Alabama

Extra thoughts and notes from Alabama’s ugly win over South Carolina

Published

2 months ago

October 26, 2025

Extra thoughts and notes from Alabama’s ugly win over South Carolina

Ty Simpson walked through the gates then up to his family, standing on the left side of the path outside Williams-Brice Stadium.

His dad, Jason, gave him a hug and a few thoughts. His mom, Julie, kissed him on the cheek and squeezed him too.

Then a fan standing nearby gave her take on the game that had just happened minutes prior.

A win is a win.

That couldn’t have been truer for Alabama, and Simpson against South Carolina. The quarterback and the Crimson Tide had to muster some late-game heroics to avoid the upset, but they got it done. The journey to get to the win wasn’t pretty, but it goes down as a victory anyway.

No. 4 Alabama beat South Carolina 29-22 on Saturday, giving the Crimson Tide (7-1, 5-0 SEC) its first SEC road win over an unranked opponent in the Kalen DeBoer era.

That’s why Alabama emerged jubilant from the win, despite the ugly performance. Simpson, who certainly didn’t play his best game of the season, was no different.

“What a great win,” Simpson said.

The day after every Alabama game this season, AL.com will have extra thoughts and notes. Here’s all of them from the Crimson Tide’s win over South Carolina.

Alabama Defensive Back DaShawn Jones (7) makes a touchdown on a pick six against South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC on Saturday, Oct 25, 2025. Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics

3 game balls

Recipients: Germie Bernard, Deontae Lawson, DaShawn Jones

On receiver Germie Bernard: It’s clear the high level of trust this coaching staff has in him. He’s like Ghostbusters for big plays in big moments. With the game on the line, who’s Alabama gonna call? Germie Bernard. He scored the last two touchdowns of the game, one catching a pass and the other taking a direct snap for the score.

On linebacker Deontae Lawson: The captain made the play of the game when he jarred the ball loose from LaNorris Sellers late in the fourth quarter. Lawson also made sure nose tackle Tim Keenan III saw the ball was underneath him. Lawson finished the day with seven tackles as well as a pass breakup.

On defensive back DaShawn Jones: His pick six will largely be forgotten because of all that transpired in the fourth quarter, but he gave Alabama points when the Crimson Tide seemed unable to score any for much of the first half.

Alabama vs. South Carolina 2025 — Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard (5) runs in for a touchdown against South Carolina in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Scott Kinser)AP

Stat of the game

Simpson and the receivers were out of sync for a majority of the game, except for when it mattered most.

Simpson completed 8 of his last 9 passes to finish the game. That included the touchdown pass to Bernard with 2:16 left in the game. On the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, Simpson hit tight end Josh Cuevas to tie the game.

When Alabama had no room for error, Simpson and his receivers stepped up.

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Alabama essentially beat South Carolina the same way it did in 2024 — a Bernard touchdown in which he kind of walked into the end zone.

Then Alabama’s defense stepped up each time to close out the game.

The ending to the 2024 game proved more chaotic, though. South Carolina scored a touchdown on the ensuing drive a year ago. Then it went for an onside kick it recovered. But Domani Jackson picked off the ball in the end zone to secure Alabama’s win at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Fast forward to this year, and South Carolina got the ball back with 29 seconds left on its own 9-yard line. That wasn’t going to allow for much, but Alabama’s defense ensured nothing happened. Keon Keeley closed the game out with a sack.

South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said after the 2025 game the Gamecocks defenders were told to let Alabama score if it got the first down. That way, South Carolina could at least give itself a chance with some time left on the clock. So once Bernard took the handoff to convert third-and-10, he tiptoed to the end zone as the defense let up.

It’s unclear if South Carolina did the same with Bernard when he caught the touchdown in 2024. No one was within 10 yards or so of him when he scored a year ago.

Either way, how Alabama closed out the game against South Carolina in back-to-back years rhymed.

MFB — Alabama Wide Receiver Germie Bernard (5) runs for a touchdown against South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC on Saturday, Oct 25, 2025. Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics

2 areas to fix

Deep passes
Pass protection

Alabama could have broken the game open on multiple occasions if Simpson could have found a way to connect with receivers on deep passes. But for whatever reason, most of them didn’t work out. Alabama needs to better develop this area of its game for the offense to take the next step. The deep ball wasn’t there enough, and it almost cost the Crimson Tide the game.

As for pass protection, it was lacking at times. South Carolina’s speed off the edge often proved problematic for Alabama’s offensive tackles. The Gamecocks finished with only two sacks, but their ability to affect Simpson got in the way of the Alabama offense far too often.

MFB — Alabama Quarterback Ty Simpson (15) throws the ball against South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC on Saturday, Oct 25, 2025. Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics

3 parting thoughts

The importance of this win can’t be stressed enough. No, it didn’t go well, and South Carolina is not a good football team. But this was the last regular-season hurdle Alabama needed to clear under DeBoer. He proved he can win big games and small games. DeBoer can beat the best and the teams he’s supposed to beat. Alabama has leveled up.
Bernard is deserving all the success he’s having. He didn’t let all the praise and attention Ryan Williams received during the offseason affect or discourage him. In fact, Bernard expressed how much he loved it for his teammate. Meanwhile, Bernard kept working. That all has paid off. Williams has a world of talent, but Bernard has the argument for most valuable player on the offense besides Simpson. Bernard is putting himself in the first-round conversation for this springs NFL Draft.
The open week couldn’t come at a better time. You can tell DeBoer and the players need a breather after the gauntlet stretch it endured: five consecutive SEC games, and four of those games were against ranked opponents. The one that wasn’t was played in a raucous road environment. The way DeBoer and the players talk, they very much so welcome the chance to rest and re-charge ahead of the stretch run in November.

