South Carolina faces Alabama after its defense allowed 41 points to Mississippi State. Edge rusher Dylan Stewart returned on limited snaps last week after a back injury, and his workload remains uncertain; SB Nation’s preview predicts the Tide will score 31.
Clayton White has been South Carolina’s defensive coordinator since 2021. The preview describes a multiple-front, one-gap scheme built around man coverage, frequent blitzes and isolating edge rushers against tackles; it also says the defense has challenged Alabama in each of the past two seasons.
Defensive tackle Gabe Brownlow-Dindy is out with an injury, and former Alabama reserve Kelby Collins is slated to start. Linebacker Justin Okoronkwo leads the Gamecocks in tackles. The writer sees a possible vulnerability to interior runs and says it is unclear whether the secondary’s poor showing against Mississippi State signals a broader weakness.
