Keys to the Game: How the LSU Tigers Can Capture a Week 3 Win Over South Carolina

Garrett Nussmeier looks to carry his success into SEC play, take on a talented Gamecocks defense.

No. 16 LSU hits the road to South Carolina for a Week 3 matchup against the Gamecocks in a pivotal game for Brian Kelly and Co.

Following a pair of disappointing contests to start the season against Southern Cal and Nicholls State, the Bayou Bengals will look to play "complementary football" against South Carolina to begin SEC play.

Garrett Nussmeier and the LSU offense will take on one of the top defenses in America headlined by star pass rusher Dylan Stewart.

ESPN's College GameDay will make its way to Columbia for the showdown with all eyes on the Tigers this Saturday.

How can LSU get off to a hot start in SEC play on Saturday in South Carolina?

The Keys to the Game: LSU vs. South Carolina

No. 1: Contain the South Carolina Pass Rush

The Gamecocks are led by freshman phenom Dylan Stewart, Kyle Kennard and TJ Sanders up front with the trio of defensive lineman combining for a whopping 26 quarterbacks pressures and eight sacks through the first two weeks of the season.

Saturday will be a game won or lost in the trenches. Stewart and Kennard, the Gamecocks's edge rushers, will be lined up against the Tigers' tackle duo of Will Campbell and Emery Jones.

The All-SEC offensive tackles will be put to the test in Week 3 with the forceful pass rushers preparing to wreak havoc in the trenches.

“Stewart is a pure pass rusher. That doesn’t mean he can’t defend the run,” Kelly said. “I’m not saying that. But he is a guy who they want in there to get after the quarterback. We are going to be disciplined in our drops, and have to get the ball out on time. This is an SEC defensive front and they can get to the quarterback. In particular he can.”

The offensive line has been elite in pass protecting after allowing zero sacks through two weeks, but there is clear room for improvement in the ground game. Campbell and Co. must grow in Week 3 in run blocking in order for the Tigers to capture a victory in Columbia.

No. 2: Diversify the Playcalling, Get the Run Game Going Early

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.

No. 3: Limit LaNorris Sellers' Explosive Plays

LSU's secondary has been in question all week with changes expected at the safety position ahead of Week 3, but the program must limit South Carolina signal-caller LaNorris Sellers' explosive plays.

He shouldn't carve the defense through the air, but his legs will be the piece to keep tabs on. He's electric with the ball in his hands and has the ability to extend plays.

LSU must keep Sellers in the pocket and force him to throw the football. A program that runs the ball more than 65% of the time, their bread and butter is on the ground, but when Sellers drops back to pass, the Tigers must contain him.

Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer knows his program must change things up in Week 3 against the Tigers with Sellers looking to remain comfortable in SEC play.

“There are going to be new things that we do this week because it fits LSU better than it did Kentucky. We try to keep the bulk of our offense the same week to week, run game and pass game. So there is a lot of carry over and continuity. The more you do something, the more comfortable and confident you are going to get at it,” Beamer told reporters. “I think he will just get more and more comfortable with those things. He showed what he can do. Begin comfortable, being confident in what we are doing where he knows where his answers are.

“He knows where to go with the ball. I thought he did a much better job Saturday of relaxing and going and making plays and just go play ball. That is what he will need to do on Saturday, for sure.”

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

Join the Community:

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.