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Alabama

Jacob Crews scores 20 for Missouri in 85-77 win over Alabama State

Published

4 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Jacob Crews scores 20 for Missouri in 85-77 win over Alabama State

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jacob Crews scored 20, and Anthony Robinson II added 19 in Missouri’s 85-77 win over Alabama State on Thursday night.

Crews shot 7 of 9 from the field, including 6 of 8 from the 3-point arc. Mark Mitchell added 15 points for Missouri (9-2), and Sebastian Mack added 10.

The Tigers had a 15-0 run in the first half, heading into the locker room up 52-39. Alabama State was held scoreless over a 4:19 drought in the middle of the second half to open a 9-0 run for the Tigers. The Hornets (3-8) responded with their own 10-0 run to bring the game within eight, 74-62. The Tigers regained control, though, to keep their eight-point lead the rest of the game, handing Alabama State their fourth loss in a row.

The Tigers shot 65% (33 of 51). Both teams shot 50% from the free-throw line.

Alabama State outscored Missouri in the final period, 38-33. Asjon Anderscon scored 23 for the Hornets, leading all players in scoring.

Up next

Missouri hosts Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 14.

Alabama State travels to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats on Dec. 17.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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Alabama

Katie Windham Highlights Alabama Areas of Improvement on The Joe Gaither Show

Published

16 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

Katie Windham Highlights Alabama Areas of Improvement on The Joe Gaither Show

Let’s crank up a Thursday edition of “The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral” with Mason Woods and Katie Windham as we start getting ready for next week’s College Football Playoff game between Alabama and Oklahoma. Windham detailed how the Crimson Tide can improve over the next few weeks, we discuss the team’s health and look back at our last road trip to Norman. The show then discusses the Heisman Trophy finalists before addressing a Kalen DeBoer coaching rumor.

The program opens by power ranking the holidays before discussing Windham’s three areas the Crimson Tide can improve over the next week. Our trio picks the easiest area the team can improve and how Alabama must perform in Norman. Windham details our last trip to Oklahoma as we go down memory lane to the Sooners’ 24-3 victory last season.

The show continues on by getting Windham’s thoughts on Alabama’a College Football Playoff selection and if the Crimson Tide actually deserved its place in the field. She brings up a unique aspect of Alabama’s blowout loss in the SEC Championship and how it played into the program’s inclusion in the College Football Playoffs.

We move from next week’s game into a small discussion on Notre Dame’s reaction of being left out of the field and how it relates to Alabama’s future home-and-home dates with the Fighting Irish. Will the two esteemed programs still face off in a few years?

The show heads into the only college football action of the weekend by highlighting the strong Heisman Trophy finalist field. Who brings home the bronze statue?

Lastly, we spend the final bit of the show talking about Michigan firing Sherrone Moore and the reports of the Wolverines considering persuing Kalen DeBeor for their next head coach. Will DeBoer leave Tuscaloosa for Ann Arbor?

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Alabama

New Alabama law raises penalties for porch piracy

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

New Alabama law raises penalties for porch piracy

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – As holiday deliveries ramp up, a new Alabama law aims to deter package theft by raising penalties for so-called “porch piracy.” The law, which went into effect on October 1, 2025, makes repeated package theft a felony and can carry prison sentences of up to 10 years in the most serious cases.

What changed

Previously, many package thefts in Alabama were charged as misdemeanor theft because the value of individual stolen packages often fell below felony thresholds. Under the new law however, lawmakers established penalties that focus on the number of homes targeted rather than the dollar value of items stolen:

Stealing from 1 to 9 homes: most serious misdemeanor
Stealing from 10 to 29 homes: felony
Stealing from 30 or more homes: can result in up to 10 years in prison

The law also increases penalties if stolen packages are used to commit identity theft or fraud. In addition, anyone who knowingly receives packages stolen by a porch pirate can be charged under the new rules.

Lawmakers weigh in

Senator April Weaver, one of the bill’s sponsors, said the change was meant to protect Alabama families during the holidays.

“It was really important to protect the people not only in my district but throughout the state of Alabama and to make sure their hard-earned money is going to their children’s Christmas,” she said.

On camera, Senator Weaver added with holiday humor, “It means the Grinch may have stolen Christmas in Whoville, but if he does it in Alabama, he’ll have plenty of time in state prison for his heart to grow three sizes.”

What police recommend if your package is stolen

If you discover a stolen package, law enforcement recommends:

Report the theft to police immediately.
Preserve any doorbell or surveillance footage that may show the theft.
Contact the delivery company right away to report the missing item.
Consider requiring a signature on delivery to reduce the risk of theft.

The law went into effect on October 1, 2025; this December marks the first holiday season it is in effect. Alabama is now one of more than a dozen states that have passed laws specifically targeting package theft. Supporters say the law sends a stronger message that porch piracy will no longer be treated as a minor offense.

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