Williams-Brice Stadium will host a clash of the titans in the trenches on Saturday as South Carolina’s defensive line meets LSU’s offensive line.
The Gamecocks enter this matchup ranked second in the country with 10 sacks in their first two games, but LSU returns four of five starters on an offensive line that hasn’t allowed a sack all season.
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College GameDay analysts “Stanford Steve” Coughlin and Rece Davis talked about this showdown before the two teams played in Week 3. And both analysts believe the Gamecocks could once again put on a strong defensive performance.
“It was nice to see them bounce back after not being sure what they were going to get after the first week. I expect them to play really well,” Coughlin said. “They know what to expect. I’m sure coach Shane (Projector) talks about the NFL talent LSU has on the offensive line.”
Much of South Carolina’s success on the defensive line this season has been due to the individual performances of its two starting edge rushers – Dylan Stewart And Kyle Kennard.
Stewart enters Saturday’s game with 2.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. Kennard leads the Gamecocks in both tackles for loss (4.5) and sacks (3.5).
“We have a young player and an experienced player on both sides. Both have met at the quarterback position,” Davis said.
Davis said he was particularly impressed with Stewart’s performance early in his college career. According to On3 Industry Rankings, Stewart was the 17th best prospect in his class of 2024.
The hype at the beginning of the season could eventually turn into sustained success, Davis said.
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“Dylan Stewart is a rising star in this game. He’s going to be a guy who continues to grow,” Davis said. “In speaking with Clayton (White)there’s just a lot of things that he does naturally. He kind of knows how to do it. And he’s learning some of the techniques – when he needs to be disciplined, when he needs to stay out because of a defensive decision or when he has a little more freedom to just beat his opponent…boy, you want to start with the intensity level and the skill level that he has.”
Coughlin, who knew Stewart’s physical abilities before he joined the Gamecocks, also praised the freshman edge rusher for his performance against Kentucky. Stewart recorded a sack, a tackle for loss, two tackles and a quarterback hit in that game.
“I live in DC now, so I saw Mr. Stewart last year… When I went to see him, I couldn’t believe he was 6’6. In high school, you’re still allowed to lie about your height. And he’s just incredibly tall,” Coughlin said. “(He was) super impressive on stage last week, even though he knew what was at stake.”
Coughlin said South Carolina’s defense played a crucial role in last week’s upset win, adding that the Gamecocks will have to rely on their defense to accomplish that task on Saturday as well.
“I think South Carolina dictated the game and made Kentucky predictable in shooting situations, and I think that’s the key tomorrow,” Coughlin said. “If Carolina can do that again, then LSU is going to have a tough job of it given the crowd noise and all the factors that go into a true SEC road game.”
