Alabama and South Carolina are set to meet Saturday in a matchup that could provide another interesting test for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama enters the game with a 3-0 record, while South Carolina has shown throughout the early portion of the season that it has enough talent to make this a competitive matchup. But how do the two teams compare when looking beyond the traditional statistics?
PFF’s overall team grades provide an interesting snapshot of where Alabama and South Carolina currently stand.
And while Alabama holds the higher overall grade, the numbers show that the Crimson Tide will have to contend with a South Carolina team that has a significant advantage in one particular area.
Alabama Holds the Overall PFF Advantage
According to PFF, Alabama enters the matchup with an overall team grade of 92.8, compared to 89.2 for South Carolina.
That gives the Crimson Tide a 3.6-point overall advantage.
The difference becomes more interesting when you separate the game’s individual phases.
| Category | Alabama | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 92.8 | 89.2 |
| Offense | 80.4 | 70.8 |
| Defense | 85.0 | 84.1 |
| Special Teams | 71.7 | 86.7 |
Alabama owns the higher grade in three of the four categories, while South Carolina has a significant advantage on special teams.
The biggest difference comes on offense.
Alabama’s 80.4 offensive grade is 9.6 points higher than South Carolina’s 70.8. The Crimson Tide also hold a narrower advantage defensively, with an 85.0 grade compared to South Carolina’s 84.1.
That makes the offensive numbers particularly interesting heading into Saturday.
Alabama’s Biggest Advantage Comes on Offense
If there is one number that immediately stands out from the PFF grades, it is the difference between the two offenses.
Alabama’s 80.4 offensive grade is nearly 10 points higher than South Carolina’s 70.8.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Alabama will have an easy time moving the football. South Carolina has plenty of individual talent on the defensive side of the ball, and the Gamecocks will have an opportunity to make things difficult for the Crimson Tide.
Still, the PFF grades suggest Alabama’s offense has been the more consistently productive unit through the early portion of the season.
That could be especially important for an Alabama offense that has continued to develop around quarterback Keelon Russell and a running game that has shown significant improvement.
The Defensive Grades Are Surprisingly Close
The defensive comparison is much tighter.
Alabama’s defense carries an 85.0 PFF grade, while South Carolina’s defense sits at 84.1.
That’s only a 0.9-point difference.
In other words, PFF sees these two defenses as much closer than the overall team grades might suggest.
That could make Saturday’s matchup particularly interesting.
Alabama’s defense will have the task of slowing down South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, while the Gamecocks’ defense will be tasked with containing Russell and an Alabama offense that has shown the ability to create explosive plays.
With the defensive grades separated by less than a point, this could ultimately come down to which unit performs better in the biggest moments.
South Carolina Has a Major Special Teams Advantage
There is one category where the Gamecocks aren’t just slightly ahead.
They’re far ahead.
South Carolina’s special teams grade is 86.7, compared to just 71.7 for Alabama.
That’s a massive 15-point difference.
It’s also the only major category in which South Carolina holds a significant advantage over Alabama according to PFF’s team grades.
That doesn’t mean special teams will determine the outcome of Saturday’s game, but it is certainly something worth keeping an eye on.
Field position, kicking, coverage, and return plays can have an outsized impact in a game between two talented teams. If South Carolina can consistently win the special teams battle, it could give the Gamecocks opportunities that don’t necessarily show up in the overall team grades.
What Do the PFF Grades Tell Us?
The PFF grades paint an interesting picture of the Alabama-South Carolina matchup.
Alabama has the higher overall grade at 92.8 compared to 89.2, and the Crimson Tide’s biggest advantage comes on offense. Alabama also holds a slight edge defensively.
South Carolina, however, has the stronger special teams grade by a considerable margin.
Perhaps the most notable takeaway is how closely the two teams grade defensively. With Alabama at 85.0 and South Carolina at 84.1, PFF sees relatively little separation between the two units.
That leaves three numbers worth watching Saturday: Alabama’s 80.4 offensive grade, Alabama’s 85.0 defensive grade, and South Carolina’s 86.7 special teams grade.
The PFF grades don’t tell us what will happen on Saturday, but they do provide an interesting look at where these two teams currently stand and where the biggest strengths and potential trouble spots could be.
How Do Alabama and South Carolina Match Up According to PFF?