Just a Minute: Reflecting on the 2010 South Carolina game
There are three things that always come to mind when I think about Alabama's 2010 loss against South Carolina:
1) It was the last time I picked Alabama to lose a game.
During the days leading up to the trip, one could tell something was off with the Crimson Tide. It was coming off a win against Florida, a game every fan had circled on the calendar, and the team had been dealing with numerous distractions. South Carolina was the first of seven straight opponents Alabama would face coming off a bye, and Steve Spurrier had some key players who would give the Crimson Tide problems.
2) It was the first time fans rushed the field during the Nick Saban era. Columbia went crazy that night celebrating the program's first-ever win against a No. 1-ranked opponent.
3) Julio Jones.
I wrote the following in "Decade of Dominance," regarding the best receiver I've probably ever seen, and his dealing with a broken hand that season.
Jones initially suffered the fracture after making his first reception at South Carolina on October 9, when his stiff-arm got caught up in the defender who basically tried rip his head off.
“I knew after that play because I went to the sideline and my hand started hurting,” Jones described. “I pressed down on my hand and it was moving, the bone was moving. I didn’t tell the trainers but I told the strength coach, Scott Cochran: ‘I think I just broke my hand, don’t tell nobody. I’m going to wait until halftime.’ I didn’t want to make it a big issue.”
Somehow, Jones remarkably finished with eight receptions for 118 yards and one touchdown. The only thing that hurt worse than making a catch was trying open his palms like he would to field a kick, thus the reason he was pulled from special teams. The next day doctors cut into the outer part of his hand below the ring finger.
“There are six screws in there,” he said pointing to the scar, in addition to the plate.
