SEC Nation crew shares picks for South Carolina-LSU

South Carolina football is gearing up for a night matchup at Death Valley. The Gamecocks will look to keep their momentum going against the LSU Tigers on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.

Kickoff will be at 7:45 p.m. on SEC Network. Earlier in the day, the SEC Nation crew, live from Columbia, Missouri, for Alabama-Missouri, shared some of their thoughts and predictions for the Gamecocks’ matchup with the Tigers.

Prior to the crew previewing the game, analyst Cole Cubelic interviewed LSU head coach Brian Kelly about the status of Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.

“He looked really good in his workouts on Thursday, no drop in velocity on the footballs,” Kelly said. “So I think from our standpoint, we feel really good where he is going into the game.”

Jordan Rodgers, former quarterback for Vanderbilt, clarified that Nussmeier seemed to be at full health before Saturday night’s game against South Carolina.

“I do believe this time, it is the healthiest we will see Garrett Nussmeier, which bodes well for this offense that struggled pushing the ball vertically,” Rodgers said. “This should be the best version of the LSU offense we’ve seen.”

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Former Florida Gator, Heisman-winning quarterback Tim Tebow, had praise for LSU’s talent level.

“When you look at the talent, LSU is littered with talent; it’s a joke,” Tebow said. “Even from the positions that haven’t played up to it, running back, quarterback, offensive line, they all have the talent. Now, it’s about finding the execution and finding your identity on offense.”

However, Roman Harper, a former defensive back for Alabama under Mike Shula, emphasized South Carolina’s ability to change games without their offense on the field.

“If you allow South Carolina to play the game that they want to play, which is a defensive game that they are able to score on special teams or on defense.” Roman Harper said. “If you allow them to steal possessions, score on you on special teams, you’re going to be in a dogfight tonight.”

Journalist and SEC Network mainstay Paul Finebaum disagreed with LSU’s decision to play Nussmeier in recent weeks.

“I think they should have sat him,” Finebaum said. “Ultimately, it just prolonged the agony a little bit, and I hope they’re not paying for it any longer, but that was a mistake.”

South Carolina-LSU Predictions

Tim Tebow: LSU

Why Tebow picked LSU: “Getting healthy, the reset mentally, I’m going to go with LSU.”

Jordan Rodgers: Did not pick the game due to calling the game for SEC Network.

Roman Harper: LSU

Why Harper picked LSU: “Yeah, I think LSU is the better team, I think LSU wins. It’s at home, you need to protect your home field.”

Paul Finebaum: LSU

Why Finebaum picked LSU: “I just haven’t seen enough from South Carolina. I think LSU finally looks really good tonight.”

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