For the first time since 2008, LSU will play South Carolina in their home stadium of Williams-Brice Stadium. It should be an electric atmosphere with ESPN’s College Gameday on campus. South Carolina is a confident team after beating Kentucky 31-6 to last Saturday. If LSU doesn’t win this game, they could finish with the same record they had in 2008, which was 8-5.
Here are five things to watch when these two teams meet at 11 AM.
Can LSU keep QB Garrett Nussmeier up right?
Nussmeier has yet to be sacked this season, while South Carolina leads the SEC in sacks with ten. The strength of Gamecocks is the defensive line as they have two outstanding edge rushers in Dylan Stewart and Kyle Kennard. Senior defensive tackle T.J. Sanders had four tackles and a sack last week.
LSU to have three linebackers on the field
The Tigers have used a nickel defense during the first two weeks, which means two linebackers. But sophomore linebacker Whit Weeks is performing so well, Coach Brian Kelly wants him on the field more. Plus, South Carolina will look to win this game by running the football, so having Weeks and fellow linebackers Harold Perkins and Greg Penn on the field at the same time is probably the best approach. Also, this likely means Perkins will line up more at outside linebacker, potentially freeing him up to make more big plays.
Can South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers have a break out game
South Carolina is trying to win this season with a freshman quarterback and the results so far have not been great. LaNorris Sellers threw for only 114 yards in a win against Old Dominion in the season opener. It was a little better in the win against Kentucky, 166 yards passing, but he was also intercepted once and fumbled twice. He’s a big kid, six-foot-three, 242 pounds and he’ll be used in the run game. But his inexperience is why LSU should win this game.
Can LSU run the ball
So, Brian Kelly said the Tigers didn’t try run the football against Nicholls because they had too many players near the line of scrimmage. I don’t really buy it; Nicholls was the more physical team in the first half against the Tigers and the only way for LSU to separate the score was to throw. Eventually, the Tigers need more balance, and I believe the Gamecocks will look to try to stop LSU’s passing game, which should open opportunities to run the football.
Will the weather be an issue?
There was a lot of talk this week about rain in the forecast for Saturday. But the latest forecast out of Columbia shows just a 20% chance for rain and a high of 82.
Sounds like a perfect day to play a complete ball game. I like LSU to win 30-16.