SEC shifts South Carolina-LSU start to prime time due to COVID-19 adjustments
It turns out South Carolina football will get a chance to play in Baton Rouge’s Death Valley at night this season after all.
The Gamecocks’ Oct. 24 meeting with LSU has been moved to 7 p.m. on ESPN, the SEC announced Friday night. It was originally scheduled for 4 p.m. on SEC Network.
The SEC’s change was one of six schedule adjustments the conference had to make this week because of COVID-19 outbreaks on teams. A half-dozen other teams had the dates of games moved.
The new start time will give USC the chance to play in a night game at LSU, a tradition in college football famous for its intimidating atmosphere. Tiger Stadium is limited to 25% capacity this season because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Gamecocks last faced the Tigers in 2015, a game that was moved from Columbia to Louisiana because of the flooding that year. Pharoh Cooper posted more than 100 yards, but the pairing of Derrius Guice and Leonard Fournette combined for 319 yards.
The Gamecocks trail the series with the Tigers 2-18-1, which includes a six-game losing streak and a tie before that. South Carolina’s last win was 1994, when Steve Taneyhill and Brandon Bennett led a Brad Scott-coached squad to an 18-17 win.
USC (1-2, 1-2 SEC) is coming off a 41-7 win against Vanderbilt to avoid being the last winless team in the conference. The Tigers (1-2, 1-2 SEC) suffered a shootout loss to Missouri this past weekend, the second big upset LSU suffered this season after an opening loss to Mississippi State.
The Gamecocks host Auburn this weekend, while LSU’s matchup with Florida was postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak in the Florida program.
SEC Football Schedule Adjustments
- Kentucky at Missouri moves from Oct. 31 to Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. on SEC Network
- South Carolina at LSU remains on Oct. 24, changes game time to 7 p.m. on ESPN
- Georgia at Kentucky moves from Oct. 24 to Oct. 31 at Noon on SEC Network
- Missouri at Florida moves from Oct. 24 to Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network Alternate
- Vanderbilt at Missouri moves from Oct. 17 to Dec. 12, time and network TBA
- LSU at Florida moves from Oct. 17 to Dec. 12, time and network TBA
This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 7:24 PM.
