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South Carolina Football Gameday Guide: Gamecocks vs. Alabama

South Carolina (1-1) vs Alabama (2-0)

When: Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019 - 3:30 PM ET

Where: Williams-Brice Stadium (80,250), Columbia, SC

Television: CBS (Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jamie Erdahl)

Local Radio: Gamecock IMG Sports Network (Todd Ellis, Tommy Suggs, Jamar Nesbit)

National Radio: Westwood One (Ryan Radtke, Derek Rackley)

Satellite Radio: Sirius 137, XM 191 & 383

Odds: Bama -25.5, OU 61.5

Weather: Partly cloudy. Highs around 88°F. East northeast wind to 7 MPH.

COVERAGE FROM SOUTH CAROLINA VS ALABAMA:

Important Links: Roster | Printable Roster | Schedule/Scores | Scholarship Breakdown | The Insiders Forum

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PODCAST: Chris Clark and Wes Mitchell preview Alabama

Listen to Gamecock Central Podcasts on these platforms: Apple iTunes Podcasts | Spotify | PlayerFM | SoundCloud | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | Spreaker | YouTube

ALSO: more episodes | GC Radio app: App Store - Google Play

Select Gamecock Central Content

- Gamecocks football recruiting weekend visitors

- Carolina Confidential - Final thoughts on South Carolina vs. Alabama

- Tanner weighs in on California bill on player likeness

- Current players share memories of 2010 upset win

- Hoops notes: weekend visitors, Gamecocks host top 60 player

- Breaking down the keys: South Carolina Gamecocks football vs. Bama

- Film Prep: Alabama

- Two Gamecocks out for Alabama game

Injury report

SOUTH CAROLINA

WR Randrecous Davis - Out (ankle)

BUCK Brad Johnson - Out (groin)

DL Keir Thomas - Out (infection in ankle)

QB Jake Bentley - Out for the season (foot)

DL Devontae Davis - Out for the season (knee)

ALABAMA

OL Emil Ekiyor Jr. - Game-time decision (knee)

RB Trey Sanders - Out indefinitely (foot)

LB Dylan Moses - Out Indefinitely (knee)

LB Joshua McMillon - Out indefinitely (knee)

DB Nigel Knott - Out indefinitely (Undisclosed)

OL Hunter Brannon - Out indefinitely (Undisclosed)

Statistical comparison
South Carolina Alabama

Points per game

46.0

52.0

Points allowed per game

17.0

6.5

Total yards

522.5

557.5

Passing yards

212.0

326.0

Rushing yards

310.5

231.5

Total yards allowed

375.0

233.0

Passing yards allowed

220.0

129.0

Rushing yards allowed

155.0

104.0

Depth chart

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK

3 Ryan Hilinski - Fr.

7 Dakereon Joyner - RsFr.

81 Jay Urich - RsSo.

(OUT FOR THE SEASON - 19 Jake Bentley - Sr. - Foot)

RUNNING BACK

5 Rico Dowdle - Sr.

OR

4 Tavien Feaster - Sr.

34 Mon Denson - RsSr.

20 Kevin Harris - Fr.

WIDE RECEIVER (outside)

89 Bryan Edwards - Sr.

83 Chavis Dawkins - Sr.

81 Jay Urich - RsSO.

WIDE RECEIVER (outside)

6 Josh Vann - So.

18 OrTre Smith - RsSo.

17 Xavier Legette - Fr.

WIDE RECEIVER (slot)

13 Shi Smith - Jr.

7 Dakereon Joyner - RsFr.

(OUT - 8 Randrecous Davis - RsJr. - Ankle)

LEFT TACKLE

50 Sadarius Hutcherson - RsJr.

55 Jakai Moore - Fr.

LEFT GUARD

76 Jordan Rhodes - RsSo.

54 Jovaughn Gwyn - RsFr.

CENTER

72 Donell Stanley - RsSr.

70 Hank Manos - RsFr.

RIGHT GUARD

54 Jovaughn Gwyn - RsFr.

71 Eric Douglas - RsSo. (PROBABLE - foot)

RIGHT TACKLE

79 Dylan Wonnum - So.

71 Eric Douglas - RsSo. (PROBABLE - foot)

TIGHT END

84 Kyle Markway - RsJr.

9 Nick Muse - Jr.

TIGHT END

31 Chandler Farrell - RsJr.

82 KeShawn Toney - Fr.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE END

15 Aaron Sterling - Jr.

52 Kingsley Enagbare - So.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

3 Javon Kinlaw - Sr.

90 Rick Sandidge - So.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

95 Kobe Smith - Sr.

26 Zacch Pickens - Fr.

(OUT - 5 Keir Thomas - Sr. - Infection in ankle - Out 1-2 more weeks or longer)

