Final injury report for South Carolina ahead of Week 7 showdown at LSU

Things will remain the same on the injury front for South Carolina ahead of its Week 7 matchup at LSU Saturday night.

With 90 minutes until kickoff from Tiger Stadium (7:45 p.m., SECN), the final SEC availability report is in. The Gamecocks will be down three offensive linemen, including Markee Anderson, Nolan Hay, and Cason Henry.

This will be Hay and Henry’s second straight game that they are out, as they each didn’t suit up two weeks ago against Kentucky. Anderson played against the Wildcats, but he had to be helped off the field twice throughout the evening, as he didn’t look to have much pressure on one of his legs.

On the other side, LSU will be without defensive end Gabriel Reliford and offensive lineman Paul Mubenga. Aaron Anderson, the Tigers’ leading receiver this year, was listed as questionable on Friday’s report and is now a game-time decision for Saturday night.

“He had a litany of things: Hip, toe, knee. He’s banged up,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said of Anderson’s status earlier in the week.

Contrary to what the report says, Anderson publicly announced he wouldn’t be playing when he posted a message on his Instagram story saying, “Thank everyone who told me good luck today, but chosen1 will not be playing today.”

It would be a big loss for the Tigers if he can’t go as Anderson has caught 23 passes for a team-high 305 yards. When LSU played at South Carolina last year, he led the team in receiving with five catches for 96 yards.

Last season, the SEC approved a player availability injury report system for football, men’s and women’s basketball and baseball.

SEC school personnel must submit availability reports three days before each football game, with daily updates leading to a final report 90 minutes before game time. For basketball and baseball, reports are filed the night before, with an update on game day.

According to the SEC, penalties for inaccurate or late reports will range from $25,000 to $100,000 for football and anywhere from $15,000 to $25,000 for basketball and baseball.

When schools submit injury reports, players will be designated as available, probable, doubtful, and questionable before game day. On game day, designations will be available, game-time decision or out. The model follows injury reports similar to the NFL.

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