The nation’s top rusher, Leonard Fournette (864 yards, 11 TDs), will be on display when the No. 7 Louisiana State Tigers meet the South Carolina Gamecocks. Things don’t seem likely to get better any time soon for struggling South Carolina (2-3), as it has lost three of its last four. The game starts at 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Oct 10 and will air on ESPN.
South Carolina was defeated by Missouri 24-10 last week. Pharoh Cooper had an outstanding performance in the loss, totaling nine receptions for 102 yards. LSU is hoping for another victory like last week’s performance, when it blew out Eastern Michigan 44-22. Leonard Fournette had a big game on the ground for the Tigers, gaining 233 yards and three TDs on 26 carries. Darrel Williams added 89 rushing yards on 11 attempts.
The Gamecocks, a 13-point underdog, will be looking to defend their home field when LSU comes to town.
Heading into Week 6 of the college football season, the Gamecocks are 2-3 for both Straight Up (SU) and Against The Spread (ATS). When it comes to defending the pass, South Carolina is one of the best in the country, only giving up 10.1 yards per passing attempt. Mistakes and a lack of focus may be factors that benefit the Gamecocks in the game. The Tigers are one of the most penalized teams in the nation with 8.8 flags per game.
On the other side, the Tigers are unsuccessful ATS with a 1-3 record this season even though they have a 4-0 SU record. If earlier games are any indication, the Tigers will run the ball aggressively. They average 336 rushing yards per game, good enough for fourth in Division I. Shifting to the other side of the ball, the LSU defense can dominate if it takes advantage of some favorable matchups. The Tigers may be able to focus their attention on other areas, because South Carolina’s passing game has not been reliable this year. The Gamecocks rank 111th in the nation with 163.2 passing yards per game. When LSU’s defensive front gets going, it is basically unstoppable. This year, the Tigers average 2.8 sacks per game, good enough for 24th in the country. The Tigers usually get going immediately from the initial kickoff, averaging 12.2 points in the first quarter this year.
Predictions: SU Winner – Louisiana State, ATS Winner – Louisiana State
Notes
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of South Carolina’s last 9 games.
South Carolina is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games at home.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of South Carolina’s last 5 games at home.
South Carolina is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing LSU.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LSU’s last 6 games on the road.
LSU is 4-0 SU when leading after two quarters this season.
Dating back to last season, South Carolina is only 3-8 SU against SEC opponents, while LSU is 6-4 SU against in-conference foes.
According to overall FBS team rankings, LSU is rated higher in the ground game on both sides of the ball. Its fourth-ranked rushing attack will face the 76th-ranked run defense of South Carolina, while its 19th-ranked run defense will look to contain the 48th-ranked rushing game of the Gamecocks.
