LSU came into South Carolina’s rowdy Williams-Brice stadium with more questions than answers about its team after two games. The Gamecocks rudely and forcefully answered lingering questions about the Tiger defense before coming up agonizingly short in a 36-33 LSU win. In a game filled with big plays and momentum swings, South Carolina came out sharp and aggressive.
LSU Defeats South Carolina
USC’s Opening Onslaught
South Carolina’s first drive was a harbinger of things to come for the LSU defense, particularly in the first half. The first play of the game was a simple completion to the tight end in the flat after which LSU’s Harold Perkins missed the tackle, leading to a first down. This drive led to an easy touchdown run for quarterback LaNorris Sellers, and missed tackles would go on to plague the Tigers for the remainder of the game.
LSU struggled to protect Garrett Nussmeier early, resulting in punts on the Tigers’ first three possessions. South Carolina’s Maurice Brown blocked the third punt to put the Gamecocks in scoring position at the LSU 10. The LSU defense promptly ushered Rocket Sanders in for a touchdown run to put USC up 17-0. South Carolina did not punt in the first half, and LSU’s only stop came on a Zy Alexander interception.
When the Bayou Bengals weren’t giving up 75-yard touchdown runs (untouched) to Sellers, they were fighting back to get into the contest. The final two drives of the first half served as defining moments for this game. Nussmeier led a 75-yard drive punctuated by a touchdown pass to Kyren Lacy to cut the Carolina lead to 24-16. The Gamecocks’ ensuing drive was cut short by a Robby Ashford sack by Sai’vion Jones. The bigger news was a sack on the previous play injured Sellers, removing a vital part of the South Carolina offense.
Deja Vu All Over Again
The Tiger offense took advantage of the first possession of the second half by marching down the field with the help of a beautiful 46-yard dime from Nussmeier to Aaron Anderson. Eventually, the Tigers would unfortunately get down to the Gamecocks’ one-yard line. Brian Kelly has repeatedly shown that he is going for the touchdown in these situations, and he did so again. Nussmeier’s fourth down pass fell incomplete, and USC got the ball back.
LSU was able to stop South Carolina and score a touchdown on its next possession. Of course, the touchdown was critical, but there was another significant development on that drive. The Tigers might have found their best running back in freshman Caden Durham. Durham had runs of 9 and 20 yards. Most importantly, the first defender did not bring Durham down.
LSU and South Carolina traded haymakers like prize fighters in the second half. The Tigers took the lead, then Sanders had a 66-yard touchdown run to take it back. South Carolina’s Ashford lost a fumble, but Nussmeier threw a red zone interception. Both fanbases were tormented by big plays and bigger penalties that often killed the big plays. LSU scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:12 left in the game before South Carolina’s last hope, a 49-yard field goal sailed left of the uprights.
What We Learned
The Tigers are an exciting but flawed team. It’s rare to give up 243 yards on the ground and come out with a win, especially on the road. The LSU defensive line is young and thin, but there’s no excuse for the linebackers. Undisciplined eyes, inability to get off blocks, bad tackling, and an overall lack of impact led to the Gamecocks running the ball successfully even when everybody knew they were running it. Giving credit where it’s due, Perkins and the defensive ends were disruptive. Perkins’ stats won’t show it, but he wrecked plays when rushing and freed up other rushers. The Tigers had nine tackles for loss, including five sacks.
Durham’s performance could lead to LSU finally getting the balance it sorely needs on offense. The odds won’t allow Nussmeier to continue to drop back in a one-dimensional offense and avoid mistakes. Durham approached 100 yards on only 11 carries and is simply harder to tackle in the open field than LSU’s other backs. It can’t be stressed enough how much easier the game will become for Nussmeier if LSU’s run game can threaten defenses.
The sky is the limit for Sellers. It’s scary what he can be as he gains experience and grows as a passer. The South Carolina defense is as advertised, and this is a team that’s on the rise. LSU didn’t look great today, but South Carolina had a lot to do with that in outplaying the Tigers for three quarters. The Tigers will learn a lot about themselves throughout the season; it’s possible they’re not who we thought they were. However, learning a lesson while getting the win is always a positive.
