How to Watch: LSU Football vs. South Carolina in Week 3 SEC Battle

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers travel to South Carolina to take on the Gamecocks, hold SEC opener.

Brian Kelly and the No. 16 ranked LSU Tigers will take the field in Williams-Brice Stadium at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday for an SEC clash against the South Carolina Gamecocks in Week 3.

LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier will make his first conference start against a fiery Gamecocks defense as he looks to carry his momentum from the first two weeks of the season.

Here's a look into the game information for Saturday, the latest betting trends, an injury report and the storylines for Week 3:

LSU vs. South Carolina Game Information

Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
TV Channel: ABC
City: Columbia, South Carolina
Venue: Williams-Brice Stadium

The Betting Lines: Week 3 Edition

LSU: -6.5 (-110)
South Carolina: +6.5 (-110)

LSU to Win: -235
South Carolina to Win: +190

Over 48.5 Points: -110
Under 48.5 Points: -110

*All odds via FanDuel*

The Betting Trends:

- LSU is 5-2 against the spread in its last 7 games against South Carolina.
- Total went under in South Carolina's last 5 games.
- Total went over in 5 of LSU's last road games.
- Gamecocks are 4-1 against the spread in last 5 games in September.
- Total went over in LSU's last 5 games against SEC teams.
- Total went under in 4 of South Carolina's last 5 home games.
- LSU is 1-4 against the spread in last 5 September game.
- Total went under in 5 of Gamecocks' last 6 games against SEC teams.

The LSU Injury Report:

- John Emery Jr., RB — Out
- Princeton Malbrue, DE — Out
- Kobe Roberts, OL — Out
- Jake Ibieta, LB — Out
- CJ Jackson, DE — Out
- Jacobian Guillory, DT — Out
- Chris Hilton Jr., WR — Questionable
- Jordan Allen, S — Questionable
- Kyle Parker, WR — Questionable
- Da’Shawn Womack, DE — Questionable
- West Weeks, LB — Questionable
- Garrett Dellinger, OL — Probable

The Storylines: LSU Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

No. 1: A "Must-Win" For Brian Kelly and Co.

LSU has entered "must-win" territory. Simply put, the Tigers cannot afford to fall to 1-2 on Saturday against the Gamecocks with the program looking to piece it all together in Williams-Brice Stadium.

There will be new defensive looks with Whit Weeks set to see the field in an expanded role with the coaching staff going deep into its bag of tricks to come out with a victory.

“I think you have to look at the bits and pieces of it,” Brian Kelly said this week. “Putting a consistent performance together is what we’re looking for and we haven’t done that yet, but it’s early in the season. Look, you’ve got to go on the road against a South Carolina team that’s going to have a lot of momentum coming off a great win against Kentucky. So, the clock’s ticking, right?”

The Tigers will provide more 4-3 defensive looks with Harold Perkins, Greg Penn and Whit Weeks set to be on the field at the same time. Can the new defensive look provide the Tigers with a boost against the Gamecocks' offense?

No. 2: Can LSU Diversify the Playbook?

Nussmeier has been surgical through two games for the Bayou Bengals. He leads the SEC in passing touchdowns (8) and completions (57) with the Tigers rolling through the air.

LSU wideout Kyren Lacy leads the SEC in receiving touchdowns (4) with the Nussmeier-Lacy connection giving defenses problems through two weeks.

But the real question is how the Tigers will ramp up their rushing attack while finding a balanced offense in Week 3.

The passing game has been sensational with Nussmeier carving defenses with Lacy, Mason Taylor and Aaron Anderson, among others.

Now, it'll be about creating running lanes for Josh Williams and Kaleb Jackson in Week 3.

Expect to see a heavy dose of Williams on Saturday. The Gamecocks have been sensational in the pass rush this season and Williams is an elite-level pass protector. The sixth-year senior must rise to the occasion and protect Nussmeier in the backfield.

“It’s kind of what I talked about last week. We never really complemented our defense at any time. When they started to play well, we went three-and-out three times in a row and actually went backwards. So, we’ve got to get to complementary football and we’ve got to be more physical on both lines,” Kelly said.

“If that doesn’t happen soon, then we will be talking about things that we don’t want to talk about.”

No. 3: Can Harold Perkins and Whit Weeks Coexist?

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker will provide a different defensive look on Saturday in Columbia. The Tigers will role out more 4-3 looks with Perkins, Penn and Whit Weeks all set to be on the field side-by-side.

It's been clear: Weeks has been LSU's best player on defense through two weeks and he must be on the field. Now, heading into Week 3, the game plan has been adjusted accordingly.

“He has been outstanding,” Kelly said. “Clearly, he has been our top performer and has put himself in a position where it's going to be difficult for us to take him off the field at any time.”

For Weeks and Perkins to "coexist," Baker and Co. must be more creative on defense and that is precisely what the coaching staff is dialing up this week.

“We’ve got great flexibility with both those guys,” Kelly said. “We just feel like it’s important that the guys that are playing their best get on the field.”

In order for the Tigers to be effective, the players need to be in position to be successful in Week 3. Kelly has seen changes on defense this week in practice that can make the unit hit its stride against a unique South Carolina offense.

"They all have to play," Kelly said Thursday after the team's practice. "We have to be creative with our defensive structure. (Defensive coordinator Blake Baker) understands that and that's a good thing for us. I think we understand that we have some position flexibility. Whit's played some Mike linebacker, Harold's played Will, played some Sam. So we've got great flexibility with both of those guys."

More LSU News:

Instant Takeaways: LSU Takes Down Nicholls State 44-21 in Week 2

Five-Star LSU Commit DJ Pickett Visits ACC Program in Week 2

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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