TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – – Alabama was able to hold off South Carolina 27-25 on Saturday with an interception after giving the Gamecocks a chance to hand the Crimson Tide its second straight SEC loss by botching an onside kick recovery before the game’s finale driving force.

LaNorris Sellers hit Nyck Harbor for a 31-yard touchdown with 43 seconds left, but the Gamecocks (3-2, 1-3) failed to convert on their two-point attempt. They recovered the ensuing onside kick, but Sellers’ desperation toward the end zone with 13 seconds left was intercepted on the goal line by Domani Jackson.

Jalen Milroe rushed for a 7-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and then hit Germie Bernard for a late 34-yard score to help No. 7 Alabama (5-1, 2-1) survive the scare.

The Crimson Tide narrowly avoided another setback after losing to Vanderbilt last week, ending a brief stint as the nation’s top-ranked team.

Milroe delivered when he had to in a game where he was intercepted twice and flagged for intentional grounding on a sack in the end zone for a safety. Facing third-and-10, he found Bernard downfield without a defender somewhere nearby with 1:54 left to cap a 10-play drive.

Milroe was 16 of 23 passing for 209 yards with a touchdown and two rushing scores. Sellers were 23 of 31 for 238 yards with two touchdowns and the final pick.

The Gamecocks entered the fourth quarter with a lead and had a chance to regain it. But Alex Herrera’s 51-yard field goal attempt, which would have been a career long, was short-lived.

Milroe had taken advantage of a Sellers fumble with his 7-yard touchdown run with 10:42 left, but the two-point pass failed, leaving the score 20-19.

Alabama’s 14-0 lead was cut to two in the final 1:37 before halftime, amid a series of big plays by South Carolina and Tide snafus. It included the safety, each team’s turnover, and Sellers’ fourth-and-9 pass to a wide-open Mazeo Bennett Jr. for a score of 36 yards.

The takeaway

South Carolina: The Gamecocks have largely turned things around after a 27-3 home loss to No. 9 Mississippi, with Sellers beating Milroe much of the time.

Alabama: That dominant first half and win over Georgia now seems like a different season. But just like that game, the Tide was able to hold on.

Survey implications

Alabama could fall in the rankings despite the win.

Next

South Carolina: No. 18 Oklahoma on Saturday, Oct. 19

Alabama: Ranked No. 8 in Tennessee on Saturday, October 19

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