There is one player the Alabama Crimson Tide must really watch out for against South Carolina.
The Alabama Crimson Tide will face arguably their toughest test of the season yet on Saturday when they face the South Carolina Gamecocks.
South Carolina isn't ranked and it has already lost a game, but that one defeat came at the hands of Mississippi State last week. And it's not like the Gamecocks got steamrolled.
This is a solid football team with a dangerous offense led by quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who many have tabbed as a potential first-round talent in the 2027 NFL Draft.
South Carolina is also a very physical ballclub, with the 6-foot-3, 238-pound Sellers comprising a definitive dual threat and bruising 221-pound running back Matt Fuller clearly a problem, as well. That's not to mention the rest of the Gamecocks' backfield.
But there is one player in particular on South Carolina who should absolutely have Alabama worried: wide receiver Nyck Harbor.
Now in his senior season with the Gamecocks, Harbor is coming off of a 2025 campaign in which he hauled in 30 receptions for 618 yards and six touchdowns, leading the SEC with 20.6 yards per catch.
Harbor could have entered the NFL Draft, but he elected to return to South Carolina for one more season.
He has gotten off to a rough start in 2026, having logged just eight catches for 127 yards, but pretending that he isn't a major threat is nonsense.
At 6-foot-5, 239 pounds, Harbor has some of the best size in the country, and he also possesses blazing speed. In fact, his 40-yard dash time has unofficially been clocking at 4.24 seconds, which is beyond mind-boggling.
Alabama has an elite cover corner in Zabien Brown, but if we're being honest, the 6-foot-4, 202-pound Dijon Lee actually might be the better option to shade Harbor.
It will be interesting to see just how often Sellers tries to go to Harbor on Saturday night. South Carolina has not utilized its aerial attack all that much this season. In fact, Harbor's eight grabs are tied for the team lead.
But the Gamecocks' strategy could change against the Crimson Tide.
South Carolina's best chance might be to impose its will against Alabama, so the Crimson Tide must be ready for it.
Lee looks like he could be special, but if he gets the assignment against Harbor this week, it will represent a different type of task for him.
Alabama needs to be ready to send help if necessary, and it also needs to be prepared to get physical right back if the Gamecocks try to muck the game up — which they will.
