The LSU defense — the beleaguered Tigers defense, the unit that was hurled with so much rightful criticism in its first three games you’d have thought it belonged in the Big 12 — helped blow open a 52-24 victory Saturday over South Carolina in Tiger Stadium that pulled the program from the brink of panic.
LSU (2-2) produced the win it needed after an unexpected off week, an erratic yet dominant performance over South Carolina (2-3) that came with a true freshman, TJ Finley, starting at quarterback in place of Myles Brennan, who was sidelined with an abdominal injury.
This night game, played before an announced crowd of 21,855, was crucial. A loss would have spiraled the Tigers toward the bottom of the Southeastern Conference standings and painted bleak projections for a brutal stretch of games that includes Auburn, Alabama and a rejuvenated Arkansas.
“We had to get that nasty gut feeling out of our stomachs,” LSU running back John Emery Jr. said. “We really needed this win.”
Indeed. And LSU needed the balanced rushing attack between Emery and Ty Davis-Price, who combined for 40 carries, 223 yards and two touchdowns. Their 5.6 yards per attempt was one of the few consistencies Saturday night.
Yes, this was a game played on the extremes. There were either plays that went horribly wrong or spectacularly right.
TJ Finley, starting against South Carolina in place of injured redshirt junior Myles Brennan, led LSU to a 52-24 win. Finley accounted for three touchdowns, becoming the fourth LSU true freshman quarterback to win his first career start.
On one end of the spectrum, Finley threw two first-half touchdowns to Terrace Marshall: one, a perfect 7-yard lob on a right end-zone fade; the other, a third-down slant that Marshall turned into a 51-yard catch and run.
Then there was the lower end: Finley underthrew a sideline pass near the end zone in the second quarter, which was easily picked off by South Carolina cornerback Israel Mukuamu for a 56-yard return.
Finley finished the game 17-of-21 passing for 265 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
On defense, there were either long South Carolina gains, or there were LSU sacks, tackles for loss or interceptions.
There were 17 total penalties in the game. LSU had penalties 10 for 79 yards, the most yet in a game this season.
And caught in the middle was a volatile special-teams battle won by LSU.
South Carolina kicker Parker White missed three field goals (54, 34 and 40-yard attempts) and made a 45-yarder. LSU’s Trey Palmer returned a third-quarter kick 95 yards for a touchdown, the first kickoff score by LSU in Tiger Stadium since Eric Martin’s 100-yard return against Kentucky on Oct. 17, 1981.
“Were we perfect tonight?” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said. “No.”
LSU went into a clash against South Carolina with a lot of big questions, but emerged with a lot of important answers in the Tigers’ dominant,…
But it didn’t need to be. By this point, LSU’s football program is used to the extremes. Ten months ago, the Tigers won its fourth national championship in school history, only to be greeted in the offseason by a global pandemic that shut down sports across the country.
And when the Southeastern Conference season finally began Sept. 26, LSU was humbled by defensive lapses in losses to Mississippi State and Missouri, which combined for 89 points and blasted the Tigers defense with wide open receptions and gashing runs.
Orgeron mandated that defensive coordinator Bo Pelini simplify his 4-3 base defense, to reduce pre-snap checks that left second-level defenders looking confused.
Some of those problems remain after LSU’s win over South Carolina, but a disruptive defense that forced five sacks, seven tackles for loss and produced a defensive touchdown, the unit is gradually growing into the identity Orgeron has wanted them to have all along.
Still, LSU surrendered seven plays that gained at least 20 yards, four plays that gained at least 40. The Tigers have given up 10 plays of over 40 yards this season in four games. Last season, LSU gave up 15 such plays in 15 games.
The first defensive possession was troubling: South Carolina tied the game at 7 with a three-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took only 54 seconds.
South Carolina slashed LSU with runs designed for the outside edge. Wide receiver Shi Smith ran a jet sweep down the right sideline for a 36-yard gain on the first play. Two plays later, running back Kevin Harris found a wide hole on the left edge and dashed for a 45-yard touchdown.
LSU didn’t lean on a star rusher to dominate a must-win game against South Carolina.
LSU adjusted to account for the edges on the next possession.
Linebacker Jabril Cox recognized a stretch run to the right, and he burst past blockers to tackle Harris for a 3-yard loss. The tackle forced a third-and-10 — an advantageous pass rush opportunity — and defensive end BJ Ojulari sacked Gamecocks quarterback Collin Hill to force a punt.
The volatility of LSU’s defense continued on South Carolina’s third possession. Hill completed a 44-yard pass to a wide-open Keveon Mullins to the LSU 31, but consecutive sacks by Andre Anthony and Ojulari forced a 54-yard field-goal attempt by White that fell several yards short.
Meanwhile, Finley meticulously built LSU’s lead with steady scoring drives on his first three possessions.
A methodical first drive seemed to build confidence for the true freshman from Ponchatoula High. Finley completed three passes for 19 yards on a 16-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 7 minutes and 26 seconds.
Finley showed poise and mobility on the drive, completing a 7-yard pass to Marshall while rolling toward the right sideline. Finley also rushed four times for eight yards on the drive, including quarterback sneaks that converted a fourth down and scored a touchdown on the goal line.
Finley edged out fellow true freshman Max Johnson for the start in practice leading up to the game, and Johnson entered the game late in the fourth quarter when the game was out of hand.
Orgeron allowed Finley to rebound from his second-quarter interception, and the 6-foot-6, 242-pounder followed the turnover with his 51-yard touchdown pass to Marshall, which set LSU ahead 24-10 with 3:43 left in the third quarter.
Marshall’s long score began as a short slant on third-and-5 at the LSU 49, a significant play for the Tigers, because it went 0-for-10 on third down conversions in its loss at Missouri. LSU finished 8-for-10 on third down against South Carolina.
The Gamecocks never came within two scores of LSU again.
A pale, gray sky clamped over Tiger Stadium in the hour before kickoff Saturday night.
On the next possession, South Carolina’s Hill tried to complete a short gain toward the sideline, but LSU cornerback Eli Ricks cut off the pass and returned the interception 45 yards for a touchdown that set the Tigers ahead 31-10 with 2:43 left in the second quarter.
It was the second defensive touchdown for LSU this season, joining Cox’s pick-six against Mississippi State in the season opener.
This time, it was enough to seal a confidence-boosting win before LSU travels to Auburn next week.
“It brought a lot of energy to us,” Cox said. “We had to get back to the LSU standard.”
