BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier connected with wide receiver Kyle Parker for a decisive 43-yard touchdown in the third quarter, breaking a deadlock and powering LSU to a 20-10 victory over South Carolina on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium.
The win moves LSU to 2-1 in Southeastern Conference play, while the Gamecocks fall to 1-3 in the conference with the loss.
South Carolina relied on the ground game early, capitalizing on a short field created by an LSU fumble earlier in the opening quarter. Running back Matt Fuller broke free for an electric 72-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter to give the Gamecocks a 7-3 lead.
LSU answered in the second quarter. Nussmeier found Trey’dez Green for a 6-yard touchdown pass to take the lead, 10-7, a lead that held until halftime.
The Gamecocks tied the game at 10 early in the third quarter on a 47-yard field goal by W. Joyce, capping an 11-play drive. However, the momentum was short-lived. LSU’s offense quickly found the end zone again when Parker turned on the jets for the 43-yard scoring play just minutes later, giving the Tigers a 17-10 advantage.
The defenses tightened in the final frame. South Carolina cornerback DQ Smith and linebacker Peyton Williams each snagged an interception against Nussmeier to keep the game within reach, but the Gamecocks’ offense could not convert the opportunities into points.
LSU kicker Damian Ramos, who had opened the scoring with a 28-yard field goal in the first quarter, sealed the victory with a 22-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to set the final score at 20-10.
