South Carolina Football: A Heartbreaking loss to LSU in Week 3

By / Devy & College Football, SEC / Leave a Comment
South Carolina Football, South Carolina Gamecocks, The League Winners

Going into Week 3, the morale was high in South Carolina as the Gamecocks were off to a 2-0 start, and were coming off a statement win against Kentucky. Hosting No. 16 LSU Tigers, the Gamecocks would look to knock off their first-ranked opponent of the season. Unfortunately, things didn’t transpire that way, as South Carolina lost a close football game in the final seconds.

A Quick Start for the South Carolina Football Team

South Carolina started the football game hot with a seven play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took only two minutes and 46 seconds off of the clock. It concluded with quarterback LaNorris Sellers stretching his arm out and tumbling into the end zone for the score.

After the defense forced a three-and-out, Sellers made his first big mistake of the afternoon. On 3rd and 11 and within field goal range, Sellers tried forcing a pass into the end zone. Instead, he was intercepted after overthrowing his intended receiver.

While that took potential points off the board, the Gamecocks defense held again and forced another LSU punt. On the ensuing drive, Alex Herrera knocked home his first field goal of the day, to make it a two possession game.

The Gamecocks defense forced another stop and the Tigers had to punt yet again. Peyton Todd was booting it away for LSU, when South Carolina’s Maurice Brown II, flipped over LSU’s punt protection team and got his paw on the ball.

This was a max effort play from a player who has given nothing less since joining the team as a walk-on last year. The moment validated his efforts and the coaching staff’s faith in him, as they had announced to Brown and the team the day before the game that he had been given a full scholarship.

Pulling Ahead in the Second Quarter

After the blocked punt was returned down to the 10-yard line, it didn’t take long for the Gamecocks offense to find the end zone. A determined Rocket Sanders punched it in on the next play to give South Carolina a 17-0 lead, just three minutes into the second quarter of the football game. All 79,500-plus in attendance at Williams-Bryce Stadium were losing their minds.

The defensive shutout wouldn’t last much longer, as QB Garrett Nussmeier led the Tigers down the field for a much-needed scoring drive. It culminated with a Caden Durham run from 26 yards out to get LSU on the board.

When South Carolina got the ball back, they were faced with a tricky 3rd and 12 from their own 21-yard line. Sellers was under pressure and lost the football. LSU had great starting field position inside the red-zone, but only managed a field goal out of it, making it 17-10 with the Gamecocks ahead.

On the next drive, the Gamecocks offense had a huge play. On the first snap, Sellers took a quarterback option right up the middle. He ran 75 yards untouched to the house to go back up by two touchdowns, 24-10!

The Tigers had an answer, however, as Nussmeier found star WR Kyren Lacy for a 12-yard touchdown. That capped off a quick,  six play, 75-yard touchdown drive. LSU missed the PAT because the snap was low, and the holder couldn’t get the ball placed in time, making it 24-16.

The Gamecocks failed to score before the half came to an end – and it came at a devastating cost.

During their final drive of the half, Sellers was sacked by Bradyn Swinson and suffered a bad ankle sprain. Sellers would end up playing only three more snaps in the game, but was unable to put enough weight on it to run an pass effectively. His backup, Robby Ashford, took over the South Carolina quarterbacking duties for the remainder of the game.

Heading into the locker rooms, South Carolina was clinging to an 8-point lead in the football game. The Gamecocks knew their defense would have to show out if they wanted to complete the upset, especially with Sellers doubtful to return.

The Gamecocks start losing momentum

To begin the third quarter, LSU marched down the field. They had a first and goal at the 2-yard line after a defensive pass interference in the end zone. South Carolina stopped them on three straight run plays and forced an incomplete pass on fourth down, leading to a turnover on downs. That defensive stand was the most energizing and emphatic of the Gamecocks’ young season.

South Carolina’s, however, failed to capitalize on the momentum swing as their next two offensive drives were both three-and-outs, and finished with Kai Kroeger’s first two punts of the day. In these two series, the Gamecocks attempted only one pass, as the coaching staff looked to ease Ashford into the game.

