LSU Gets Tough Road Victory at SC  

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Saturday, October 18th, 8:00 p.m. (et)
The Sports Network

By Pat Taggart, Associate College Football Editor

GAME NOTES: Fresh off their first loss of the season, the 13th-ranked LSU Tigers are eager to get back to action this weekend when they visit the South Carolina Gamecocks.

LSU had won its first four games of the season, but the team wasn't exactly dominant against either Auburn or Mississippi State in its first two SEC games of the season. So while it wasn't surprising that the Tigers lost to a talented Florida team on the road last weekend, the 51-21 final was downright shocking. LSU still figures to be alive in the national championship hunt, but the team simply can not afford another loss.

South Carolina has won four consecutive decisions since losing two of three outings to open the season. The most recent triumph for the Gamecocks came last weekend by a score of 24-17 over Kentucky. They are now 2-2 in conference and need one more victory to become eligible for a bowl bid.

LSU holds a commanding 15-2-1 series lead over South Carolina, including a 28-16 victory over the Gamecocks last season.

LSU finished with 19 first downs and 321 total yards against Florida, and while those stats were certainly solid, the team committed three costly turnovers that played a major role in the loss.

The Tigers weren't able to make many big plays, as Jarrett Lee's 23 pass completions totaled just 209 yards. "I made some misreads and their defense took advantage of them," said Lee after the contest. "I thought we fought back well, but they were just too much in the end."

Charles Scott finished with 35 rushing yards on 12 attempts, an average of less than three yards per carry.

Overall this season, LSU is averaging 32.6 ppg and 402.6 total ypg. The Tigers are led by Scott, who has rushed for 570 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 6.9 ypc. Lee has completed 59.1 percent of his passes for 852 yards and eight touchdowns, and he figures to get better with more experience. Brandon LaFell paces the receivers with 29 catches for 407 yards and three scores.

Defensively, LSU looked helpless against the powerful Florida offense, as the Gators racked up 475 yards on their way to 51 points. Considering that the Tigers yielded over 200 yards both rushing and passing, it is fair to say that they struggled against both means of attack.

Ricky Jean-Francois said in the week leading up to the Florida game that the defense planned to hit Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow and knock him out of the game if possible. Unfortunately for Jean-Francois, he missed the contest with a groin injury, and his teammates couldn't save the defensive lineman from looking awfully silly. "I don't know if it hurt us at all to be honest with you," said LSU coach Les Miles of Jean-Francois' absence from the lineup. "I know if Ricky Jean would've played he would've played and played well. That's not the reason we lost."

The Tigers are surrendering 22.4 ppg and 303.6 total ypg this season. They have run and thrown the ball effectively, so look for a balanced against South Carolina this week.

Speaking of the Gamecocks, they won their ninth consecutive meeting with Kentucky last weekend, and head coach Steve Spurrier is now 16-0 all-time against the Wildcats. It is hard to give too much credit to the Gamecock offense for the victory, as one of the team's touchdowns came on a blocked field goal return, and another was set up by an 84-yard kickoff return. Still, South Carolina was able to score 10 points in the fourth quarter to put the game away, including a seven-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Stephen Garcia to Weslye Saunders.

Chris Smelley started the game but completed just 9-of-23 passes for 105 yards with two interceptions. Garcia was much more effective, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the rookie will take the snaps against LSU. Spurrier juggles quarterbacks like no other coach in college football. "Chris is our starting quarterback," said Spurrier prior to the Kentucky game. "We'll see what he does, hopefully he goes the distance."

South Carolina is averaging 23.1 ppg and 352.1 total ypg this season. The Gamecocks are posting 11.7 yards per pass completion and 243.1 ypg through the air, but 14 interceptions have certainly hurt the team. Kenny McKinley is the best of the team's receivers, and he figures to be a major part of the game plan this weekend. USC's ground attack has been rather weak to date.

The South Carolina defense played well against Kentucky last week, limiting the Wildcats to 218 total yards. The Gamecocks forced a pair of turnovers and permitted a mere 62 rushing yards on 22 attempts. Perhaps the most impressive stat of all is that South Carolina held Kentucky to 1-of-16 success on third down conversion attempts.

Opponents are scoring 15.0 ppg against the Gamecocks, who are allowing only 240.9 total ypg. They are permitting fewer than 10 yards per pass completion and only 3.2 yards per rushing attempt. Emmanuel Cook has been an extremely active defender for Spurrier's team, as he has made 56 total tackles, 23 more than his closest teammate. Chris Culliver has two interceptions.

South Carolina may be able to keep things close at home, but expect LSU to escape Columbia with a victory. The Tigers are simply too talented and too well coached to lose a second straight contest.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: LSU 24, South Carolina 17

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