Alabama fans are in a dark place facing another upset bid vs. South Carolina

This is not what anyone expected in the first half of Saturday's game between the No. 7 Alabama Crimson Tide and the unranked South Carolina Gamecocks. While Alabama did take a 14-12 lead into halftime at Bryant-Denny, the Crimson Tide are very much on upset alert in Week 7. The Alabama offensive line did a terrible job of protecting Jalen Milroe, as he was sacked four times in the first half.

While the Crimson Tide did have a pair of rushing touchdowns in the first half, one by Milroe and one by running back Justice Haynes, they have allowed the Gamecocks to stay in this game. South Carolina continues to be very impressive defensively under head coach Shane Beamer this season. it has afforded LaNorris Sellers and the offense an opportunity to stay in the game at the halfway point.

What really has Alabama fans losing their collective minds in the wake of last week's loss to Vanderbilt is how poorly the Crimson Tide played in the second quarter. While they did score a touchdown, they gave up touchdown to South Carolina, a safety and then a terribly thrown ball by Milroe helped set up a last-second field goal. It should be 14-7 and not 14-12 to say the very least.

People were already out on Alabama when the Crimson Tide was up 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

South Carolina making it a game at 14-9 late in the second quarter had Alabama fans losing it badly.

Then after the field goal off Milroe's interception to make it 14-12, we simply must fire everybody!

Kalen DeBoer has gone from being on top of the college football world to getting toppled on already.

Alabama on upset alert up 14-12 at halftime vs. South Carolina at home

Simply put, things are going to look really bleak for Alabama if the Crimson Tide do somehow end up dropping this game. At the start of the year, I had the team going 9-3 and barely missing the playoff. While the win over Georgia was both expected and unexpected, who could have seen a potential loss to South Carolina coming? Alabama cannot afford to go 9-3 this season and still make the playoff.

After South Carolina, Alabama still has to face several ranked teams. They have to play at Tennessee next week for the Third Saturday in October. Alabama gets Missouri at home after that, but then they have to travel to Death Valley to play LSU after the bye. After Mercer, Alabama finishes the season with a road date at Oklahoma and then hosts arch rival Auburn for the Iron Bowl. Things get daunting.

Losing to Vanderbilt last week was one thing, but potentially dropping back-to-back with a South Carolina defeat would be especially troubling for Alabama. With the way their second-half schedule looks, Alabama should go 10-2 (6-2), possibly 11-1 (7-1) if they can somehow right the course and be dominant the rest of the way. At 10-2, they make the playoff, but a 9-3 mark would be playing with fire.

South Carolina's defense has kept the Gamecocks in the game, but Alabama is also letting it happen.