LSU found the end zone after both punts. On the first drive, the Tigers were set up in plus territory, on South Carolina’s 45-yard line. It took only five plays before Durham found the end zone for the second time.

On the second possession, LSU’s Mason Taylor found the end zone on a two-yard reception to cap off a 10 play, 80-yard drive. LSU had its first lead of the day, 29-24.

Down to the wire

South Carolina got the ball back to begin the fourth quarter. However, with Sellers out of the game and LSU having taken the lead, it seemed all hope was lost.

The Tigers’ defense anticipated a run on almost every play, so they stacked the box. LSU did not worry about Ashford as a passing threat. Despite this, and with seemingly everybody in the stadium knowing a run was coming on a 3rd down and 1, Rocket Sanders somehow still broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown run.

The Gamecocks went for two but weren’t able to convert, so South Carolina then clung to a one-point lead, 30-29.

South Carolina quickly got the ball back though, after Dylan Stewart recovered a fumble. They had great starting field position at LSU’s 24-yard line, but couldn’t move the chains. Instead, they had to settle for Alex Herrera’s second field goal of the day, this one from 42-yards away. The Gamecocks led 33-29 midway through the fourth quarter.

Each team then punted once and turned the ball over once. LSU’s turnover came when South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori intercepted Nussmeier in the end zone for what appeared to be a 100-yard pick-six.  The return got wiped off the board, however, due to an unnecessary roughness penalty on Kyle Kennard during the return.

Many fans found this call questionable, but the referees flagged Kennard for his hit on Nussmeier as he began to pursue Emmanwori. It’s the second time that a pick-six was erased by a questionable flag on Kennard. Earlier in the game, one was called back for horse-collar tackle.

Instead of a touchdown by the defense, South Carolina struggled again and punted the football. Nussmeier then drove his team down the field, thanks in large part to the Gamecocks jumping offsides on 4th and 3 to keep the drive alive. Had the Gamecocks gotten the stop, they almost certainly would have won the game. Instead, the Tigers found the end zone on a Josh Williams 2-yard rush to take a 36-33 lead with just over a minute to play.

Robby Ashford had 1:12 to try to get the Gamecocks into field goal range.  He made a couple of nice plays, including a huge 31-yard pass to Vandrevius Jacobs, and a 15-yard scramble. He moved the ball all the way to the LSU 31-yard line with four seconds left, giving Alex Herrera a chance to force overtime with a 49-yard field goal attempt.

Herrera was three of four on kicks from 40+ yards on the year. He had made a 42-yarder earlier in the game, and made one from 46 yards in Week 1. But this time, he hooked it. The game was over; a heartbreaking finish, to a fantastic game.

Analysis

South Carolina played well, especially to start the football game. Before getting injured, Sellers threw for nine of 16 for 113 yards and an interception. He rushed 10 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Once he left, the passing game really was decimated.

Ashford had two completions on four attempts for 42 yards. The quarterback runs weren’t working for him either, running 11 times for 11 yards.

The run game looked better than ever against a high-level SEC front. Rocket Sanders rushed 19 times for 143 yards, or 7.5 yards per carry, and two touchdowns. The offense continues to use Sanders as the only RB to get carries.

Even though the pass game wasn’t in play most of the second half, six receivers still had a reception. South Carolina needs more of this, not just relying on two or three guys as we have seen in previous weeks.

The defensive front had trouble putting pressure on the quarterback. The Tigers have the best tackle combo in the country. They did a nice job shutting down South Carolina’s defensive line, which couldn’t be stopped in Weeks 1 and 2. South Carolina only had two sacks, but did have six TFLs (tackles for loss).

To win this game, South Carolina had to cut the undisciplined mistakes. For example, jumping offsides on 4th and 3, and erasing two interceptions with penalties. Beating good teams doesn’t come when you beat yourself. That’s what South Carolina did this week.

Next week, South Carolina faces a non-conference opponent (Akron) at home. The Gamecocks need take care of business and get some confidence back before heading into the bye week.

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