South Carolina vs Alabama Recap: Crimson Tide Win 49-18 as Russell Throws Four TDs
- 🔑 Alabama beat South Carolina 49-18 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, September 26, 2026, moving to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the SEC while South Carolina fell to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
- Freshman quarterback Keelon Russell completed 21 of 27 passes for 365 yards and four touchdowns and added a rushing score, accounting for five of Alabama’s seven touchdowns on the day, according to the official box score.
- South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers threw for 185 yards with one touchdown pass, to Nyck Harbor, and ran for 72 yards, but also threw an interception that Alabama’s Red Morgan returned for a touchdown.
- Alabama built a 35-10 halftime lead on four straight scoring drives, was held scoreless in the third quarter, then answered a South Carolina fourth-quarter score with two touchdowns of its own to close out the 49-18 final.
- This article reports only the completed game’s score and statistics as released in official box scores and team recaps. No betting odds, point spreads, or win-probability figures are used anywhere on this page.
Alabama beat South Carolina 49-18 on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Freshman quarterback Keelon Russell threw four touchdown passes and ran for a fifth score as the Crimson Tide pulled away with a big first half and a strong finish. Here’s how the game unfolded and what the result means for both teams.
What was the final score in Alabama vs. South Carolina?
Alabama won 49-18, improving to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the Southeastern Conference, while South Carolina dropped to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in SEC play. The Crimson Tide scored on four straight drives to open the game, took a 35-10 lead into halftime, went scoreless in the third quarter, and then answered a South Carolina fourth-quarter score with two touchdowns of their own to put the game away.
| Qtr | SC | ALA |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0 | 14 |
| 2nd | 10 | 21 |
| 3rd | 0 | 0 |
| 4th | 8 | 14 |
| Final | 18 | 49 |
How did Keelon Russell perform for Alabama?
Russell completed 21 of 27 passes for 365 yards and four touchdowns, and also ran one in himself, accounting for five of Alabama’s seven touchdowns on the day. His scoring passes included a 75-yard strike to freshman receiver Lotzeir Brooks on the game’s opening touchdown, two touchdown catches by Ryan Coleman-Williams, and a one-handed touchdown grab by Josh Ford. Russell’s rushing touchdown came from close range after a South Carolina fumble gave Alabama the ball near the goal line. Running back Daniel Hill added another short touchdown run for the Crimson Tide.
What happened with LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina’s offense?
Sellers threw for 185 yards with one touchdown, to Nyck Harbor, and ran for 72 yards, but South Carolina couldn’t keep pace after falling behind early. Running back Matt Fuller opened the game with a 56-yard run on South Carolina’s first play from scrimmage, and later scored the Gamecocks’ other touchdown on the ground. But Sellers also threw an interception that Alabama’s Red Morgan returned 23 yards for a touchdown late in the first half, extending the Crimson Tide’s lead before the break.
Where and when was the game played?
The game kicked off at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and aired nationally on ESPN. South Carolina traveled to Tuscaloosa as the road team in a home-and-home series between the two programs that has now been played in three straight seasons.
What does the result mean for each team’s season?
Alabama is 4-0 overall and 2-0 in SEC play after the win, while South Carolina fell to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in conference games. It was Alabama’s most lopsided SEC margin of the season so far, built on a fast start from the offense and a defensive touchdown off a Sellers interception. South Carolina continues SEC play looking to shore up a defense that gave up 35 points in the first half alone.
The bottom line
Alabama’s 49-18 win over South Carolina on Saturday, September 26, 2026, came down to a fast start, a big day from freshman quarterback Keelon Russell, and a defensive score off a Red Morgan interception return. Alabama moved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the SEC; South Carolina fell to 2-2 overall and 0-2 in conference play. We’ll keep tracking both teams as SEC play continues this fall.
How we verified this
The final score and both quarterbacks’ statistics were checked against multiple independent sources, including the game’s official box score, a national wire-service game story, and both teams’ own athletic-department recaps. All of them agree on the 49-18 final, Keelon Russell’s 365 passing yards and four touchdown passes, and LaNorris Sellers’ 185 passing yards and 72 rushing yards.
The game site was corrected during verification. An earlier working note had placed this game in Columbia, South Carolina; the official box score and a wire-service dateline both confirm it was played at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which this article uses throughout.
Team records (Alabama 4-0, 2-0 SEC; South Carolina 2-2, 0-2 SEC) and the quarter-by-quarter scoring come from the official box score and match the wire recap without conflict.
No betting odds, point spreads, or win-probability models appear anywhere on this page.