Keelon Russell put on a show in Tuscaloosa.
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The Alabama quarterback completed 21 of 27 passes for 365 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, leading the Crimson Tide to a commanding 49-18 victory over South Carolina.
Russell wasted little time. He hit Lotzeir Brooks for a 75-yard touchdown in the first quarter and later connected twice with Ryan Coleman-Williams for scores. Alabama led 35-10 by halftime and never allowed South Carolina back into the game.
Coleman-Williams caught five passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Brooks had 78 yards on only two receptions, while Alabama averaged a remarkable 8.6 yards per offensive play.
South Carolina actually moved the ball reasonably well, finishing with 419 total yards. Matt Fuller rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown, and LaNorris Sellers added 72 rushing yards while throwing for 185.
But Alabama’s explosiveness and South Carolina’s turnovers changed the game. Sellers threw a second-quarter interception that Alabama returned for a touchdown, helping turn a difficult situation into a rout.
The Gamecocks did produce a highlight just before halftime when Sellers connected with Nyck Harbor for a 41-yard touchdown. Fuller scored in the fourth and South Carolina converted the two-point attempt, but the outcome was already settled.
Alabama answered with two more fourth-quarter touchdowns and finished with 489 yards despite running only 57 offensive plays.
Russell’s combination of accuracy and downfield explosiveness was the defining feature of the night. Alabama improved to 4-0 with another impressive offensive showing.
