Alabama Football: Could South Carolina Be the Toughest Test Yet?

Things were rocking and rolling in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night as the home-standing Crimson Tide finished their demolition of the Florida Gators. Both teams claimed to be getting up for this one, and the Tide got up a little higher, or better, or just played harder.

Now the Tide faces what could be an even greater challenge. Get back up for a road game in the SEC. 

Last year's team would have stayed grounded, but this is a new team with some young players who have never been in this position. Rolando McClain isn't around to chew out anyone who dared bump their chest prior to hoisting the trophy in the title game.

There are several factors working against the Tide.

South Carolina has had two weeks prep time for the Tide. 

For Alabama, this will be the third week in a row to face a top 20 team. The last two teams were in the top 10. Not many teams in the country line them up like that. The physical toll is measurable in the training room.

South Carolina is home, which is always a good thing in the SEC.

Alabama star receiver Julio Jones was injured against Florida, and may or may not be ready for the game. It's unlikely he will be 100 percent if he does play. Jones is also the punt returner, so if he is injured, this dangerous job falls to someone else.

Bama linebacker Chris Jordan has a pulled hamstring that will likely limit him for the game. Jordan is a valuable backup and special teams player.

Tide running back Mark Ingram is now wearing a knee brace for reasons we can't determine.

South Carolina's Stephen Garcia is a fairly mobile quarterback who can frustrate pressure packages. At his disposal is running back Marcus Lattimore, who may have more raw ability than anyone our team has faced this year not wearing crimson.

Gamecock receiver Alshon Jeffery is probably the best receiver the defense has seen to date, and they will definitely try to isolate him on Alabama's young corners. 

South Carolina's offensive line has struggled so far this year. Alabama's defensive line showed last week they weren't quite ready to accept the bust status, but if they don't come to Columbia with the same energy they could provide the spark South Carolina needs to sustain themselves toward an upset.

Alabama's passing attack isn't quite what it should be. Allow me to elaborate on this one.

I'm not saying Tide quarterback Greg McElroy is in a slump like last year, but I am saying he is "below his peak." Specifically the offense hasn't produced the deep ball. 

In the last two weeks, the wide receivers have produced only 90 yards per game and zero touchdowns.  

In both cases Arkansas and Florida stacked the box in an attempt to stop the running game. The secondary should have been a track meet, but the passing game didn't take off like it should.

Last year Alabama was frustrated by the Gamecocks, and they resorted to bludgeoning them to death with Mark Ingram running out of the Wildcat. If Greg McElroy can't find some rhythm in the passing game, it may come to that again. 

The bottom line: If Alabama plays their game they beat South Carolina. But they aren't  seasoned enough to have a significant drop off in intensity.

Alabama is clearly very talented, but they are still young. It remains to be seen how consistently they can perform.