It has been 15 years since a game that stunned Alabama Crimson Tide fans. On Oct. 9, 2010, Alabama traveled to Columbia to play South Carolina. The Gamecocks were no slouch team, ranked at No. 19. But no college football expert predicted South Carolina would upset the Crimson Tide.
At 5-0 in the 2010 season, the defending National Champion Crimson Tide had allowed a total of 45 points. No. 18 Penn State was held to three points in Week 2. The week before the South Carolina game, the No. 7-ranked Florida Gators were held to six points. The Gamecocks scored 35 points in a game Alabama lost by two touchdowns and in which it led only once, in the first quarter, 3-0.
Alabama was ineffective in running the ball. Greg McIlroy had a good game, passing for 315 yards. Julio Jones caught eight passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. Two South Carolina players one-upped the two Crimson Tide stars. Gamecock quarterback Stephen Garcia had a career game, completing 17-of-20 passes and throwing for two touchdowns. South Carolina wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, predicted by Lane Kiffin to have a career pumping gas if, as a recruit, he chose the Gamecocks rather than Tennessee, had seven receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns.
A few months ago, Greg McIlroy said, "With the way Spurrier called the game, with how Alshon played, we probably weren’t gonna win that game. You could replay that game 100 times and if they called the same script the way they did, it was going to be hard for us to win."
A few years later, after Steve Spurrier's retirement, Nick Saban told Spurrier jokingly that Alabama would fire him if he ever lost three games in a season again. Spurrier later said he was not sure Saban was joking. After the 2010, 10-3 season Alabama recovered nicely, winning back-to-back National Championships in 2011 and 2012. And Saban had no more three-loss seasons.
Before the kickoff on Saturday, South Carolina will honor the 2010 team. Greg McIlroy is fortunate he will not be in Williams-Brice Stadium calling the game. The celebration will not diminish the disappointment of South Carolina fans in the game's expected outcome.
Note: Game stats provided by ESPN.