South Carolina players are facing a daunting task against No. 2 Alabama at Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday, but it’s something they’ve prepared for and welcome.

“You come to the SEC to play the best competition and Alabama will probably be the best competition that we will probably face so it’s exciting,” WR Bryan Edwards said, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. The veteran added that freshman QB Ryan Hilinski told coaches that he’s comfortable playing fast. “When we go fast, we get a lot of busted coverages.”

Edwards didn’t quite buy into the term mystique when describing the Crimson Tide.

“A what?,” he said, according to David Cloninger of the Post and Courier. “I mean, they’re Alabama, they’re a great team. I don’t really know what a mystique is … ”

For his part, though, LB Ernest Jones admitted it is a barometer.

“This is definitely the measuring stick,” he said. “We are excited. You can tell the energy is there. We are ready to play. I’m excited. I know they’re excited.”

Jones added that he’s aware that Nick Saban is undefeated (16-0) against his former assistants, including 2-0 against South Carolina coach Will Muschamp, but Jones said he wouldn’t bring it up.

Newcomer RB Tavien Feaster, a Clemson transfer, has experience against the Crimson Tide. He had 3 carries for 11 yards last season in the national championship game. The year before, he had 4 rushes for 10 yards.

“They’re gonna come at you…gotta be prepared,” Feaster told reporters today, including Mike Gillespie of ABC Columbia.