Josh Williams scored a two-yard touchdown run with 1:12 left to give No. 16 LSU a hard-won 36-33 victory over South Carolina in Columbia.
Alex Herrera missed a 49-yard field goal, giving the Gamecocks a tie as time expired.
South Carolina jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the second quarter and looked set to blow the Tigers out of Williams-Brice Stadium.
Still, LSU fought back, despite not scoring on a 4th-and-goal from the Gamecocks’ 1-yard line early in the third quarter. But the Tigers scored a touchdown on their next possession with a nine-yard run by Caden Durham. Then, LSU completed a 10-play, 80-yard drive with Garrett Nussmeier hitting Mason Taylor for a two-yard TD pass to take a 29-24 lead.
Nussmeier passed for 256 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, completing 23 of 39 passes for the Tigers. Durham rushed for 98 yards on 11 carries with two scores. Aaron Anderson led LSU with 96 receiving on five receptions. Kyren Lacy caught five passes for 63 yards with a touchdown. And Taylor finished with six catches for 58 yards and a score.
Quarterback LaNorris Sanders rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 113 to lead South Carolina. His 75-yard scoring run in the second quarter gave the Gamecocks a 24-10 lead and provided some protection when LSU scored a touchdown just before halftime to cut the deficit to 24-16. (The Tigers failed on a two-point conversion attempt.)
However, Sellers suffered an ankle injury when he was sacked with 14 seconds left in the first half and was replaced by Robby Ashford in the second half. Sellers attempted to return to the game with seven minutes left in the third quarter, but struggled to play on his right ankle and Ashford took over for the remainder of the game.
Next up for LSU is a home game against UCLA. South Carolina hosts Akron.
