LSU’s 20-10 win over South Carolina felt like scooping burnt grits from the pot—gritty, messy, yet somehow decent.
The No. 11 Tigers left Death Valley on Saturday night with a 5-1 record (2-1 SEC) due to strong defense and just enough offense to get by.
If LSU’s offense hadn’t hurt itself all game, the Tigers could have scored 41 points easily.
41-10, or better yet, 41-3, would have felt much, much better. But, as Brian Kelly said, “We won!”
Let’s hope they’ve sorted it out. Next Saturday, at 11 a.m., LSU faces Vanderbilt in Nashville. If LSU offense doesn’t fix its mistakes by then, the Commodores will gladly feast on those leftover grits.
DEFENSE CARRIES THE LOAD
LSU limited South Carolina to 317 total yards, sacking LaNorris Sellers five times. The defensive line forced a fumble on the Gamecocks first possesion, setting up a 28-yard field goal from Damian Ramos. Later, senior corner Mansoor Delane sealed the game with a fourth-down pass breakup in the last five minutes. The Tigers’ defense ranks among the nation’s best, but the offense’s mistakes kept everyone on edge.
OFFENSE: THREE TURNOVERS, “CATASTROPHIC” MISCUES
Nussmeier was 20-of-33 for 254 yards and two touchdowns. However, LSU gave the Gamecocks three turnovers, including two goal-line blunders. A 56-yard run by Ju’Juan Johnson opened a two-score lead in the third quarter, only for Nussmeier’s second interception inside the 10 to undo it. After Trey’Dez Green caught eight passes for 119 yards, LSU fumbled again at the 3-yard line, settling for three points. “Those are catastrophic mistakes,” Brian Kelly said. “If we fix them, this offense can match the defense’s level.”
GREEN THE SPICE
Freshman Trey’Dez Green has emerged as LSU’s key playmaker, burning South Carolina for 119 yards and a touchdown despite a sore knee. He made bold moves, including three receptions of at least 11 yards on the final scoring drive, showing his potential. Kelly noted, “We need to feature him,” thanks to his height, hands, and speed.
LSU FINALLY STUCK WITH THE RUN
LSU’s running game finally showed life, averaging 5.5 yards per carry on 30 runs for a total of 166 yards. While 15 runs averaged less than 3.0 yards, three runs gained 100 yards—Johnson’s 56-yarder, a 23-yarder from Caden Durham, and a 21-yarder from Nussmeier. Kudos to Kelly and Joe Sloan for sticking with the run. It was good to see LSU’s linemen winning more combo blocks. Nussmeier also tucked and ran four times, which helped.
VANDY ISN’T YOUR DADDY’S COMMODORES
Next week’s matchup with Vanderbilt (5-1, No. 20 AP) is no easy task. Clark Lea’s team has outscored opponents by 20 points per game, has a top 25 defense, and has intercepted 10 passes this season. Diego Pavia has thrown for 1,200 yards, while their ground game runs the clock efficiently. If LSU keeps losing red-zone chances and turning over the ball, Vanderbilt will turn those limp grits into a feast.
THE ROAD AHEAD
LSU’s Sunday morning message is clear: eliminate bad decisions, fumbles, and interceptions. Though the win over the Gamecocks was gritty, execution remains LSU biggest challenge. Fix details like ball security, red-zone decisiveness, and gap integrity, and LSU could snag a second straight win.
If not, next Saturday in Nashville could be messier than those burnt grits.
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