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By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
The second big test for Brian Kelly's Tigers arrives on the road, in a brutal SEC opener clash.......set at a location where LSU has dominated throughout the entirety of SEC history, winning 5 of 6 all time away meetings in Columbia, South Carolina, beating the Gamecocks (what a name) across their last 7 meetings overall.
South Carolina hasn't tasted victory over LSU since 1994, and if you want to find a home win over the Tigers, you have to go all the way back to 1930....

That said, this game is shaping up to be an upset in many an analyst's view, what could be a second major hiccup of Year III under Head Coach Brian Kelly....what do we think goes down on Saturday???
It could be far trickier than LSU's all time record against the Cocks suggests....
Facing an incoming hurricane headed for southern Louisiana as we speak, expecting to make landfall tomorrow, the chances for distractions are high, all while LSU also just took the brunt of some colossal season-ending injuries to their star running back & defensive tackle during the same week, plus the aftermath of a poor effort vs minnows Nicholls State.....LSU will be up against it vs the Gamecocks....
.....not to mention playing an 11am kickoff after a short week turnover from their Vegas trip, Kelly already admitting his team is "tired", following LSU's disappointing Nicholls State win.

On the other hand, Shane Beamer's South Carolina enter the game 2-0, fresh off a feel good SEC beatdown of Kentucky, 31-6....featuring one of America's better pass rushing fronts (21 pressures, 19 TFLs & 10 sacks already on the board, led by Kyle Kennard & Dylan Stewart), backed by a strong all around defense (6 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries, 4 INTs, 1 INT touchdown return), holding both opponents they've faced under 19 points.
Much like LSU, South Carolina stumbled to victory over a small school, barely eeking out a 23-19 win over Old Dominion during week 1.....a far worse performance than LSU's 44-21 win over Nicholls State.
However, Beamer's team followed their limping week 1 showing with a wild, unrelenting beatdown of Kentucky last weekend, making quite a statement.
Instead of struggling against a weaker opponent for a second straight Saturday, South Carolina supplied an early kill shot and finished matters quickly......something Kelly's Tigers haven't been able to accomplish over 2 games thus far.
When you survey the South Carolina offense, QB LaNorris Sellers is more or less a run-first signal caller, who can use his feet to extend plays within the pocket, making some strong throws so far this season.....however, he will put the ball in harm's way multiple times a game, just as we forecasted on out season preview piece.
Sellers is currently 20/37 for 280 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT, as well as placing 2nd on South Carolina's rushing list, a whopping 30 carries for 57 yards and 1 TD.
Here's a name you'll recognize....backup QB / wildcat option Robbie Ashford, the former Auburn run-only QB, has now transferred to South Carolina, ready to make an impact any way he can...a possible wildcat weapon.
One of the most considerable worries for LSU???

Another in-conference transfer, Raheim "Rocket" Sanders formerly of Arkansas, is also another prime contributor..... just under 150 yards, 37 carries & 2 TDs over the first 2 games.....a considerable threat considering LSU's recent injury to DT Jacobian Guillory alongside the Tigers' sloppy play through the center of Blake Baker's defense.
Now, LSU will likely arrive in Columbia with an understandable distraction concerning the hurricane, potential for continued fatigue with the Tigers now playing their 3rd game across 13 days, and of course, faced with a must-win situation.
LSU may not be able to establish the run vs South Carolina's intense front seven....as we've seen across two games, Brad Davis' O-line is only pushing for 116 combined yards....far fewer if you remove John Emery Jr's contributions....a player who is now out for the season; But if South Carolina load up the box & challenge LSU to run the ball, that's when the SEC's leader in completions & passing touchdowns, LSU's best player through 2 games Garrett Nussmeier, must take full control.

Last week, only rushing for 54 yards vs Nicholls State, Nussmeier shrugged and tossed a career high 6 touchdowns (tied for 2nd all time in LSU history) while eclipsing 300 yards for the third straight appearance out of three career starts (dating back to 2024 Reliaquest Bowl).
South Carolina are a solid mid-tier SEC program with a good coach, talent sprinkled in key areas across the roster, mostly ushered by a ferocious defensive front.....a defense-led football team......
The gameplan can't be "let's run this thing down their throats"....these A gap shotgun draws behind a red shirt freshman center didn't work against Nicholls State....do you think they'll work vs South Carolina?.

No....but there is a way LSU can generate a running game:
Throwing the ball in an uptempo, short passing onslaught to speedy Tigers such as Zavion Thomas, Aaron Anderson, of course the expected return of Chris Hilton Jr, followed by deep shots downfield or over the middle for Kyren Lacy & CJ Daniels....

One pass after another, dink and dunk, screen here, dump off to a back in the flat there, 9 yards to Mason Taylor over there, another little involvement of Ju'uan Johnson over here, and then...right before halftime you start finding those holes become larger, the front seven closing down every gap now start to arrive late...wearing South Carolina down through a myriad of passing phenomena from NussBuss....
Defensively, if Baker's youth brigade can generate multiple turnovers, LSU would have a 95% chance of winning this game, in my view.
I don't expect Corey Raymond's secondary to be chewed alive by Sellers' passing arm, yet I do expect him to burn us by way of a couple passing plays, mostly these extended comeback routes which notoriously hurt LSU vs UCLA in 2021 & Florida St in 2022-2023.
I do feel the balance at secondary is better now, with Jordan Allen & Sage Ryan at safety, Ashton Stamps & PJ Woodland / Zy Alexander at cornerback, although Coach Baker must figure out what to do with the star position.
LSUOdyssey said it all offseason....we were mocked and soundly destroyed for simply stating we'd like to see Harold Perkins at star; not only will this change take a liability (Burns) off the field, this move also makes room for one of the team's best overall players through 2 games, Whit Weeks now at middle linebacker alongside Greg Penn III.
The Perkins move to star also unleashes the best of what Harold offers....pass rushing from the edge & solid coverage skills.
Whit Weeks was always your inside linebacker....Perkins is your defensive weapon....don't lock him down centrally, stuck in the wash as he fails to shed blocks.
This "Perkins at star" formation gives the LSU defense a flexibility they don't currently possess....the ability to go from a 4-2-5 to a 4-3-4 within a few yards movement, while also putting the best players on the field in their best positions to succeed.
I have a feeling the secondary will rise to the occasion on Saturday morning, however.....I fear how much Bo Davis' D-line will miss Jacobian Guillory up front....I worry about South Carolina's rushing attack doing significant damage to LSU's front....harm that could open passing lanes for Sellers, as well.
LSUOdyssey PREVIEW PT.II COMING UP NEXT....Perhaps some breaking news before then????
By LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
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