LSU triumphed once again, extending its unbeaten record. The Tigers were magnificent in some parts of the game but less than stellar in others.
Here’s the breakdown of how the Tigers fared on Saturday.
The Good
LSU’s rushing attack is near unstoppable, it seems.
Someone finally did it. The University of South Carolina managed to hold Leonard Fournette to under 200 rushing yards — the first time he hasn’t gone over 200 since the game against Mississippi State University a month ago. He finished with 158 yards, and outside of Fournette’s 87-yard touchdown, the Gamecocks held the Heisman Trophy candidate to 19 carries for 71 yards.
Unfortunately for South Carolina, LSU’s rushing attack didn’t stop with Fournette.
The Tigers finished with 54 carries for 396 rushing yards and four touchdowns, impressive numbers when Fournette wasn’t even the team’s leading rusher.
Freshman running back Derrius Guice rushed 16 times for 161 yards and a touchdown. On one play, Guice appeared to channel his inner Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch as he threw off would-be tacklers with ease.
Sophomore running back Darrel Williams added 10 carries for 61 yards and two scores. Having a multi-headed rushing game is proving a nightmare for opposing defenses to slow down.
LSU fans also had the chance to see Brandon Harris sling the ball around. The sophomore finished 18-of-28 for 228 yards and two touchdowns.
It was Harris’ best outing of the season by far. He made some impressive throws, including a touchdown pass to Malachi Dupre that had as much touch as anything Tom Brady has thrown this season.
As LSU gets into the heart of its Southeastern Conference slate, a balanced attack like the one on display Saturday will be crucial. The Tigers will be tough to beat if Harris can perform at a similar level while his backs continue to run over everything in their way.
The Bad
LSU didn’t do a lot that I would describe as “bad” yesterday. There was one special teams blunder you’re probably thinking of, but that will get its own section.
South Carolina junior wide receiver Pharoh Cooper gave the LSU defense a hard time throughout the game. Cooper had seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. He looked dangerous when he got the ball in his hands.
Plenty of the teams left on LSU’s schedule have a weapon or two that the Tigers will need to try to stop from getting the ball. Unfortunately for South Carolina, Cooper seemed to be the only offensive threat the Gamecocks had.
Also, freshman running back Nick Brossette fumbled late in the game. LSU managed to recover it, but putting the ball on the ground is never good.
(Not so) special teams
Once again, LSU’s special teams were not at their best once.
The glaring error allowed freshman cornerback Rashad Fenton to scamper 96 yards for a touchdown on a kickoff return. Fenton had a running lane a Campus Transit vehicle could drive through, and nobody had the proper speed or angle to run him down.
To make matters worse, the Tigers became part of history, and not in the good way. Fenton’s score was the first time the Gamecocks returned a kickoff for a touchdown since 2002.
The Tigers’ special teams play needs to improve ahead of next weekend’s matchup against the University of Florida. One mistake against a top SEC foe could prove costly.
Jack Woods is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Ruston, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @Jack_TDR.