BATON ROUGE – Sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green put on a show, recording 119 yards on eight catches and a touchdown to lead the offense to a 20-10 victory over South Carolina on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium.
Green became the first LSU tight end with 100+ receiving yards in a game since Chris Hill against Southern Miss on Nov. 12, 1994.
Defensively, safety A.J. Haucly led the team in tackles with 11, while Tamarcus Cooley recorded five tackles, an interception and a pass breakup. It marked another outing where the defense held the opponent to 10 points or less – a recipe for victory every time out.
With the win, LSU improves to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the SEC. The Tigers return to action next Saturday against Vanderbilt for an 11 a.m. kickoff on ABC.
Game Recap
On the first place from scrimmage for South Carolina, quarterback LaNorris Sellers fumbled at the 17-yard line, which was recovered by LSU’s Patrick Peyton. Nussmeier and the Tigers’ offense were not able to turn it into six points, going three-and-out, but placekicker Damian Ramos gave LSU its first lead of the game with a 28-yard field goal. Tigers led 3-0 with 11:53 to play in the first quarter.
The Gamecocks, on their next possession, put together a productive nine-play drive, spanning 46 yards, but came up empty as William Joyce’s 48-yard field goal attempt was wide right and no good, giving the Tigers the ball back on their own 37.
With LSU driving and moving the ball with ease for a 13-play drive spanning 71 yards, running back Ju’Juan Johnson fumbled the ball on the 1-yard line, recovered by USC’s Bryan Thomas Jr., giving the ball back to South Carolina at the 20 after a touchback.
On 3rd-and-2 from the 28, South Carolina made LSU pay as running back Matt Fuller took a 72-yard rush to the house, giving the Gamecocks a 7-3 advantage with 25 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
LSU would respond themselves with a six play drive, spanning 57 yards, culminating in a six-yard fade route to Trey’Dez Green in the back left corner of the south end zone, giving the Tigers the lead back, 10-7, with 12:54 to play in the first half.
The LSU defense picked up their first takeaway late in the second quarter. On 3rd-and-15 from their own 40, Sellers threw an interception to LSU’s Tamarcus Cooley, giving the Tigers the ball back at their own 20 with 4:37 remaining in the half.
Nussmeier gave it right back to South Carolina on 3rd-and-12 from the USC 48, throwing an interception to DQ Smith at the 25. The pass was intended for Kyle Parker. No scores occurred the remainder of the way. Heading into halftime, LSU led 10-7.
South Carolina opened up the second half with an 11-play drive, spanning 46 yards, culminating in a 47-yard field goal attempt by Joyce, which was good. The Gamecocks tied the game at 10 with 8:39 to play in the third quarter.
The Tigers took the lead back after Nussmeier found Kyle Parker over the middle off the field, who went off to the races to take it 43 yards to the house, giving LSU the advantage, 17-10, with 6:38 to play in the third quarter. It culminated a four-play, 75-yard drive, spanning just two minutes.
LSU, looking to extend their lead, began to threaten deep into South Carolina territory again thanks to a 21-yard rush by Nussmeier and a 56-yard rush by Ju’Juan Johnson, placing the ball at the SC 9. However, on 2nd-and-9, Nussmeier was intercepted by Peyton Williams, his second of the night, giving the Gamecocks the ball back and halting yet another big drive from the offense.
On 4th-and-4 at the LSU 31, Sellers and the Gamecocks elected to go for it. Sellers’ pass to Vandrevius Jacobs was broken up by Mansoor Delane for a turnover on downs with 5:43 to play. LSU took over at the 31.
Ramos kicked a 22-yard field goal with 1:47 to play, extending the Tigers’ lead to two possessions, 20-10. LSU would win and improve to 5-1.
