Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
By Hunt Palmer
Saturday night’s winner between LSU and South Carolina should feel a sense of confidence.
For LSU, the Tigers will have responded to a loss on the road and moved to 2-1 in league play. For South Carolina, the Gamecocks will have won a second consecutive league game and bounced back from back-to-back losses to open league play.
The loser will be in trouble.
South Carolina has four top 10 teams up next, and LSU will have no more room for error and no realistic hope of a playoff bid.
If the LSU-Ole Miss game was a battle for a comfortable position, this is a battle to stay out of a very uncomfortable spot.
These two teams have veteran quarterbacks plagued by poor running games. The defenses have star power, and the special teams have been very good.
As boot meets ball Saturday night, here are three matchups to watch.
LSU’S TACKLES VS. SOUTH CAROLINA EDGE DYLAN STEWART
Stewart is a star. He was a star when he was South Carolina’s highest ranked signee. He was a star when he was freshman All-American with 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He’s been a star this year with 3.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss. He’s 6-foot-5, 245 lbs., and I’d be shocked if he wasn’t a first round pick after next season.
LSU has had issues at tackle. Weston Davis has struggled on the right side, and he’s coming off a broken nose and concussion. Carius Curne is a true freshman who Brian Kelly said has made some technical errors but has played hard. DJ Chester has also played some tackle, but he’s really an interior player.
LSU’s bread and butter is the passing game, and Stewart can blow that up. The Tigers have a lot of advantages in this game, but this is not one of them. Stewart must be kept in check.
SPECIAL TEAMS
This is not some cliché because of Shane Beamer’s dad. The Gamecocks have changed games on special teams this year.
Vicari Swain returned a punt for a touchdown against Virginia Tech, coincidentally. He followed that up by housing another return the next week against South Carolina State. Then he scooped up a blocked field goal two minutes later and ran that back 42 yards for a touchdown.
The Gamecocks tried a fake punt against Kentucky that narrowly came up short. They are not afraid of trying to change the game with a huge play.
LSU’s special teams have been excellent so far. The punting average is up over 46 yards per punt, 19th nationally. Damian Ramos is 7-for-8 from inside 50 yards and 1-for-2 from beyond 50.
We know the return game has explosive playmakers. Again, LSU has a lot of advantages in this game. These first two spots are places where South Carolina can try to flip the game.
LSU’S FRONT SEVEN VS. LANORRIS SELLERS’S IMPROVIZATION
South Carolina’s offense has been awful early on. The Gamecocks rank 92nd nationally in scoring offense (with six non-offensive touchdowns). They’re 122nd in total offense and rushing offense.
If it weren’t for two punt return scores, a blocked field goal touchdown, two fumble return touchdowns and a pick six, it would be worse! The ground game is averaging 2.9 yards per carry and under 100 yards per game. All of that is impacted by the 15 sacks allowed which is 115th in the country.
It’s bad.
Sellers is a freak of an athlete, though, and he can make things happen on his own.
He can go 75 to the house like he did on LSU last year or extend a play with his size, strength and speed so that one of his playmakers comes open down the field where he can hit a big shot.
LSU must be disciplined with Sellers and stay in position. No seven-yard run is going to hurt too badly. What will is selling out to stop a seven-yard scramble and leaving Nyck Harbor open for a 65-yard score on a broken play. It’s all about maintaining assignments.
If the Tigers can do that, it’s hard to imagine South Carolina mustering much in Tiger Stadium against that defense.
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