Alabama absolutely demolished South Carolina 49-18 on Saturday, but the real story didn’t come from the scoreboard, it came from an elite pass rusher totally losing his cool. South Carolina star linebacker Dylan Stewart, who’s supposed to be one of college football’s top guys, threw a punch at Alabama TE Josh Ford in the fourth quarter. Stewart couldn’t get to Alabama QB Keelon Russell all night, and it looks like that frustration boiled over in a major way.
Stewart’s Frustration Turns Physical
So, this wasn’t just a single cheap shot. Stewart, after failing to get near Russell all game, launched a right hand at Ford’s helmet after Daniel Hill punched in a 1-yard touchdown run. And Ford? He didn’t even retaliate! The dude just grinned when asked about it. Get this, Ford actually said, “Man, he’s a great player. We had a lot of fun today. I think he punched me three times, but it was awesome, it was a good battle.” Three times! Are you kidding me? Talk about keeping your composure when someone is literally assaulting you on the field. Coach Kalen DeBoer even mentioned the play “got a little chippy at times,” but he was proud his team “put our team first.” That’s the kind of discipline you need.
Elite Talent, Zero Impact
What makes Stewart’s outburst even wilder is how terrible his night was otherwise. This is an elite pass rusher, right? Well, he recorded zero sacks, zero tackles, and his only statistical impact was a single QB hurry against Keelon Russell. That’s it! For the most talented player on the Gamecocks roster, his frustration was completely understandable given the beatdown, but losing your temper like that is just not it. He wasn’t the only South Carolina player who got chippy late in the blowout, but as the supposed leader, his meltdown grabbed all the headlines.
The season keeps rolling, and you gotta wonder if Stewart can put this frustrating performance and his lack of discipline behind him. Alabama, on the other hand, just keeps showing that grit. What a win for them, even with the extracurriculars!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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