The Game Balls: A Look Into The Top Performers from LSU Football's Week 3 Victory

True freshman running back Caden Durham breaks out for the Tigers, impresses in his SEC debut.

No. 16 LSU escaped an upset scare against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Tigers' SEC opener on Saturday afternoon in Columbia.

After capturing a 36-33 victory, the Bayou Bengals are above .500 with a 2-1 record as the schedule gets ready to ramp up in the coming weeks.

How did LSU come away with a win in the conference opener? Who stole the show for the Bayou Bengals in Williams-Brice Stadium?

Handing out game balls to the Most Valuable Players from Week 3 in South Carolina.

The Game Balls: Week 3 Edition

Offense: RB Caden Durham

True freshman running back Caden Durham stole the show on Saturday afternoon in Columbia after doing the heavy lifting for the Bayou Bengals on the ground.

With veteran John Emery out for the season with a torn ACL, the program was in need of a youngster to step up and take on an expanded role alongside Kaleb Jackson and Josh Williams.

Defensive back turned running back Ju’Juan Johnson shined in Week 2, but it’s clear Durham is going to be an integral piece to the offense moving forward.

The youngster tallied 98 rushing yards with a pair of scores on just 11 rushing attempts with a whopping 8.9 yards per carry against the Gamecocks.

The former four-star, Top 10 running back in America lived up to the hype versus South Carolina after giving the program life in the run-game.

Durham did it all for the Tigers in the rushing attack. With Josh Williams and Kaleb Jackson unable to get things going after totaling just 47 yards between the two, it was the first-year Tiger who picked up the slack.

Take a bow, Caden Durham.

The true freshman RB shined in his SEC debut for the Bayou Bengals:

11 carries, 98 yards + 2 TD on 8.9 YPC

Brian Kelly: "You’ve got to make people miss. You’ve got to break through tackles. He did a great job today."

Durham has arrived for #LSU. pic.twitter.com/shKGPMEPKC

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) September 14, 2024

Defense: EDGE Bradyn Swinson

LSU defensive end Bradyn Swinson did it all for the Tigers against South Carolina. When the Bayou Bengals were in need of a big play, it was Swinson who answered the call and stepped up when the defense needed him most.

The veteran edge rusher ended the SEC opener with five total tackles, three tackles for loss and three sacks to go along with a forced fumble.

When the LSU offense was struggling and the Tigers needed a momentum shift, it was Swinson who made the most of his opportunities against the South Carolina offensive line.

Swinson is due for a breakout season for LSU and showcased what's in store for the remainder of the year in Baton Rouge.

After putting the defense on his back and giving Gamecocks signal-callers LaNorris Sellers and Robbie Ashford problems all day, he's earned the Week 3 MVP on Defense.

Honorable Mention: WR Aaron Anderson

LSU wide receiver Aaron Anderson deserves a game ball after another impressive showing in Week 3.

Like Swinson, when the Tigers needed a big-time play against the Gamecocks, it was Anderson who answered the call for the offense.

The second-year Tiger ended the day with 96 yards on five receptions with an average of 19.2 yards per catch. He was sensational with the ball in his hands and took the pressure off off Garrett Nussmeier in the upset scare.

Nussmeier ended the day going 24-of-40 passing with 285 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. It wasn't the prettiest day at the office for the Tigers' QB1, but he made the big plays when it mattered with help from both Andreson and Kyren Lacy.

Anderson deserves a game ball after another critical showing for the Tigers. With wideout Chris Hilton remaining sidelined, it's been Anderson who's stepped up in his place through the first three games of the season.

More LSU News:

Preview and Predictions: LSU Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks

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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