Final: LSU rallies to win, spoils South Carolina upset bid at Williams-Brice Stadium

South Carolina’s SEC home opener is a big one today as the No. 16 LSU Tigers come to Williams-Brice Stadium for a noon kickoff on ABC. Follow along here for the latest score and live news updates.

4th Q: LSU 36, USC 33

Josh Williams scores on a 2-yard run wih 1:12 to give the Tgers the lead.

The big play of the drive was Doug Nussmeier 29-yard pass to Kyrn Lacy to 4-yard line.

4th Q: USC 33, LSU 29

The Gamecocks capitalize on an LSU turnover and it leads to an Alex Herrera 42-yard field goal with 10:34 left.

Dylan Stewart recovered a Doug Nussmeier fumble to get the ball at the LSU 24.

4th Q: USC 30, LSU 29

The Tigers lead didn’t last long as running back Rocket Sanders took it 66 yards for a touchdown with 13:51 left. The two-point conversion was no good.

Sanders is now over 100 yards on the game with 136 and two touchdowns.

4th Q: LSU 29, USC 24

The Tigers take their first lead of game on Doug Nussmeier’s 2-yard TD pass to Mason Taylor. It was Taylor’s 91st catch of his career, most for a tight end in LSU history.

End Q3: USC 24, LSU 22

The Gamecocks take a small lead headed into the fourth quarter but LSU will have third-and-goal from the 2-yard line to begin the fourth quarter.

Sellers back in action

After missing the first series, USC quarterback LaNorris Sellers returned to action on the second possession. The Gamecocks went three-and-out on the drive.

Q3: USC 24, LSU 22

The Tigers took advantage of a short field and scored on Caden Durham’s 9-yard run. The Tigers’ two-point conversion was no good and Gamecocks held on to the lead.

Ashford starts second half

Backup quarterback Robby Ashford started the second half for the Gamecocks in place of LaNorris Sellers, who left the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury.

ABC reporter Holly Rowe said Sellers’ ankle is heavily taped up but he’s limping. He took some snaps with USC’s backup center.

“He is going to try to play. They’re just not sure how much he can do,” Rowe said.

Big stop for Gamecocks

South Carolina’s defense came up with the biggest stop of the game by denying LSU four plays from inside the 2-yard line.

Half: USC 24, LSU 16

The Gamecocks got a big pass play right before halftime but couldn’t convert as a pair of sacks ended the drive.

USC quarterback LaNorris Sellers left the game just before the final play of the half in what USC coach Shane Beamer told ABC was an ankle injury

2Q USC 24, LSU 16

The teams continue trading touchdowns in the second quarter as Doug Nussmeier hit Kyren Lacy for a 12-yard touchdown with 1:20 left in second quarter. The extra point was missed.

2Q: USC 24, LSU 10

After LSU cut the lead to 17-10, quarterback LaNorris Sellers took it 75 yards on the first of the drive to give the Gamecocks a two-touchdown advantage with just over four minutes left in the second quarter.

The 75-yard run was the longest by a Gamecocks’ quarterback in school history.

2Q: USC 17, LSU 10

Damian Ramos hit 28-yard field goal to get the Tigers within a touchdown with 4:27 left in the second.

The drive was set up after USC quarterback LaNorris Sellers fumble and Tigers recovered on USC 18.

2Q: USC 17, LSU 7

LSU’s best drive of the day results in its first touchdown as Caden Durham runs it in from 26 yards out with 8:08 left in the second quarter.

It was an eight-play, 75 yard drive for the Tigers, who had just seven yards of offense before that.

2Q: USC 17, LSU 0

Gamecocks added to the lead on a Rocket Sanders’ 10-yard run the first play after USC blocked a punt.

Maurice Brown blocked the punt and Pitt transfer Buddy Mack returned it 16 yards to the LSU 10. Brown, a former walk-on tight end, was just put on scholarship by South Carolina this week.

2Q: USC 10, LSU 0

Alex Herrera connected on a 28-yard field goal with 13:49 left in second quarter.

It was a 13-play, 65 yard scoring drive that lasted 6:24

End Q1: USC 7, LSU 0

South Carolina leads after one quarter and will begin the second quarter with the ball at the LSU 13.

USC outgained LSU 135-7 in the first quarter.

Gamecocks turn it over

South Carolina was driving on its second possession but LaNorris Sellers was picked off in the end zone by Zy Alexander. It was Sellers’ second interception of the season.

Q1: USC 7, LSU 0

The Gamecocks took the opening drive and marched it right down the field, capped off by LaNorris Sellers 4-yard run with 12:14 in first quarter.

Sellers was 2-of-3 for 27 yards. Running back Rocket Sanders carried it three times for 44 yards.

Gamecock captains

Running back Rocket Sanders, tight end Brady Hunt, safety Nick Emmanwori and linebacker Demetrius Knight were USC captains for the game.

Suggs honored

Former Gameoccks QB Tommy Suggs and his family honored pre-game. They named USC’s football entrance in his honor last month.

Celebrity starters

Gamecock women’s basketball players Bree Hall and Raven Johnson were Saturday’s celebrity starters and led the crowd in the Game-cock chant.

The women’s team, which won the 2024 national championship, signed autographs in pre-game and were going to be honored at halftime.

Sellers switching to contacts

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers is making a change with his eyewear Saturday.

The redshirt freshman is switching from his Rec Specs to contacts, his mom told The State on Saturday morning. ESPN’s Rece Davis was the first to mention Sellers was making the change today.

The reason for change was possibly Sellers’ inability to see pass rushers coming from left and right side. Sellers’ mom told The State earlier this year he hated wearing contacts, despite the recommendation of USC Athletic trainer Clint Haggard. He wore the glasses his final two years at South Florence High School.

Haggard complied with Sellers and went to OpticsOutfitter.com, finding the pair he almost picked the first time. There it was. The Challenger XL. The goggles of Sellers.

Final availability report for South Carolina

The final injury report was released Saturday morning and three Gamecocks will miss the game — OL Jakai Moore, DB Emory Floyd and LB Andrew Colasurdo. Moore and Floyd have yet to play in a game this season.

LSU players out for the game are WR Chris Hilton Jr., S Jordan Allen, DE Da’Shawn Womack RB John Emery Jr., Princeton Malbrue, OL Kobe Roberts, LB Jake Ibieta, DE CJ Jackson anf DT Jacobian Guillory.

Gamecocks’ uniform report

The Gamecocks will be wearing black jerseys with white helmets and pants.

Final betting line

LSU is favored by six points, according to Vegas Consenus. The line opened on Sunday with LSU being favored by six points.

Watch the game today

• Who: South Carolina (2-0, 1-0 SEC) vs. No. 16 LSU (1-1, 0-0)

• Where: Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC

• When: Noon, Saturday

• TV: ABC

• Stream: ESPN.com and the ESPN app

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