By Milton Manningham, LSU Football Contributor
The No. 16 LSU Tigers (2-1, 1-0 SEC) mounted an impressive comeback to edge out the South Carolina Gamecocks, 36-33, in a thrilling SEC opener on Saturday. Down 17-0 early and still trailing late, Josh Williams broke free for a crucial 2-yard touchdown run with just 1:12 remaining, sparking an eruption of joy and relief on the LSU sidelines.
Despite a shaky performance, LSU’s quarterback Garrett Nussmeier threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns, while Caden Durham added 98 rushing yards and two scores to keep the Tigers in the fight. A pivotal 29-yard catch by Kyren Lacy set up the game-winning run, overcoming Nussmeier’s earlier fourth-down interception at the goal line. The win marked LSU’s eighth consecutive victory over South Carolina (2-1, 1-1).
South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers made his mark, rushing for 88 yards, including a historic 75-yard touchdown – the longest by a quarterback in Gamecock history. Arkansas transfer Raheim Sanders added a 66-yard score in the fourth quarter to put South Carolina briefly back in front. However, with just five seconds on the clock, kicker Alex Herrera missed a field goal attempt from the LSU 39-yard line, sealing the Tigers’ hard-fought win. LSU now heads into a three-game homestand, starting with a matchup against UCLA (1-0) on Saturday.