Garrett Nussmeier threw two touchdown passes and No. 11 LSU overcame his two interceptions in a 20-10 victory against South Carolina on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, La.
The Tigers (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) rushed for a season-high 166 yards and took the ball away twice from the Gamecocks (3-3, 1-3).
Nussmeier completed 20 of 33 passes for 254 yards, and Trey’Dez Green had eight catches for 119 yards and a touchdown.
LaNorris Sellers was 15 of 27 for just 124 yards with an interception for the Gamecocks.
South Carolina received the second-half kickoff and drove to William Joyce’s 47-yard field goal, which tied the score at 10 with 8:39 left in the third quarter.
LSU needed just four plays to regain the lead as Nussmeier threw 5 yards to Kyle Parker, who turned the catch into a 43-yard touchdown that gave the Tigers a 17-10 lead.
On its next possession, LSU drove from its 8 to the Gamecocks’ 9, but Nussmeier was intercepted by Peyton Williams at the 1, leaving the advantage at 17-10 at the end of the third quarter.
South Carolina reached the Tigers’ 27, but a false-start penalty, a grounding penalty and a sack led to a punt.
The Gamecocks got the ball back at the LSU 37 after a punt, they but turned the ball over on downs.
Damian Ramos’ 22-yard field goal pushed the Tigers’ lead to 10 with 1:47 left.
On South Carolina’s first offensive play of the game, Sellers fumbled and Patrick Payton recovered for LSU at the Gamecocks’ 17. The Tigers couldn’t gain a first down and Ramos kicked a 28-yard field goal to give them a 3-0 lead.
LSU was on the verge of increasing its lead when Ju’Juan Johnson fumbled as he was approaching the South Carolina goal line and Bryan Thomas Jr. recovered in the end zone of the Gamecocks.
Three plays later, Matt Fuller ran 72 yards for a touchdown that gave South Carolina a 7-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Nussmeier’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Green with 13:01 left in the second quarter gave LSU a 10-7 halftime lead.
