South Carolina vs Alabama Odds & Picks Week 7: The Tide To Rebound From Upset

The shock and anger over Alabama’s stunning loss at 23-point underdog Vanderbilt last weekend continues to resonate throughout the Heart of Dixie. The Crimson Tide begin to turn the page at home against South Carolina, which comes to Tuscaloosa on Saturday as a 21-point underdog.

And the Gamecocks are nursing their wounds, too, after suffering a 27-3 home loss to Ole Miss that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. South Carolina has lost seven straight games to opponents ranked in the AP Top 25 poll, and is 1-9 all-time in Tuscaloosa. 

South Carolina vs Alabama Odds

Matchup Page: South Carolina vs Alabama, 12:00 pm ET

Odds as of October 7

South Carolina vs Alabama Picks—Week 7

Alabama is picking up the pieces, to say the least. The Crimson Tide had won 23 consecutive games against Vanderbilt, and had never lost to an unranked opponent as the nation’s top-ranked team. From a sports betting perspective, the Vandy loss was the second-largest upset this season, behind Northern Illinois’ shocker over 28-point home favorite Notre Dame.

The outright loss also snapped a run of two straight covers for Alabama, both in high-profile games—the Tide easily covered as a 14.5-point favorite at Wisconsin, and then rallied to cover as a 2-point home underdog in a top-five showdown against Georgia. South Carolina also had a run of three straight ATS wins ended against Ole Miss, where the Gamecocks were a 9.5-point home underdog.

Vanderbilt physically challenged Alabama, making big plays behind swaggering transfer quarterback Diego Pavia. Can South Carolina replicate that game plan? It seems unlikely. With tailback Rahiem Sanders still feeling the effects of an ankle injury, the one-dimensional Gamecocks were no match for Ole Miss. They’re also proving undisciplined in big games, committing 21 penalties against LSU and Ole Miss combined. Do that in Alabama, and it will be over early.

South Carolina vs Alabama Week 7 Pick: Alabama -21 (-110)

Alabama has gone OVER in three straight and four out of five games this season, while South Carolina has gone OVER in three of its last four. With quarterback Jalen Milroe leading what’s still a very potent Alabama attack and the Crimson Tide clearly working through some issues on defense, expect those trends to continue Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

South Carolina vs Alabama Week 7 Pick: OVER 51 (-105)

*picks made as of Monday, October 7 at 2:25 pm ET

South Carolina vs Alabama News

Sanders was very limited for the Gamecocks against Ole Miss, carrying the ball just eight times in his first action since injuring his ankle against Akron. South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, also recovering from an ankle injury, played the entire game against the Rebels and would seem set to start against the Crimson Tide. Reports in Alabama list linebacker Justin Jefferson as probable against South Carolina, while ESPN reported that Tide defensive tackle Jehiem Oatis planned to redshirt the remainder of the season and enter the transfer portal.

South Carolina vs Alabama Prop Bet: Alabama OVER 35.5 (-115)

Offense isn’t the problem for the Crimson Tide, who have scored at least 35 points in every game this season.  Only Miami quarterback Cam Ward has been responsible for more points this year than Milroe’s 122. And then there’s South Carolina, which has allowed 36 and 27 points in its past two SEC games.

South Carolina vs Alabama Betting Trends