Jalen Milroe rushed for two touchdowns and passed for one and No. 7 Alabama trailed in the fourth quarter before escaping with a 27-25 victory over South Carolina on Saturday in Southeastern Conference play at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Domani Jackson made the game-sealing interception as time expired for the Crimson Tide (5-1, 2-1 SEC), who rebounded from last week’s embarrassing 40-35 loss to Vanderbilt.
LaNorris Sellers completed 23 of 31 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns for South Carolina (3-3, 1-3) but also lost a key fourth-quarter fumble in addition to the interception on the final play.
South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor caught a 31-yard touchdown pass with 43 seconds left to bring his team within two, but the ensuing two-point pass failed.
However, Kai Kroeger’s spinning, wobbling onside kick avoided the grasp of two Alabama players and Colin Bryant recovered for the Gamecocks at the Alabama 49-yard line with 40 seconds left. But the Gamecocks were unable to get within field-goal range.
Germie Bernard caught a touchdown pass and Justice Haynes ran for a score for the Crimson Tide. Milroe completed 16 of 23 passes for 209 yards and two interceptions.
Raheim “Rocket” Sanders rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown, Mazeo Bennett Jr. had a scoring reception and Kyle Kennard had two sacks for the Gamecocks.
Alabama blew a 14-point lead before moving ahead 20-19 on Milroe’s 7-yard keeper with 10:42 left in the game.
The Crimson Tide added on when Milroe connected with a wide-open Bernard on a 34-yard score with 1:54 remaining.
South Carolina rebounded from a two-touchdown deficit by scoring the next 19 points.
The Gamecocks were facing fourth-and-9 when Bennett caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Sellers with 1:36 left in the first half.
Nine seconds later, Kennard broke in free and was about to tackle Milroe in the end zone when the Alabama quarterback threw the ball away before landing. Intentional grounding was called and the safety pulled South Carolina within 14-9.
In the final seconds of the half, John Kilgore intercepted Milroe and returned it 31 yards to the Crimson Tide 19 with one second left. Alex Herrera kicked a 37-yard field goal to pull the Gamecocks within two.
South Carolina began the second half with a massive 16-play, 85-yard drive that took 8:35. Sanders capped it with a 1-yard run to give the Gamecocks a 19-14 lead.
Early in the fourth quarter, South Carolina’s O’Donnell Fortune intercepted Milroe in the end zone to snuff out an Alabama drive. However, Sellers lost a fumble 12 seconds later that LT Overton recovered at the Gamecocks’ 31 with 12:05 left. Overton’ recovery set up Milroe’s go-ahead score.
Alabama looked sharp early as Milroe scored from the 1 to cap a game-opening drive. The Crimson Tide made it 14-0 on Haynes’ 2-yard run with 4:38 left in the half.
–Field Level Media