Alabama Is the Early Favorite Coming Into the Week Against the South Carolina Gamecocks

Oddsmakers have released an early week line for the game against Alabama and South Carolina. The Crimson Tide open as big favorites in this SEC clash against the Gamecocks.

Oct 18, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Lanorris Sellers (16) passes against the Oklahoma Sooners in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

For the second week in a row, South Carolina opens as the betting underdog in their home matchup against a SEC foe. Last week the margin was less than a touchdown, this time around as Alabama comes into town the spread is big for an in-conference game as the Gamecocks find themselves down double-digits on the market.

Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide open as 13.5-point favorites on the road in Williams-Brice Stadium, all odds according to FanDuel. The over/under in total points for this game is set at 47.5. This is the biggest point spread the Gamecocks have faced so far this season, especially at home.

The reason for the line is a tale of two teams going in different directions as we sit on October 20. South Carolina has a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, thanks to the recruiting job from Shane Beamer and his staff, however the offense has been a major struggling point so far this season. Despite having one of the nation's best talents at the quarterback spot and good talent at the skill positions, the Gamecocks have not been an efficient team on this side of the ball as shown by its 20.14 points per game scoring offense. A major part in this has been the play of the offensive line, and Beamer has tried to make changes there to fix the issue. But injuries has derailed that unit so much this season that just a new voice in the room may not solve things.

Defensively, the Gamecocks remain a strong unit on the backend. They are a veteran-led secondary that makes life harder on opposing offenses. The front seven, however, has taken a step back from 2024, which makes since considering the major loss of talent to the NFL the Gamecocks suffered. But it is a unit that teams have been able to run on and sustain drives which has hurt them in some capacity nearly every week.

The other side of the story is an Alabama team beginning to show why they were so highly ranked in the preseason. An early loss at the hands of the Florida State Seminoles sent fans and the media in a frenzy asking what is wrong with this Crimson Tide team. Since then, they have completely turned things around and look like a well oiled machine.

Reminder just because the odds say one thing, does not mean the Gamecocks are completely out of this SEC clash. One has to remember a certain number one ranked Alabama team coming into Columbia back in 2010 and leaving with a blowout loss.

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