Garrett Nussmeier faced intense pressure early in the game, feeling the heat from Gilber Edmond on his third snap. A near interception was only avoided due to a penalty, followed by an overthrow and a sack from Kyle Kennard. After taking another hit from Edmond, Nussmeier finally caught a break when South Carolina blocked a punt and scored a touchdown, leading 17-0.
LSU had struggled, managing just 7 yards over 13 plays. However, defensive coordinator Clayton White acknowledged the talent in the LSU locker room and made adjustments. The Gamecocks initially used a 4-2-5 formation but switched to a 3-3-5 look, which had worked well for them earlier in the season.
This change gave LSU the opening they needed. Nussmeier connected with tight end Mason Taylor for a 20-yard gain, slipping past linebacker Demetrius Knight into open space. This marked the beginning of LSU’s resurgence.
While there were some questionable calls, they weren’t the primary reason for LSU’s 36-33 victory over South Carolina. After a shaky start, the Tigers rallied, running 59 plays for 410 yards, with Nussmeier finishing 20-for-33 for 265 yards and two touchdowns after an initial 4-of-7 for 20 yards.