Baton Rouge, La. — LSU leaned on its defense and a breakout night from tight end Trey’Dez Green to overcome a flurry of mistakes and defeat South Carolina 20–10 on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.
Garrett Nussmeier threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns, while Green — a 6-foot-7 former basketball player — hauled in eight catches for 119 yards and a score. The 11th-ranked Tigers (5–1, 2–1 SEC) survived three turnovers, including two at the South Carolina goal line, to pick up a crucial SEC win.
“We found a way to win, even though we had some mistakes out there that could at times be catastrophic,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “Against an SEC opponent, we held them to 10 points and, really, except for our own miscues, we controlled the flow of the game.”
Despite the sloppy execution, LSU’s defense made sure the Gamecocks (3–3, 1–3) never found rhythm. South Carolina crossed midfield six times but came away empty on four of those drives, twice punting and once missing a field goal before turning it over on downs late.
Green’s Breakout
Green’s size and athleticism proved too much for South Carolina’s secondary. He capped a 72-yard LSU drive with a leaping 6-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter and continued to exploit mismatches all night.
“Clearly he’s a mismatch,” Kelly said. “He’s a unique talent, and we need to continue to feature him.”
Green, who missed time earlier in the season with a knee injury, said the performance meant a lot. “The ball came my way a lot tonight,” he said. “I wasn’t going to waste that opportunity.”
Game Turns on Mistakes
LSU seemed ready to take a 10–0 lead early in the second quarter when Ju’Juan Johnson fought toward the goal line, but South Carolina’s Monkell Goodwine knocked the ball loose and Bryan Thomas Jr. recovered in the end zone.
The Gamecocks immediately capitalized as backup running back Matt Fuller ripped off a 72-yard touchdown run — his first of the season — to give South Carolina a 7–3 lead.
Nussmeier responded by hitting Kyle Parker on a 43-yard slant that turned into a sprint to the end zone, putting LSU back on top. However, turnovers again plagued the Tigers, including an interception inside the Gamecocks’ 5-yard line that prevented them from pulling away.
Defense Closes It Out
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers completed 14 of 29 passes for 124 yards but was sacked five times and intercepted once by LSU safety Tamarcus Cooley. The LSU front seven repeatedly collapsed the pocket and limited Sellers to just 19 net rushing yards.
“Sellers is a difficult guy to corral,” Kelly said. “I’m proud of the way our guys attacked him. He’ll leave here feeling the game against LSU.”
Damian Ramos’ 37-yard field goal with under two minutes remaining sealed the win after cornerback Mansoor Delane broke up a fourth-down pass on South Carolina’s previous drive. LSU finished with a season-high 166 rushing yards, led by Caden Durham’s 70 on 15 carries.
Beamer’s Frustration
Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer was visibly upset after officials nullified a successful fake punt in the third quarter, citing a premature snap before the referee signaled the ball ready for play.
“In 26 years of coaching, I’ve never seen that,” Beamer said. “There wasn’t an official standing over the ball. I don’t know how the punter or snapper are supposed to know not to snap it when the referee is behind the punter. Somebody’s going to have to explain that one to me.”
The Takeaway
South Carolina: The Gamecocks ran for 193 yards but couldn’t finish drives, undone by penalties and missed opportunities. Sellers’ struggles in the passing game continued against one of the SEC’s faster defenses.
LSU: The Tigers’ offense remains inconsistent, but their defensive front looked dominant. While turnovers kept this game closer than it should’ve been, LSU showed the toughness needed to win in the SEC.
Up Next:
South Carolina: Hosts Oklahoma next Saturday.
LSU: Travels to Vanderbilt.
