COLUMBIA, S.C. – Perhaps all the Gamecock crowing around Williams-Brice Stadium on Saturday served as a wake-up call for No. 10 LSU, as they coasted to a 33-7 win over South Carolina in front of 82,525. The Tigers (6-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference), who last week were plagued with offensive inconsistencies and penalites, awoke from their slumber with a dominant performance on both sides of the ball.
Behind an offensive line that LSU coach Nick Saban said turned in its best performance of the year, freshmen running backs Alley Broussard and Justin Vincent combined for 185 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
“I’m really proud of the team, they bounced back after last week at a tough place to play,” Saban said. “We controlled both sides of the ball and ran well.”
South Carolina coach Lou Holtz said the Gamecocks could not stop LSU’s running game, or the playaction bootleg. Holtz, known for his charismatic personality, had few answers to questions about the team.
“Right now, I’m sort of numb,” Holtz said. “I hope after the film I’ll feel a little better. I feel like an idiot because I don’t have any answers.
“There is no reason that this shouldn’t have been a competitive game. We got beat soundly. We got out-coached, out-hit and out-enthusiasmed.”
While the Tigers offense controlled the clock (41:43 time of possession), the defense held South Carolina’s impressive running attack to zero rushing yards on 17 carries. The last time the Tigers held a team to no rushing yards was on Oct. 30, 1982, against Ole Miss.
Coming into the game, the Gamecocks (4-3, 1-3 SEC) were averaging 187 yards on the ground, but they could not match LSU’s offensive prowess on this night.
“I thought South Carolina would be difficult to run against,” Saban said. “We made a couple of mental errors and gave up some big plays.”
With LSU leading 19-7 in the third quarter and momentum swinging in USC’s favor, defensive end Kirston Pittman made a play that all but sealed the win for the Tigers.
Pittman hit South Carolina quarterback Dondrial Pinkins and forced the ball out. Linebacker Jason LeDoux then picked the ball up at the USC 15-yard line and ran it in for the touchdown.
LeDoux said on the play, he saw the ball rolling on the ground and wanted to make a play most guys on defense do not get to make.
“I just wanted to make sure the ball got in my hands,” LeDoux said. “I didn’t want to be like one of those defensive players that end up kicking the ball all over the field.”
Defensive end Marcus Spears, who led the team with six tackles in the game, said the defense was able to force Pinkins and the offense into situations they were not comfortable being in, which led to some of their mistakes.
“When the defense makes a play, it can change the whole outcome and demeanor of the game,” Spears said.
Pinkins finished with 254 yards passing, including a 77-yard touchdown throw to Matthew Thomas for USC’s only score. Pinkins said LSU’s defense played well and forced the Gamecocks to make mistakes.
“After the fumble, we couldn’t get back into the game,” he said. “It just seemed like after that, things fell apart.”
Despite the big touchdown and some mental mistakes, Saban said he was pleased with the defensive effort. The Tigers held USC to less than 300 yards of total offense and put pressure on Pinkins for most of the game.
LeDoux said stopping USC’s running attack made all the difference in the game.
“We knew that was a big part of their game,” LeDoux said. “Any time we get the challenge to face a team that prides itself on the run, for us to stop them is a big testament for us.”
Saban said the team played with more intensity than in last weekend’s 19-7 loss against Florida. He said the players had more emotion in their eyes and simply had fun on the field.
“Football is not Hamlet,” Saban said. “It’s not a tragedy; it should be fun.”
The Tigers’ offensive line established themselves early in the offense, allowing the team to take a 19-0 halftime lead.
LSU quarterback Matt Mauck hit Devery Henderson on a 6-yard touchdown pass on the Tigers’ opening possession for a 6-0 lead. Mauck, who completed 24-30 passes for 199 yards, found tight end Eric Edwards in the second quarter for the team’s second score. Vincent then later scored on a one-yard touchdown run.