South Carolina-LSU Preview Capsule

Posted October 08, 2015 7:00 am

By The Associated Press

South Carolina (2-3, 0-3) at No. 7 LSU (4-0, 2-0 SEC), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Line: LSU by 13.

Series Record: LSU leads 17-2-1.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

LSU is looking to go 5-0 for the fifth time in coach Les Miles' 11 seasons and the first time since 2012. South Carolina is hoping to avoid the first 0-4 start in SEC play in coach Steve Spurrier's career. The Gamecocks opened 0-3 in Spurrier's debut season in 2005, then won their final five league games.

KEY MATCHUP

LSU RB Leonard Fournette vs. South Carolina's run defense. Fournette is the first SEC player to run for 200 or more yards in three straight games. The Gamecocks have done little this year to show they won't be Fournette's fourth straight such game. South Carolina is ninth in the 14-team league in yards allowed rushing at 170 a game this year. Three weeks ago, the Gamecocks gave up 253 yards and four rushing touchdowns in a 52-20 loss to Georgia.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

LSU: LB Kendall Beckwith will be making sure South Carolina freshman quarterback Lorenzo Nunez does not get free on the outside in the zone-read schemes. Beckwith has 28 tackles this season.

South Carolina: RB Brandon Wilds is a fifth-year senior who has missed the past two games because of bruised ribs. No surprise that the Gamecocks' running attack was not effective in last week's loss at Missouri. Wilds' return should perk up the team's offensive flow.

FACTS & FIGURES

Game moved from Columbia, South Carolina, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana because of devastating floods across the Palmetto State. ... LSU's last loss to South Carolina came in 1994. The Tigers have won the past five meetings by a combined score of 146-75. ... South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier has had his share of trouble with LSU and counterpart Les Miles, losing all three of their matchups. Spurrier was 11-1 against LSU in 12 seasons at Florida head coach from 1990-2001. ... LSU has not trailed at any point in a game this season. ... The Tigers hope to go 3-0 in SEC play for the fifth time under Miles. Two of the previous four times, LSU went on to an SEC title in 2007 and 2011.

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