LSU and South Carolina share short, storied history

REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman

By Hunt Palmer

South Carolina inched by LSU 95 years ago in Columbia.

Since that 7-6 Gamecock victory over the Tigers, this series hasn’t been very competitive. LSU has won 20 of the next 22, and that includes a 20-20 tie in the second meeting between the two programs as SEC rivals, a 1995 contest.

The current tally is 20-2-1 in favor of LSU.

South Carolina’s lone win over LSU since 1930 came in an 18-17 decision on October 30, 1994, in Baton Rouge. The Tigers have won eight in a row following the 1995 tie.

Though the results have been lopsided, there has been some drama involved.

FOURNETTE FLOOD GAME

In 2015, the game between South Carolina and LSU was moved from Columbia to Baton Rouge due to flooding in South Carolina. The game was moved on Wednesday and drew just south of 50,000 fans in Tiger Stadium. The Gamecocks were technically the home team. Their pregame video was played on the Jumbotron.

Leonard Fournette ran for 158 yards in three quarters of action which was his lowest output to that point of the season. That was part of a 396-yard rushing performance by the Tigers that really ate at then Gamecock head coach Steve Spurrier.

“I just get frustrated watching our guys,” Spurrier, the Head Ball Coach said. “Their guys must have broken eight tackles on their big runs. Our guys go in there and just fall on the ground. Nobody tackles them.”

Three days later Spurrier retired. It was the last game he ever coached.

FRESHMAN FINLEY

It wasn’t the last time LSU and South Carolina would play in a half empty Tiger Stadium. Five years later, the two teams collided during the 2020 season when social distancing was in place.

LSU freshman quarterback TJ Finley became the eighth rookie quarterback to start a game at LSU since World War II, and the Tigers used touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams to rout South Carolina, 52-24. Eli Ricks returned an interception for a score, and Trey Palmer ran back the first kickoff for a touchdown in Tiger Stadium since Dalton Hilliard in 1981, a span of 29 years.

DREAMS DIED

Perhaps LSU’s “best” win in series history came in 2012.

South Carolina came to Baton Rouge ranked No. 3 in the country with superstars like Jadeveon Clowney, Marcus Lattimore and Stephon Gilmore. LSU had three offensive linemen missing in the game, starting sixth-year senior Josh Dworaczyk at left tackle opposite Clowney and freshmen Trai Turner and Vadal Alexander on the right side.

Jeremy Hill, also a freshman, broke free for a late 50-yard touchdown to ice the game, 23-21.

In the postgame, Les Miles gave a quote that has lived on throughout the years.

“That was Death Valley. That was the place where opponents’ dreams come to die.”

COMEBACK CATS

Last season, LSU overcame an early Gamecock onslaught in Columbia. College Gameday made its first trip to South Carolina in a decade, and kickoff followed the national television broadcast.

After 18 minutes of game time, it was 17-0 Gamecocks.

Led by Garrett Nussmeier’s arm and the legs of freshman tailback Caden Durham, LSU began to pick away at the South Carolina lead. The Tiger defense forced a pair of turnovers, and South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers had to leave the game with an ankle injury. LSU outlasted the home team 36-33 for one of the best wins of the season.