In Week 3 of the college football calendar, and College GameDay is headed to Columbia for the first time in 10 years. Coming off an emphatic blowout win as 10-point underdogs, the South Carolina Gamecocks will play host to the No. 16 LSU Tigers this Saturday. It’s South Carolina vs. LSU in a huge SEC matchup.
South Carolina vs. LSU Matchup History
All-time, LSU has dominated South Carolina with a head-to-head record of 19-2-1. On top of that, the Tigers have won the last seven matchups between the two teams, dating back to 2002.
Key Players for South Carolina
One key to the game will be the play of Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. Sanders transferred in as one of the best backs at the collegiate level, but hasn’t quite played to that potential. Over two games he has averaged 3.8 yards per carry, and while that’s serviceable, this offense has a chance to be dominant if the running game can take another step in the right direction.
A key part of said running game taking that next step is the offensive line. Last week, the Gamecocks were more effective running north-south than stretching the defense out east to west. This week, fans can expect the same types of play calls.
Another thing fans can expect is the use of tight ends as run blockers. Expect more running than passing plays against this Tigers defense, and the offensive line could use some help creating opportunities for big plays in the ground game.
Quarterback LaNorris Sellers will have another big game in his young career. This will be his first matchup against a ranked opponent, and hated rival. In this game, he must stay under control and stick to the game he played last week. Finding the open man, not needing to do everything himself, and playing mistake-free will be most important for him on Saturday.
Key Players for LSU
On Tuesday, Gamecocks’ head coach Shane Beamer had a lot to say about LSU’s talent.
“They have a dynamic returner [Zavion Thomas] that was a problem last year at Mississippi State and now he is a problem at LSU,” said Beamer. “Defensively, they have athleticism and speed. That is what jumps off the tape. Size up front. Everybody knows about [LB Harold] Perkins. He is everywhere that we have to account for. Great football player. They have guys that can disrupt things at all three levels of the defense.”
The defense is led by linebacker Harold Perkins. Last year he had four takeaways, 7.5 sacks, and 72 total tackles.
On the other side of the ball, LSU’s elite tackles Will Campbell and Emery Jones (arguably the top duo in the country), will line up against South Carolina’s two dominant defensive ends, Dylan Stewart and Kyle Kennard.
Campbell is already projected as a top-5 pick in the 2025 NFL draft; he didn’t allow a sack all of last year. That’s after being one of the SEC’s best as a true freshman in 2022.
As for Jones, he is quick off the line, and can punish you with his strength.
As LSU Wire puts it, “If you turn on the film, Jones looks the part. He plays with a combo of quickness and physicality that makes him a tough match for even the best edge defenders in the SEC. As a run blocker, Jones was dominant, helping LSU build one of the most efficient rushing attacks in the country.”
Can the Gamecocks Pull off the Upset?
The Gamecocks’ difference-maker, which will likely be the case all year, will be the defense.
Last week, South Carolina held the Kentucky Wildcats to just six points on the road in Lexington. The defensive front has been strong all year, putting lots of pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
This week, South Carolina’s secondary will be critical. In previous weeks, they’ve thrived off turnovers, but LSU has only turned the ball over once this year.
On offense, South Carolina must avoid turnovers. The Gamecocks offense will need to be nearly perfect with the football to have a chance in this game. The offense lost just one turnover last week, but the outcome could have been different if Kentucky had pounced on the three offensive fumbles that South Carolina recovered.
In the passing game, quarterback LaNorris Sellers played a much better game last week than he did in Week 1. He must continue to build on that. In addition, expect to see him in motion on both designed runs and when he’s flushed out of the pocket.
The Week 3 matchup will be Saturday September 14, from Williams-Bryce Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. Kickoff is scheduled for noon on ESPN.
