Alabama held off South Carolina 27-25 after allowing the Gamecocks a chance at handing the Crimson Tide its second straight SEC loss by botching an onside-kick recovery.

Alabama has returned to No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time in two years following its dizzying victory over Georgia, making this 16 of 17 seasons the Crimson Tide have held the top spot at some point.

Highly touted blue-chip prospects often arrive on campus with fans' expectations very high, almost to the point of unfairness.