2025 Alabama Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 8: South Carolina

South Carolina has been a bit up and down during the first four seasons under head coach Shane Beamer, but last year’s 9-4 record was the Gamecocks’ best since 2017.

South Carolina started last season 3-3, but won its final six games of the regular season, giving the Gamecocks a final AP Poll ranking of No. 19 (highest final rank since 2003) following a Citrus Bowl loss to Illinois.

The Gamecocks had two top-12 wins last season against Texas A&M and then Clemson on rivalry weekend, but were also involved in some close losses, including a 27-25 tough break on the road against Alabama.

Last season’s results proved that South Carolina is on the rise and it aims for a few statement wins in 2025 to further that claim. The Gamecocks will get a shot at this on their turf against Alabama and head coach Kalen DeBoer on Oct. 25, but that will be much easier said than done. Here's an early look at the Crimson Tide's Week 9 opponent.

Offense

Former Gamecocks offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains took the head coaching job at Appalachian State this offseason and the South Carolina filled his role with first-year senior offensive assistant Mike Shula. Shula was Alabama’s head coach from 2003 up until UA fired him before the 2006 Independence Bowl (Joe Kines was the interim head coach) and Nick Saban was named the successor less than two months later. Between 2007 and 2023, Shula was an offensive coordinator and assistant coach for various NFL teams, including in 2015 when he helped Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton win the league’s MVP award and a trip to the Super Bowl.

South Carolina lost 2022 and 2023 starting quarterback Spencer Rattler to the NFL prior to last season and the Gamecocks put their trust in a redshirt freshman and former 4-star in-state recruit named LaNorris Sellers. Sellers played a key role in the Gamecocks’ best season in years as he threw for 2,534 yards on 196 completions for 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing for 674 yards and seven more scores on 166 attempts. His dominance led him to be named the SEC Freshman of the Year, a Third Team All-SEC member, a Freshman All–American and he looks to build on it this fall.

Alabama opens its season on the road against Florida State. Seminoles quarterback Thomas Castellanos said on Monday that "[Alabama] don’t have Nick Saban to save them...I just don’t see them stopping me." Sellers was asked about the Crimson Tide on The Zach Gelb Show on Tuesday and had a much different response than Castellanos.

"Alabama is still Alabama to me," Sellers said. "They were good last year. They're a good team. They're big, strong and fast. That's how I remember watching them growing up and I don't really think they've changed that much. Obviously, they have a new coaching staff and all that, but that's still SEC ball. They're still Alabama."

South Carolina added Utah State transfer running back Rashul Faison, who rushed for 1,109 yards and eight touchdowns last season. The Gamecocks lost a few pass-catchers to the NFL and transfer portal this offseason, and players like Mazeo Bennett, Jared Brown and Michael Smith will move up the depth chart. And with that in mind, now is the time for former consensus 5-star prospect Nyck Harbor to break out with his 6-foot-5, 235-pound size combined with his jaw-dropping speed as he approaches his junior season and first year of NFL Draft eligibility.

Of course, South Carolina’s offense cannot be productive without the protection of the offensive line. The Gamecocks brought back their starting tackles, including highly touted rising sophomore Josiah Thompson. South Carolina also signed former Troy center (and right tackle) Boaz Stanley, who was one of the top transfer portal targets this offseason.

Defense

South Carolina went from 66th in the nation in points allowed per game in 2023 to 12th in 2024 under defensive coordinator Clayton White. This was heavily due to the Gamecocks’ pressure up front as SC finished last season tied for the sixth-most sacks in college football.

White’s defensive line shined throughout last season as Consensus All-American edge rusher Kyle Kennard was eighth in the country in total sacks with 11.5. However, Kennard, along with fellow defensive linemen Tonka Hemingway and T.J. Sanders, were each selected in the 2025 NFL Draft leaving former consensus five-star recruit and All-SEC Freshman defensive end Dylan Stewart as the lone returning starter on the front four. Stewart, who recorded 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, now faces the challenge of leading a new group of pass-rushers and run-stoppers.

The linebackers room will also look a bit different next season as Demetrius Knight was selected in the draft. Nevertheless, the Crimson Tide will face two familiar names in this unit as Alabama transfers Justin Okoronkwo (2024-25 offseason) and Shawn Murphy (2023-24 offseason) will go head-to-head with their former team. Okoronkwo didn’t see the field much for the Tide this past season as a freshman and Murphy had a low snap count in his two years at Alabama plus last year at Florida State.

South Carolina lost safety Nick Emmanwori to the 35th overall pick of the NFL Draft this offseason, but not too much changed in the secondary other than incoming transfer cornerbacks Brandon Cisse (NC State) and Myles Norwood (Ball State). The defensive back to keep an eye on is Jalon Kilgore, who not only led the Gamecocks, but the entire SEC in interceptions last season with five. Kilgore also had 48 tackles with five pass breakups, and like Stewart, is eyeing the challenge of leading the secondary.

