Alabama @ South Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 9, 2010 ) Alabama 21, South Carolina 35

Alabama and South Carolina haven't played since 2010, and the last meeting wasn't the least bit fun for the Crimson Tide. The Gamecocks defeated then-No. 1 Alabama 35-21 nine years ago, and they look to post another upset when the No. 2 Crimson Tide visit town on Saturday.

Alabama coach Nick Saban was saltier than usual when the 2010 loss was brought up, and he made it clear it has nothing to do with the current players who take the field. "What year are we in now? 2019? Most of our guys were in grade school when that happened," Saban said at a news conference. "But what I remember from it is we got the lining kicked out of our britches. ... If they don't remember it, I don't know how it motivates them, but I know this is a tough place to play and we have a lot of respect for the team that we're playing." South Carolina is looking to make a statement when it takes the field with the Crimson Tide. "This is the measuring stick. We're excited," sophomore linebacker Ernest Jones told reporters. "You can tell the energy is there. We're ready to play. I'm excited. They are going to come to play so we're going to come to play, too."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Alabama -25.5

ABOUT ALABAMA (2-0, 1-0 SEC): Junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has completed 76.4 percent of his passes for 563 yards and seven touchdowns and hasn't been intercepted in 55 attempts. Junior wideout Jerry Jeudy is off to a ferocious start with 18 receptions for 240 yards and four touchdowns, and he moved into second place on the school's all-time list with 20 scoring receptions, trailing only Amari Cooper (31 from 2012-14). Junior safety Xavier McKinney has a team-best 14 tackles for a unit allowing averages of 6.5 points and 233 yards per game.

ABOUT SOUTH CAROLINA (1-1, 0-0): Senior quarterback Jake Bentley (foot) suffered a season-ending injury but freshman Ryan Hilinski looked sharp in his first career start by completing 24-of-30 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns in last Saturday's 72-10 drubbing of Charleston Southern. South Carolina rolled up a school-record 775 yards of total offense in the contest and is averaging 522.5 through two games. Jones and senior linebacker T.J. Brunson share the team lead with 13 tackles for a unit that has accumulated 14 tackles for loss and three interceptions in two games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Crimson Tide holds a 12-3 series edge over the Gamecocks.

2. South Carolina senior WR Bryan Edwards has 169 career receptions and is tied for third in school history with Sterling Sharpe (1983-87).

3. Alabama is 11-1 in SEC road openers under Saban.

PREDICTION: Alabama 34, South Carolina 23