Gameday Guide: South Carolina vs LSU game details, latest odds, TV and stream info
South Carolina football heads back out on the road to face the defending national champions. The Gamecocks are coming off an upset of ranked Auburn. What you need to know:
When does South Carolina play today?
Who: South Carolina (2-2) at LSU (1-2)
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Tiger Stadium (102,321 at full capacity — attendance at the LSU opener was 21,124)
TV: ESPN (Bob Wischusen, play-by-play; Dan Orlovsky, analysis; Quint Kessenich, sideline)
Radio: 107.5 FM in the Columbia area (Todd Ellis, play-by-play; Tommy Suggs, analysis; Jamar Nesbit, sideline) ... See all the radio affiliates around South Carolina here.
Satellite radio: Sirius 81/XM 392
Gamecocks vs LSU live stream: WatchESPN
Series history: South Carolina trails the all-time series 2-18-1. USC has not beat LSU since 1994. The teams last met in 2015, when the game was moved from Columbia to Louisiana because of flooding.
Weather forecast for Baton Rouge, LA on Saturday
Mostly clear, no chance of rain. Temperature 78 degrees at kickoff, 72 at game’s end. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
South Carolina-LSU, SEC betting odds for this week’s football games
According to point spreads posted by VegasInsider.com
Noon: Ole Miss vs. Auburn (-3.5), SEC Network
3:30 pm: Tennessee vs. Alabama (-21.5), CBS
4 pm: Missouri vs. Kentucky (-5.5), SEC Network
7 pm: LSU (-6) vs. South Carolina, ESPN
Gamecocks vs. Tigers: What’s at stake
For South Carolina, there’s the chance to string together back-to-back wins against name programs. They topped Auburn last week, and beating the defending national champs would add some extra cache to USC’s resume this season.
A win would also all but guarantee a quiet offseason on the coaching front. The Gamecocks came into the season projected to be favored in only two games. If they enter the open week and halfway point above .500, it erases a lot of short-term questions about the Muschamp staff and might allow them to build up some credit going into a big 2021.
The Tigers are bleeding goodwill after dropping the opener to a now-listless Mississippi State team and getting upset by a Missouri squad projected to be one of the worst in the conference. Another loss to a non-traditional power would further dampen the post-championship mood in Baton Rouge.
The teams, by the numbers
USC | LSU | |
Points/Game | 30.5 | 38.7 |
Opp. Points/Game | 24.5 | 32 |
Yds. Rushing/Game | 166.3 | 96.7 |
Opp. Yds Rush/Game | 124.5 | 114 |
Yds. Pass/Game | 210.5 | 370.7 |
Opp. Yds. Pass/Game | 243.5 | 380.7 |
Avg. Yds./Game | 373.8 | 467.3 |
Opp. Total Yds/Game | 368 | 494.7 |
South Carolina players to watch
1. Quarterback Collin Hill has been calm, steady and solid through four games, directing the offense to solid performances. He’s about to face a team that gave up 337 passing yards to Vanderbilt. After a workmanlike 842 yards in four games, it’s time for Hill to bomb away.
2. Wide receiver Shi Smith is an easy pick, but he’s got more than double the targets of any other Gamecocks receiver. He’ll likely get a healthy dose of matching up with Derek Stingley Jr. Smith has posted 347 yards and three touchdowns in four games.
3. Corner Jaycee Horn was a stud against Auburn, and he’ll get a another big challenge this week. Terrace Marshall Jr. has been a monster all season, and Horn will likely be asked to cool him off. Horn has 10 tackles, six pass breakups and two interceptions.
Three LSU football players to watch
1. Replacing national champion and No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow is no easy feat, but junior quarterback Myles Brennan has been up to the task. Despite playing one fewer game, Brennan ranks fourth in the SEC with 1,112 passing yards and has thrown 11 touchdowns to three interceptions. He does however have a “significant” lower body injury, so his availability will loom large.
2. Junior receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. has been Brennan’s top target and is coming off a monster game against Missouri in which he caught 11 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Marshall sports a similar frame as Auburn’s Seth Williams, and it’ll be worth watching whether Jaycee Horn shadows Marshall like he did Williams.
3. A consensus All-American as a freshman, sophomore cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. is one of the rising stars in the game on the defensive side of the ball and could present problems for USC quarterback Collin Hill.
South Carolina football depth chart
x-denotes true freshman
Offense
QB: Collin Hill (Ryan Hilinski)
RB: Kevin Harris (Deshaun Fenwick)
FB: Adam Prentice
WR: Dakereon Joyner (Josh Vann)
WR: Xavier Legette (x-Rico Powers)
WR: Shi Smith (x-Ger-Cari Caldwell)
TE: Nick Muse (Chandler Farrell)
TE: Keveon Mullins (Will Register)
LT: Jazston Turnetine (Dylan Wonnum)
LG: Sadarius Hutcherson (Jordan Rhodes)
C: Eric Douglas (Vincent Murphy)
RG: Jovaughn Gwyn (Wyatt Campbell)
RT: Dylan Wonnum (Jakai Moore, x-Vershon Lee, Jaylen Nichols)
Defense
DE: Aaron Sterling (x-Tonka Hemingway)
DT: Keir Thomas (Zacch Pickens)
DT: Jabari Ellis (Rick Sandidge)
Buck: Kingsley Enagbare (x-Jordan Burch)
SLB: Brad Johnson
MLB: Ernest Jones (Mo Kaba)
WLB: Damani Staley (Jahmar Brown, RJ Roderick)
CB: Jaycee Horn (John Dixon)
S: Jammie Robinson (Shilo Sanders)
S: RJ Roderick (Jaylin Dickerson)
CB: Israel Mukuamu (Cam Smith)
N: Jammie Robinson (Jaycee Horn)
Dime: R.J. Roderick
Special Teams
PK: Parker White (x-Mitch Jeter)
P: x-Kai Kroeger (Christian Kinsley)
DS: Matthew Bailey (Nick Muse)
H: x-Kai Kroeger (Christian Kinsley)
PR: Jammie Robinson
KR: Shi Smith
The State’s Michael Lananna contributed to this report
This story was originally published October 24, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
