By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
LSU’s defense finally did it – stopped a dual-threat quarterback.
Just in time for another one.
The Tigers made South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers uncomfortable most of Saturday night, limiting the electric playmaker to 124 yards passing and just 19 rushing in a 20-10 victory at Tiger Stadium.
“We made it tough for him,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “We made it a physical game where we got after him.”
After struggling to contain Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss in LSU’s lone loss of the season on Sept. 27 and getting destroyed by running quarterbacks last season, the Tigers flipped the script. Defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s unit sacked Sellers five times and forced two turnovers.
Quarterback Swagger can come with a price, and Brian Kelly is ready to pay it forward with Garrett Nussmeier:https://t.co/ODqgTFp8t2
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 13, 2025
“Overall, I think our defense did a great job of just pursuing him and being relentless. Guys were flying around all over the place,” LSU defensive end Jack Pyburn said. “You didn’t see quit from this defense, and there’s just a fight that can’t be taught. That’s something we pride ourselves on.”
In holding South Carolina to 10 points, LSU is the No. 5 scoring defense in the nation with 11.8 points a game and the No. 21 total defense with 297 yards allowed a game. Still, the Tigers weren’t exactly perfect on Saturday. Late in first quarter, South Carolina running back Matt Fuller shredded Baker’s defense for a 72-yard touchdown.
“We know where our issues are,” Kelly said. “They’re not hidden. Like, we can’t give up a 75-yard run, right? You know, we’ve got to fit that the right way.”
LSU Offense and Garrett Nussmeier – “One Step Up, And Two Steps Back.” But Nussmeier did look better. Column:https://t.co/mmevLsvr8l
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) October 12, 2025
LSU’s defensive stand against Sellers came just in time as preparation for a more difficult test – Vanderbilt dual threat quarterback Diego Pavia on Saturday (11 a.m., ABC).
The No. 10 Tigers (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) will face the nation’s No. 7 scoring team in the nation in Vanderbilt (5-1, 1-1 SEC) with 43.2 points per game and the No. 32 total offense (313.3 yards per game).
Pavia, a sixth-year senior, leads Vanderbilt in rushing with 352 yards on 60 carries for a 5.9-yard average and two touchdowns. He has completed 115 of 161 passes for 1,409 yards and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions.
“He’s the point guard and makes it happen,” Kelly said Monday. “Make him one dimensional. Those dual threat quarterbacks, if they can do both, you’re in trouble. So, we’ve got to do a really great job in the running game. And not to say he can’t throw the ball, because he can.”
LSU limited Pavia to 43 rushing yards on six carries with a 1-yard touchdown and 13-of-24 passing and 186 yards with a touchdown last season in a 24-17 win in Tiger Stadium.
“But if you’re trying to choose one or the other, he’s going to kill you if he runs,” Kelly said. “We’re going to take the path that we need to be really good against the run and then put him in predictable situations.”
That would be 3rd-and-long as Vanderbilt is No. 2 in the nation in third down conversions at .579 (33 of 57).
“Because they’re in third and short most of the time,” Kelly said. “So, we’ve got to get them off of schedule. First down is really crucial for us.”
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