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Alabama was No. 8 and South Carolina No. 10 in The Associated Press poll released Sunday. But Saturday's final numbers from the Williams-Brice Stadium scoreboard are the ones that will live forever in the minds of Gamecock fans:
South Carolina 35, Alabama 21.
USC's convincing conquest of the defending national champion Crimson Tide wasn't just the greatest victory in the school's football history. It was the first time any college football team from our state - including Clemson - has beaten a top-ranked foe.
Even Tiger fans cranky about a three-game skid can't credibly dismiss USC's landmark triumph as a fluke. Ponder this expert insight from Alabama coach Nick Saban after his team's 19-game winning streak ended with a resounding thud: "It's not like we just lost. They beat us. They outexecuted us. They played better than we played. They played with more intensity. They played physical."
They also extended a recent USC giant-killing pattern not confined to football. As Gamecock coach Steve Spurrier pointed out in Saturday evening's giddy afterglow, the men's basketball team beat then-No. 1 Kentucky in January and the baseball team beat then-No. 1 Arizona State in June en route to the College World Series title.
Thus, said "The Ol' Ball Coach": "I think this game was meant to be."
Meanwhile, long-suffering garnet-and-black loyalists know that as the leader of the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division standings, USC now has a strong shot at reaching the SEC championship game on Dec. 4 in Atlanta - and perhaps a rematch with Alabama.
By the way, the winner of that game has gone on to win the last four national titles.
And by season's end, who knows who will be No. 10, No. 8 - or No. 1?
