How Domani Jackson’s resolve led Alabama football to win over South Carolina

The dreaded cart often precedes a bad outcome.

When the training staff has to bring out a cart to transport a player during a football game, it’s far from a good sign. So when the Alabama football trainers grabbed a golf cart to take starting cornerback Domani Jackson from the medical tent to the locker room on Saturday during the first half against South Carolina, it didn’t look good.

Jackson had made a tackle during the second quarter but was slow to get up. He immediately went to the medical tent on the sideline once he got helped off the field.

Based on that series of events, Jackson’s chances of returning to the game didn’t seem great.

He certainly didn’t look like he would be able to come back into the game later to make the game-clinching interception. But he did.

Jackson returned in the second half and on the final play, he intercepted South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers to secure No. 7 Alabama’s 27-25 victory at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Jackson not only grabbed the ball but also saved Alabama (5-1, 2-1 SEC) from a second consecutive loss and upset.

The Crimson Tide certainly needed him. Jackson, the Southern Cal transfer, is in his third season of major college football. The only other non-freshman seeing playing time at cornerback is Wake Forest transfer DaShawn Jones, and he has mainly been a rotational piece. Otherwise, it’s Jackson and a handful of freshmen.

Without Jackson for a period of time, Alabama had to turn to Zabien Brown, Jaylen Mbakwe, Zay Mincey and Jones. Brown, Mbakwe and Mincey are all talented freshmen, but that’s a young and overall inexperienced group. With Jackson out of the lineup, South Carolina marched back, having been down 14-0 at the two-minute timeout. By halftime, the Gamecocks only trailed 14-12. The defense was ultimately responsible for seven of those points; South Carolina converted on fourth-and-9 to score a 36-yard touchdown pass.

Then Jackson, who Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said will “be fine,” returned in the second half.

“He’s someone we’ve got a lot of confidence in,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “We wanted to just use him at the right times in the right moments in the second half when those times came up.”

However, before Jackson could play the role of game savior, he gave up a touchdown.

South Carolina scored with 43 seconds left as Sellers found receiver Nyck Harbor in the end zone to bring the Gamecocks within two points. Harbor had to make an impressive catch, but Jackson was ultimately the player who gave up the score.

He soon had a chance to make up for it.

Unable to score on the two-point conversion after Harbor’s touchdown, South Carolina had to go for the onside kick. And the Gamecocks recovered it. That gave South Carolina one last chance at points.

Three plays later, Sellers overthrew his intended receiver, and Jackson stepped in from behind to make the interception.

“Finding a way to pull it down, concentrate on the ball, kind of what most people would look at as an easy pick,” DeBoer said, “but you’ve got to still be there. Still got to make the play. Definitely proud of the fight he had wanting to be back out there considering he did go down earlier in the game.”

Jackson intercepted the pass on about the 2-yard line, but his momentum appeared to carry him into the end zone. He looked about ready to kneel in the end zone before safety Malachi Moore encouraged Jackson to take the ball out. Jackson then returned it 38 yards. By NCAA rule, that shouldn’t have been ruled a safety because Jackson’s momentum appeared to carry him into the end zone. But Moore made sure that wasn’t left up to the interpretation of the officials.

Then the celebration commenced, filled with a heavy dose of relief.

On the field postgame, teammates, coaches and staff members flocked to Jackson. Some gave him hugs. Some gave him a pat of gratitude on the helmet.

Pushing through the injury, shaking off the surrendered touchdown, Jackson deserved all the love for the resolve he showed to save Alabama.

Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.