South Carolina at LSU

No. 11 LSU Overcomes Mistakes to Hold Off South Carolina, 20–10

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BATON ROUGE, La. — Garrett Nussmeier passed for 254 yards and two touchdowns, tight end Trey’Dez Green had a breakout night, and LSU’s defense contained South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers as the Tigers overcame three turnovers to win 20–10 on Saturday at Death Valley.

Despite sloppy moments, LSU (5–1, 2–1 SEC) held firm in a hard-fought matchup, proving resilient in key situations.

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First Quarter: Tigers Strike First, Gamecocks Respond

LSU got on the board early with Damian Ramos’s 28-yard field goal, giving the Tigers a 3–0 lead and setting the tone for a physical contest.

South Carolina answered midway through the quarter with Matt Fuller breaking free for a 72-yard touchdown run, putting the Gamecocks ahead 7–3 after a critical LSU fumble at the goal line. The home crowd fell silent as South Carolina seized momentum.

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Second Quarter: LSU Retakes Control

The Tigers responded quickly. Nussmeier orchestrated a 72-yard, six-play drive capped by a leaping 6-yard touchdown catch from Green, regaining a 10–7 lead heading into halftime.

Green, a 6-foot-7 former college basketball player, caught eight passes for 119 yards and a score, earning a game ball. “Clearly he is a mismatch,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “We need to continue to feature him in our offense.”

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Third Quarter: Defensive Stalemate and Controversy

Both defenses tightened in the third quarter. South Carolina drove into LSU territory, but four possessions yielded no points — including a missed field goal and two punts.

One contentious moment came on a third-quarter fake punt, which was nullified due to an unusual officiating call, frustrating Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer. “In 26 years of coaching I’ve never seen that,” Beamer said, criticizing the timing and signaling of the snap.

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Fourth Quarter: Tigers Close It Out

The fourth quarter remained tightly contested. LSU’s defense stood tall, including a key fourth-down stop after South Carolina entered Tigers territory. Cornerback Mansoor Delane broke up Sellers’ pass with 5:43 left, setting up the final scoring drive.

Ramos delivered a clutch 22-yard field goal with 1:46 remaining, sealing the 20–10 victory. LSU also rushed for a season-high 166 yards, led by Caden Durham’s 70-yard effort, and forced Sellers into a limited night: 124 passing yards, five sacks, and one interception by Tamarcus Cooley.

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Final Take

Despite turnovers and near-mistakes in the red zone, LSU’s big plays and defensive discipline carried the day. Nussmeier’s two touchdown passes, Green’s dominant performance, and Ramos’ late heroics highlighted a Tigers team that “found a way to win,” according to Kelly.

South Carolina (3–3, 1–3 SEC) showed flashes, finishing with 193 rushing yards, but ultimately fell short against an opportunistic LSU squad. The Tigers will visit Vanderbilt next Saturday, while the Gamecocks host Oklahoma.