson Tide are ranked in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls. Alabama is currently ranked No. 7 in the AP poll after falling six spots from last week and receiving 1,182 votes. The USA Today Coaches poll also pegged the Crimson Tide as the No. 7 team in the country with 1,035 votes.

ESPN’s College Football Power Index (FPI) ranks Alabama No. 3 with a 25.2 FPI. Its projected record is 9.9-2.5. The team has a 100.0 percent chance of winning six games, a 17.1 percent chance of winning the SEC, and a 70.9 percent chance of making the College Football Playoff this season.

In ESPN’s SP+ rankings, the Crimson Tide check in at No. 3.

Alabama sits fourth in the Massey Ratings. It ranks first in offense and seventh in defense.

ESPN gives the Crimson Tide a 91.0 percent chance to win this weekend. Alabama heads into the contest as 21-point favorites, according to ESPN BET.

Players to watch

Jalen Milroe (Redshirt junior, quarterback) – After spending the first two years of his college football career backing up Heisman Trophy winner and current NFL signal caller Bryce Young, Milroe has emerged as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He currently possesses the top efficiency rating of any quarterback at the FBS level (201.2). Through five games, he has completed 73.4 percent of his passes for 1,274 yards and 11 touchdowns, in addition to 283 yards and nine more scores on 59 rushing attempts. He also has the fourth-highest odds of winning this year’s Heisman Trophy (+900).

Ryan Williams (Freshman, wide receiver) – Just 17 years old, Williams has taken the college football world by storm during his debut campaign. He has amassed a team-high 544 receiving yards on just 19 receptions, scoring six touchdowns in the process. Those touchdowns have been spread across his five appearances thus far, as Williams has yet to face an opponent that has kept him out of the end zone. Heading into the season, he was a consensus five-star recruit and the nation’s No. 5 prospect in the class of 2024, according to the On3 Industry Ranking.

Malachi Moore (Graduate student, defensive back) – Moore maintains a veteran presence in one of the country’s premier defenses. He has made 33 total tackles (including 19 solo stops) and 1.5 tackles for loss, along with four pass breakups and one forced fumble, this year after being named a Preseason Second-Team All-American by The Sporting News and CBS Sports. Moore re-entered the spotlight last weekend, though, after his on-field outbursts late in Alabama’s loss to Vanderbilt went viral. He has since apologized for his actions in the contest.

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Path to victory

On paper, an upset victory for South Carolina over the Crimson Tide appears very unlikely. But the Gamecocks have one thing working in its favor – offensive similarities to a Vanderbilt team that accomplished the same feat last week.

South Carolina possess a dual-threat quarterback in LaNorris Sellers, who plays much like Commodores signal caller Diego Pavia. Both team’s offenses also utilize options in their play calling – Vanderbilt uses tripe options, while the Gamecocks rely on run-pass options.

The Commodores’ key to winning the game, though, was maintaining possession of the ball for lengthy periods of time. Keeping the ball away from Alabama’s offense will help USC’s upset chances immensely.

South Carolina’s defense will also have to throw Milroe off his game to keep the Gamecocks in the game. Milroe has generated the most explosive plays of any quarterback in the country this season. Because of this, South Carolina’s defensive line will need to be disruptive throughout the contest. And all the team’s defensive players, regardless of position, will have to be strong tacklers to prevent big plays from developing.

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