Schedule

This will be the Gamecocks’ sixth SEC game of the season and it has a couple of challenging contests in between against teams, including two road matchups against LSU and Missouri. That said, South Carolina fell to LSU 36-33 last season but took down Missouri 34-30. Don’t be too surprised if Beamer and company come into the Alabama game with a record of 6-1.

This will be Alabama’s fifth SEC contest and it’s very possible that the Crimson Tide could have a tally in the loss column by game day. The Tide will face Georgia on Sept. 27 at Sanford Stadium, a place where no road team has won in the last 31 games. Additionally, although Alabama will likely be favored for a variety of reasons (including being at home), the Tide must rematch Vanderbilt on Oct. 4 and Tennessee on Oct. 18––two teams UA fell to last season.

Outlook

Alabama will likely be double-digit road favorites over South Carolina for this late October matchup. However, the Gamecocks could cover that spread very easily due to being the host and a calmer schedule leading up to that Saturday.

Last season, Alabama players opened up about Vanderbilt being a “trap game,” meaning the college football world just assumed the Tide would dominate––but that was obviously not the case. Alabama vs. South Carolina could be a similar scenario as the Gamecocks are a rising team in the sport.

South Carolina is 2-4 at home against Alabama with the second win coming in 2010 by a score of 35-21. The Crimson Tide has only been to Williams-Brice Stadium just once since then in 2019 when it cruised to a 47-23 victory.

The Game

Date: Oct. 25

Time: FLEX––2:30 p.m. CT to 7 p.m.

TV: TBD

Location: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, S.C.

Series history: Alabama leads 14-3 (4-2 away) with the first matchup occurring on Oct. 9, 1937.

Last meeting: The then-No. 7 Crimson Tide survived a 27-25 thriller against South Carolina at home on Oct. 12, 2024, with the game coming down to a dramatic final drive. Trailing 27-19 in the fourth quarter, South Carolina closed the gap when quarterback LaNorris Sellers connected with wide receiver Nyck Harbor on a 31-yard touchdown pass. However, the Gamecocks failed to convert the critical two-point attempt. After recovering the onside kick, they had one final shot to win, but Sellers was intercepted in the end zone by Alabama cornerback Domani Jackson.

The Team

Coach: Shane Beamer, fifth season, 29-22 record

Offensive coordinator: Mike Shula

Defensive coordinator: Clayton White

2024 record: 9-4 (5-3 SEC)

2024 rankings: Total offense (48th), Total defense (12th)

Returning Starters

Nine (five on offense, four on defense)

Players to Watch

QB LaNorris Sellers, RB Rashul Faison, WR Nyck Harbor, DE Dylan Stewart, LB Shawn Murphy, LB Justin Okoronkwo, DB Jalon Kilgore

Top Newcomer

Standing at 6-feet and 218 pounds, Utah State transfer running back Rashul Faison brings an electric play style to South Carolina. The 2024 All-Mountain West Second Team member rushed for 1,109 yards as a senior in 2024, which is the 17th-most in school history. His quick-cutting ability both as a rusher and receiver (22 receptions for 99 yards last season) should make him a reliable asset for the Gamecocks.

Biggest Question

Can Nyck Harbor have a breakout season?

The School

Location: Columbia, South Carolina

Founded: 1801

Enrollment: 56,167

Nickname: Gamecocks

Colors: Garnet, black and white

Mascot: Sir Big Spur

The Program

Last time beat Alabama: 2010

Last time won SEC: Never

Last time won SEC East: 2010

National championships: None

Playoff Appearances: None

Conference championships: 1 (1969 in ACC)

Bowl record: 10-16

Last season missed bowl: 2023

Heisman trophies: 1 (George Rogers- 1980)

2025 NFL Draft:

S Nick Emmanwori (Round 2, Pick 35 – Seattle Seahawks)
DT T.J. Sanders (Round 2, Pick 41 – Buffalo Bills)
LB Demetrius Knight (Round 2, Pick 49 – Cincinnati Bengals)
DE Kyle Kennard (Round 4, Pick 125 – Los Angeles Chargers)
DT Tonka Hemingway (Round 4, Pick 135 – Las Vegas Raiders)

Last Four Recruiting Class Rankings

No. 18 (2025), No. 19 (2024), No. 16 (2023), No. 27 (2022)

The Schedule

Aug. 31: vs. Virginia Tech (in Atlanta)
Sept. 6: vs. South Carolina State
Sept. 13: vs. Vanderbilt
Sept. 20: at Missouri
Sept. 27: vs. Kentucky
Oct. 11: at LSU
Oct. 18: vs. Oklahoma
Oct. 25: vs. Alabama
Nov. 1: at Ole Miss
Nov. 15: at Texas A&M
Nov. 22: vs. Coastal Carolina
Nov. 29: vs. Clemson

This is the eighth story in BamaCentral's summer preview series of all 12 regular season opponents for Alabama football in 2025. Ensuing stories will be published throughout June and early July.