LSU's leading receiver announces he will not play against South Carolina

South Carolina and LSU will meet on the gridiron on Saturday night, but the Tigers will be without one of their top players.

According to leading LSU receiver Aaron Anderson, he will not play tonight against the Gamecocks. The junior pass-catcher revealed his status on social media on Saturday afternoon.

Said the dynamic playmaker, “Thank everyone who told me good luck today, but chosen1 will not be playing today.”

Anderson exited the Tigers’ loss to Ole Miss two weeks ago. He is dealing with injuries to his elbow, knee, and toe. The knee issue is believed to be the most serious of his current ailments.

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Earlier in the week, LSU head coach Brian Kelly listed Anderson as “probable” on the SEC-mandated availability report. He then downgraded Anderson to “questionable” for the South Carolina contest on Thursday. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Friday that the team actually viewed him as “doubtful.” As of Saturday afternoon, though, those labels have been dropped in favor of an “out” designation.

The loss is a significant one for the Bayou Bengal offense. Anderson leads LSU with 305 receiving yards this season and is second on the team in receptions. Last season, he registered nearly 900 yards receiving, including 96 against South Carolina.

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Joining Anderson on the sidelines Saturday, LSU will be without starting left guard Paul Mubenga and rotational EDGE Gabriel Reliford.

South Carolina has three “out” distinctions on their own injury report. Offensive linemen Cason Henry, Nolan Hay, and Markee Anderson will not play against LSU. Henry and Hay have both started this season, while Anderson has played rotational snaps.

Tonight’s SEC showdown will begin at 7:45 p.m. in sold-out Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge. SEC Network will handle the television broadcast, while the ESPN app makes the action available by streaming. South Carolina enters the game as a 9.5-point underdog to LSU.

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