The first of D.J. Swearinger’s 33 starts in a South Carolina football uniform came against Alabama on Oct. 9, 2010.
Of course it did.
That landmark 35-21 win over the Crimson Tide was significant for several reasons. It gave USC its first victory over a top-ranked opponent in program history, it launched the Gamecocks’ run to an SEC East Division title and it cemented a Swearinger-inspired nickname.
“When we were in school, Alabama was the hot team,” said the former Carolina safety. “We didn’t want to be that team that got bullied or beat around.