South Carolina heads to Alabama this Saturday for a 7 p.m. kick on ESPN. Bama is currently a 12.5-point favorite with our friends over at Hard Rock Bet.
Ashton Daniels threw for 377 yards a week ago. I do not expect LaNorris Sellers to have such success against a ticked-off Alabama defense with a little something to prove at home.
That being said, I’m done believing in LaNorris Sellers and Shane Beamer, which means I’m due for a come-up. I’m due for a “you buried me, I’m not dead yet” type of Shane Beamer and LaNorris Sellers performance, like Undertaker coming out of the tomb at WrestleMania.
I just don’t think it’s going to happen, though.
Nothing in my mind tells me this is going to happen. I think Bama is going to get them pretty big.
Can South Carolina Stop the Run?
The key to the matchup for me is that South Carolina run defense.
They were solid a week ago against Mississippi State apart from one explosive with Fluff Bothwell. But it was a very simplistic attack from Mississippi State from a run-game perspective.
This Bama run game is totally different. It’s a lot more diverse.
Once they find a run that you’re having a problem fitting, they just shove it down your throat.
That’s the key to the matchup to me: South Carolina’s ability to stop the run, if they can.
Dylan Stewart is an X-Factor
My X-factor is Dylan Stewart’s conditioning levels.
He wrecks every game he’s in. He wrecks every pass opportunity he gets to rush.
The only problem is he was on a snap count last week – 25 total snaps – and I don’t even know if he got to that point in that football game.
It seemed to me like Shane Beamer was a little perturbed with that in the postgame press conference I watched. He was a little frustrated that his five star, first-round NFL superstar, who’s just coming off of a broken back, wasn’t able to play in the fourth quarter.
I found that a little bit weird.
Maybe he was just perturbed in general because he just blew a 16-0 lead. Probably a little bit of that.
It probably wasn’t as pointed at Dylan Stewart as much as I thought it was, but if he can play a bunch of snaps in this football game, they’ll be alright.
Don’t Expect Another Alabama Defensive Stinker
Here’s the other thing: Kane Wommack hasn’t had back-to-back stinkers in his entire run at Alabama.
In two and a half years as the defensive coordinator at Alabama, Wommack has allowed 30+ points four times: Vanderbilt, Indiana, Florida State and Georgia.
That’s it.
Everybody else has scored sub-30 and really struggled to consistently move the football.
I highly doubt we get back-to-back stinkers from this Alabama defense.
South Carolina vs. Alabama Early Prediction
You ready for this?
Unless it doesn’t happen…Austin Mack plays in this football game and doesn’t record a single attempt.
I think Bama crushes them.
Alabama 38, South Carolina 10.
Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in FL. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC, in all other states. Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, CO, FL, IL, IN, MI, NJ, OH, TN or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling? In FL, call 1-833-PLAYWISE. In IN, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. In AZ, OH, & VA, call 1-800-MY-RESET.
GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1‑800‑GAMBLER (CO, IL, MI, NJ, TN)
