Sept. 26, 2000

Associated Press

Alabama is off to a start that only South Carolina can truly understand.

Nobody expected a role reversal between the teams when the season began, but that is the scenario as the Crimson Tide battle the 23rd-ranked Gamecocks in an SEC matchup on Saturday.

After going 0-11 last year, South Carolina (4-0, 2-0) is in the Top 25 for the first time since 1993 and 2-0 in SEC for the first time since joining the league. The Gamecocks have two wins over Top 25 teams.

Alabama (1-3, 1-1), a perennial powerhouse ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, fell to No. 13 with a loss to UCLA. Two weeks later, the Tide fell out of the poll with a loss to Southern Mississippi.

Last Saturday, the Tide lost when Arkansas scored a touchdown and two-point conversion to rally for a 28-21 win.

Alabama coach Mike DuBose, whose team is off to its worst start in a decade, offered to resign 10 days ago. His offer was declined.

The Birmingham News and The Tuscaloosa News reported Tuesday that DuBose made the gesture after Alabama was beaten 21-0 by Southern Mississippi on Sept. 16. DuBose confirmed that he made the offer privately to athletic director Mal Moore in the locker room after the game.

"I'm mad at myself, because I'm not doing the job the way the job should be done," DuBose said. "I'm not going to make excuses. We're not playing as well as we're capable of. The staff knows that, the players know that, and that starts with me. I've got to do a better job of coaching."

While the Crimson Tide haven't met their lofty goals for the season, the Gamecocks continue to exceed everyone's expectations - but their own.

The goal posts came down when the Gamecocks ended their 21-game losing streak with a 35-0 season-opening victory over New Mexico State. They fell again after ending an 18-game Southeastern Conference skid in a 21-10 victory over then-No. 9 Georgia.

Last Saturday, South Carolina beat then-No. 25 Mississippi State 23-19.

Second-year coach Lou Holtz, who has led five losing teams to bowl berths by his second season, is getting most of the credit.

So is quarterback Phil Petty, who threw for a career-high 305 yards against the Bulldogs.

But Petty twisted an ankle and bruised a shoulder in the game, leaving his condition uncertain against Alabama.

The Crimson Tide have won all nine contests against the Gamecocks.