No. 19 S. Carolina knocks off No. 1 Alabama
10/9/2010COLUMBIA, S.C. — Stephen Garcia threw three touchdown passes and Marcus Lattimore had two clinching TD runs as No. 19 South Carolina stunned No. 1 Alabama 35-21 on Saturday.
The Crimson Tide had won 19 straight game since losing the Sugar Bowl after the 2008 season to Utah.
But the Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference), who beat a top-ranked team for the first time in five tries, used the Alabama formula of cashing in chances and shutting down the run to pull off the upset and make themselves a factor in the SEC title chase.
South Carolina shredded the country's top-rated scoring defense, putting up the most points on Alabama (5-1, 2-1) 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 all season.