With 1:12 minutes left in the game, Josh Williams scored a two-yard touchdown run to give No. 16 LSU (2-1) a hard-fought 36-33 comeback victory over South Carolina in Columbia.
Alex Herrera missed a 49-yard field goal and tied the game for the Gamecocks as time expired (2–1).
South Carolina built a 17-0 lead in the second quarter and looked like they could sweep the Tigers out of Williams-Brice Stadium. It may have been just as hot in LSU coach Brian Kelly’s chair as it was in Columbia.
But LSU fought back despite failing to score on a fourth-and-goal attempt at the Gamecocks’ 1-yard line early in the third quarter. But the Tigers scored a touchdown on their next possession on a nine-yard run by Caden Durham. Then LSU capped off a 10-play, 80-yard run in which Garrett Nussmeier found Mason Taylor for a two-yard touchdown pass to take a 29-24 lead.
Nussmeier threw for 256 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, completing 23 of 39 passes for the Tigers. Durham rushed for 98 yards on 11 carries with two touchdowns. Aaron Anderson led LSU with 96 catches on five receptions. Kyren Lacy caught five passes for 63 yards with a touchdown. And Taylor finished the game with six catches for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Gamecocks weakened in the second half
South Carolina was led by Raheim Sanders with 142 rushing yards and two touchdowns. His 66-yard run put the Gamecocks back on top, 30-29. Herrera kicked a 42-yard field goal on SC’s next possession to put the team ahead, 33-29.
Quarterback LaNorris Sellers rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 113 yards. His 75-yard touchdown run in the second quarter gave the Gamecocks a 24-10 lead and a small advantage, but LSU scored a touchdown just before halftime to cut the deficit to 24-16. (The Tigers failed to score a two-pointer.)
Sellers suffered an ankle injury when he was sacked with 14 seconds left in the first half and was replaced by Robby Ashford in the second half. He briefly attempted to reenter the game with seven minutes left in the third quarter, but had trouble playing with his right ankle and Ashford took over for the rest of the game, completing 2 of 4 passes for 42 yards.
South Carolina lost two pick-6 touchdowns
South Carolina fans will certainly point to two pick-6 touchdowns that were disallowed by penalties. The most important touchdown came with six minutes left in the fourth quarter when Nick Emmanwori intercepted a Nussmeier pass at the goal line and ran the ball back for what appeared to be a touchdown. But defensive lineman Kyle Kennard was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the return, nullifying the score.
The Gamecocks’ other pick 6 came in the first quarter. O’Donnell Fortune intercepted Nussmeier at the LSU 25-yard line as he was being tackled and would have given South Carolina a 14-0 lead. However, another Kennard penalty – this time for a horse-collar tackle on Nussmeier – prevented the touchdown.
LSU follows up that comeback win with a home game against UCLA next week. South Carolina will look to rebound from the loss when it hosts Akron.