BUCK

8 D.J. Wonnum - Sr.

35 Daniel Fennell - RsSr.

MIKE LINEBACKER

53 Ernest Jones - So.

42 Rosendo Louis Jr. - So.

WILL LINEBACKER

6 T.J. Brunson - Sr.

30 Damani Staley - Jr.

SAM LINEBACKER

44 Sherrod Greene - Jr.

OR

40 Jahmar Brown - Fr.

SAFETY

21 Jamyest Williams - Jr.

10 R.J. Roderick - So.

SAFETY

29 J.T. Ibe - RsSr.

7 Jammie Robinson - Fr.

CORNERBACK

1 Jaycee Horn - So.

22 John Dixon - Fr.

CORNERBACK

24 Israel Mukuamu - So.

25 A.J. Turner - RsSr.

NICKEL

10 R.J. Roderick - So.

7 Jammie Robinson - Fr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PLACE KICKER

43 Parker White - Jr.

48 Will Tommie - Sr.

PUNTER

20 Joseph Charlton - Sr.

85 Michael Almond - Sr.

DEEP SNAPPER

39 Matt Oliveira - Sr.

69 Matthew Bailey - Fr.

HOLDER

20 Joseph Charlton - Sr.

PUNT RETURNER

89 Bryan Edwards - Sr.

13 Shi Smith - Jr.

KICKOFF RETURNER

13 Shi Smith - Jr.

25 A.J. Turner - RsSr.

Quick Notes

** These two SEC opponents have not met since the 2010 season, a Carolina 35-21 win in Columbia. The teams are not scheduled to meet again until the 2024 campaign, with that contest slated for Tuscaloosa, a venue the Gamecocks have not seen since the 2009 season.

** South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp is winless in two tries as a head coach against Alabama, with both losses coming while he was the head coach at Florida. The Tide posted a 38-10 win over the Gators in Gainesville in 2011, then rolled to a 42-21 win in Tuscaloosa in 2014.

** Alabama head coach Nick Saban owns a 3-1 mark when facing the Gamecocks. He was 2-0 against South Carolina as the head coach at LSU, winning by a 38-14 score in Baton Rouge in 2002 and by a 33-7 margin in Columbia in 2003, then winning in Tuscaloosa as the Alabama head coach in 2009 by a 20-6 margin before the Gamecocks got the best of him in Columbia the following season by a 35-21 score.

** Stephen Garcia threw three touchdown passes, two to Alshon Jeffrey, and Marcus Lattimore scored three times as 19th-ranked South Carolina stunned No. 1 Alabama 35-21. Never before had the Gamecocks beaten a team ranked No. 1 - at least not in football. The defending national champions had won 19-straight games since losing the Sugar Bowl to Utah after the 2008 season.

South Carolina shredded the country's top-rated scoring defense, putting up the most points on Alabama since a 41-34 loss to LSU in 2007. The Gamecocks scored four touchdowns when they got inside the Bama 20 - double what the Crimson Tide had allowed coming in. Garcia was a tidy 17-of-20 for 201 yards and the one interception. He also picked up a critical fourth-and-1 on the Gamecocks final scoring drive. Jeffery had seven receptions for 127 yards, including TD catches of 26 and 15 yards.

** The Gamecocks will be playing their first ranked opponent of the season when they take on No. 2 Alabama. Carolina will be looking to knock off a ranked opponent for the first time since a 24-21 win over No. 18 Tennessee on Oct. 29, 2016. Since that time, the Gamecocks have dropped 10-straight games to ranked opponents, including five contests in 2018.

** The Gamecocks scored on 11 of 13 possessions, including 10 touchdowns, in a 72-10 rout of Charleston Southern last Saturday afternoon in Columbia. The 72 points scored was the fifth-highest total in school history. The Gamecocks rolled up 775 yards, the most in program history and the fifth-highest in SEC history, including a school-record 493 rushing yards.

The Gamecocks averaged 11.2 yards per play, good for eighth all-time in SEC history. Carolina scored 21 points in the first quarter and had 44 by intermission, the most since putting up a school-record 56 in the first half against Troy in 2010. It was the Gamecocks' 31st win in their last 34 home games against non-conference opponents. The Gamecocks did not have a negative play, nor did they punt in the game, the first time that has happened since 2011 against The Citadel.

NOTES PROVIDED BY USC MEDIA RELATIONS

Gamecock Central Staff Predictions

Collyn Taylor: This game is an uphill battle for South Carolina on both sides of the ball with the only edge the Gamecocks really holding is on special teams. I think they'll come out ready to play but it's going to be hard to hand with a team as deeply talented as Alabama is. They'll probably keep it close—I have them covering at least—but the Tide are just too good. Alabama 45, South Carolina 20

Wes Mitchell: Too much talent on the Alabama roster - particularly at quarterback and wide receiver - and too many questions on the South Carolina sideline. I expect Ryan Hilinski and the Carolina offense to play well. I think they can anyway, and may surprise some people, but there are just too many factors against the Gamecocks for me to pick the upset. Alabama 34, South Carolina 24.

Michael Beckham: Teams that beat Alabama almost always require a near-perfect performance from their quarterback. On top of that, they need their defense to hold their own. Unfortunately for Carolina, they start a true freshman quarterback and have big holes in the defensive unit. Former Saban assistants are still winless against their mentor, and with all of the question marks for USC, I don’t see the Gamecocks bucking that trend. Alabama 45, South Carolina 17

Will Helms: Alabama is just too talented for South Carolina. Ryan Hilinski should be an excellent college quarterback, but it's too much to ask of a freshman in his second start to outgun one of the top teams in the country. South Carolina may be competitive for stretches, but in the end, Alabama will pull away and I don't think the Gamecocks will cover. Alabama is simply on another level. Alabama 44, South Carolina 14

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