Thumbs up, thumbs down: First reactions from South Carolina’s loss to LSU
South Carolina fell LSU 20-10 on Saturday at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was a defensive slugfest all the way to the final whistle, but the Gamecocks held themselves back from a victory in multiple situations.
Here’s what immediately stood out, good and bad, for USC:
Thumbs up
Fuller breaks free: It’s no secret South Carolina has struggled with the run this season — and even struggled to determine the lead running back most weeks. Redshirt freshman Matthew Fuller made his case for the top spot. He broke off a 72-yard touchdown in the first quarter, the longest run by a USC back this season, and finished the game with seven touches for 83 yards. (Rashad Faison had 13 carries, but QB LaNorris Sellers was tops with 22.)
Clutch defense: USC’s defense came up big when it counted in the first half and kept its offense in the game despite multiple errors. The Gamecock defensive unit forced a red zone stop after USC fumbled on its first play, then forced a fumble on the goal line the next time out. DQ Smith grabbed an interception to keep LSU from extending its lead in the first half. Peyton Williams grabbed a pick in the third quarter to keep LSU from extending a 17-10 advantage.
Smith shows out: After Cisse and Kilgore went out with injuries, DQ Smith showed he’s capable of holding down the USC secondary. He finished the game with eight tackles (three solo), half a tackle for loss and a key interception. He’ll be a big factor for the Gamecock defense as Kilgore and Cisse try to get healthy and Judge Collier ramps up from multiple weeks out.
Thumbs down
Injury troubles: In the first half alone, the Gamecocks saw defensive backs Brandon Cisse and Jalon Kilgore, offensive lineman Shedrick Sarratt and defensive linemen Nick Barrett and Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy all go down with injuries. The injuries to Cisse and Sarratt were most impactful, as Cisse has been USC’s best defensive back this year and the Gamecocks already ruled three offensive linemen out before the game. Barrett returned to the game Saturday night.
Poor pass blocking: Although Sellers was able to showcase his pocket mobility against the Tigers, it wasn’t for any good reasons. LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s blitz-heavy approach had its way with USC’s banged up offensive line, supplying steady pressure and finishing with five sacks and five quarterback hits.
Pre-snap penalties: USC’s offensive line has admitted to struggling with communication down the line in loud road environments this season, and Death Valley brought those issues in full force. The Gamecock offense committed seven pre-snap penalties for 35 yards. By comparison, LSU’s three previous opponents at Tiger Field combined for four offensive pre-snap penalties — including one each by Louisiana Tech and Southeastern Louisiana.
This story was originally published October 11, 2025 at 11:36 PM.
