Josh Williams scored on a two-yard touchdown run with 1:12 remaining in the game to give No. 16 LSU (2–1) a hard-fought comeback 36–33 win over South Carolina in Columbia.
Alex Herrera missed a 49-yard field goal to tie the game for the Gamecocks (2–1) as time expired.
South Carolina ran out to a 17–0 lead in the second quarter and looked as if they might blow the Tigers out of Williams-Brice Stadium. LSU coach Brian Kelly’s seat may have been getting as hot as the weather in Columbia.
Yet LSU fought back, despite not scoring on a fourth-and-goal at the Gamecocks’ 1-yard line early in the third quarter. But the Tigers got a touchdown on their next possession with a nine-yard run from Caden Durham. Then LSU finished off a 10-play, 80-yard drive with Garrett Nussmeier hitting Mason Taylor for a two-yard TD pass to take a 29–24 lead.
Nussmeier passed 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 scores. Aaron Anderson led LSU with 96 receiving on five receptions. Kyren Lacy caught five passes for 63 yards with a touchdown. And Taylor finished with six catches for 58 yards and a score.
Gamecocks wilted in second half
South Carolina was led by Raheim Sanders’ 142 rushing yards and two touchdowns. His 66-yard scoring run put the Gamecocks back on top, 30–29. Herrera hit a 42-yard field goal on SC’s next possession for a 33–29 lead.
Quarterback LaNorris Sellers added 88 yards rushing and two touchdowns, also throwing for 113. His 75-yard scoring run in the second quarter gave the Gamecocks a 24–10 lead and provided some cushion, but LSU scored a touchdown just before halftime to cut the deficit to 24–16. (The Tigers failed on a two-point conversion attempt.)
Sellers suffered an ankle injury when he was sacked with 14 seconds remaining in the first half and was replaced by Robby Ashford in the second half. He briefly attempted to come back into the game with seven minutes left in the third quarter, but struggled to play on his right ankle and Ashford took over for the remainder of the game. He completed 2-of-4 passes for 42 yards.
South Carolina fans will surely point to two pick-6 touchdowns that were taken away by penalties. The most crucial occurred with six minutes left in the fourth quarter with Nick Emmanwori intercepting Nussmeier at the goal line and running it all the way back for an apparent touchdown. But defensive lineman Kyle Kennard was called for unnecessary roughness during the return, wiping out the score.
The Gamecocks’ other pick 6 was in the first quarter and would have given South Carolina a 14–0 lead. However, another penalty by Kennard — this one for a horse-collar tackle — took away the touchdown.
LSU follows up this comeback win with a home game next week versus UCLA. South Carolina will attempt to rebound from the loss when it hosts Akron.