One week you’re being regarded as the worst team in your conference, the next week, you’re hosting College Gameday.

This is the epitome of college football- anything can change in a blink of an eye. The South Carolina Gamecocks went from doom and gloom to being 2-0 with lots of momentum surrounding them after their dismantling of the Kentucky Wildcats last weekend. The schedule gets more challenging with the LSU Tigers coming into town this weekend. Let’s take a look at the keys to the game if the Gamecocks are going to pull off another upset.

Can the Gamecocks handle the pressure?

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. South Carolina has an impressive win, gains some steam, and jumps onto the national scene as a popular upset pick ahead of their next contest only to lose. Badly. I can think of no better recent example than when the Gamecocks won four straight in 2022 including a win over thirteenth ranked Kentucky and climbed to the twenty-fifth ranked team nationally only to lose by thirteen at home to Missouri in a lopsided defeat. 

There were many reasons why Carolina lost that game, but pressure was likely one of them. 

The circumstances surrounding the matchup with LSU are a bit different, but one thing is the same- how the Gamecocks handle the pressure will go a long way in determining the outcome. Gameday is coming to Columbia, and there’s no doubt Willy B will be rocking. Can the Gamecocks rise to the occasion and embrace an electric atmosphere, or will the moment be too big for them?

Can Carolina contain LSU’s passing attack?

To stop any good passing attack, two things are needed: a talented secondary and a fierce pass rush. The Gamecocks possess both. 

They’re averaging almost five sacks per contest, surrendering just over 120 yards per game through the air, and only allowing opposing QBs to complete roughly 50% of their passes. They have also logged four interceptions with one of them returned for a touchdown. This defense has been highly active through two games and has speed and athletes at all three levels.

The LSU Tigers, on the other hand, feature a dynamic duo of quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and receiver Kyren Lacy. Through two games, Nussmeier is 57-76 passing with 610 yards, eight TDs, and only one interception, while Lacy has hauled in twelve receptions for 159 yards and four TDs.  Behind Lacy, the Tigers have plenty of receiving options for Nussmeier including Aaron Anderson and Mason Taylor who have combined for twenty-one receptions, 229 yards, and one touchdown. 

This passing attack is at the heart of the LSU offensive identity with nearly twice as many pass attempts as rush attempts. The Gamecocks will have their work cut out for them at the point of attack as the LSU o-line has yet to surrender a sack this season and is made up of mostly upperclassmen including OT Will Campbell who is a projected first round pick in next year’s NFL draft.

It is strength vs strength. The LSU passing offense vs the South Carolina passing defense. While a relentless pass rush is one way to slow down an opposing passing attack,over half of Nussmeier’s completions and touchdowns have come on throws ten yards down the field or less. If the pass rush can’t get there, is Carolina’s secondary  able to tighten up the pass coverage to get stops? 

Can South Carolina’s offense take another step forward?

One of the best defenses against a strong offense is having a good offense of your own. In other words, LSU’s offense can’t score if they’re not on the field. 

The Gamecocks’ offense has not exactly been electric through two games, though. Sellers has been sacked eight times and, as a team, the Gamecocks are averaging under three yards a carry and only 140 yards a game through the air. 

There is no denying that Carolina wants to assert their rushing attack as they have rushed the ball nearly 100 times through two games. While not highly effective per rush, the Gamecocks have worn their opponents down thus far with their relentless ground attack with several large body rushers. Last week, it was Sellers and the passing offense that improved, tossing two touchdown passes against a fairly solid Kentucky defense. Looking at this weekend’s matchup, the Gamecocks may have a chance to move the ball effectively both on the ground and through the air against an LSU defense still trying to find its footing.

After struggling all of last year, the Tiger’s defense has not yet seen significant improvement through just two games. In their matchup with Southern California, the Tigers were shredded through the air, allowing 378 yards and a touchdown. The following week, it was the rushing attack of the Nicholls Colonels that had success as they ran for 150 yards and two scores. As a team, the Tigers have totalled only two sacks and one turnover. To make matters worse, starting  senior DT Jacobian Guillory is out for the season with an achilles injury. 

That said, LSU still has talent on their defense. Harold Perkins Jr. is a senior LB who has been a bright spot over the last couple of seasons totalling 146 tackles, thirteen sacks, and two interceptions. Other guys to keep an eye on are starting LB Greg Penn III and starting DE Sai’vion Jones who are the team’s leader in tackles and sacks, respectively. 

Prediction

This is an interesting matchup. On one side of the ball it is strength vs strength. On the other, both teams are still trying to find their identities. While handling the pressure and slowing down the LSU passing offense are essential to pulling off the upset, I think the most important factor is whether or not the Carolina offense can continue to gel.

I anticipate that the LSU offense and the Carolina defense both will play well and will win some and lose some against one another. In the end, however, I believe that the Gamecocks’ offense, behind a strong rushing attack, will get the better of the Tigers, and Sellers and company will make enough plays through the air to sustain drives to keep the LSU offense off the field. I’ll take the Gamecocks 24-20.