South Carolina QB Ryan Hilinski had a solid start to his first SEC game against Alabama. But one pass late in the first quarter put him on another level.

The freshman faced a third down and five from the Alabama 31-yard line when he found Shi Smith over the middle bracketed by double coverage and still somehow made the connection. Smith caught the ball at the goal line and tumbled into the end zone for a touchdown with 1:49 left in the first half to draw the Gamecocks within 14-10 of the Crimson Tide.

By that point in the game, Hilinski was 9-for-14 passing for 110 yards and the TD. He also found four difference receivers, led by WR Bryan Edwards, who had four catches for 55 yards.

As advertised, Hilinski didn’t seem intimidated by the environment against the second-ranked team in the country, and a national audience on CBS.