Game 6 Preview: Scouting the LSU Tigers

South Carolina is set to begin its toughest stretch of the 2025 season, during which it will face top-15 teams in each of its next five games. Thankfully, the Gamecocks are coming off a bye week that provided additional time to prepare for the upcoming gauntlet of SEC contests.

So did LSU, the Gamecocks’ Week 7 opponents, which will be looking for a bounce-back performance after experiencing the first setback of their 2025 campaign.

Before this week’s game kicks off at 7:45 p.m. on the SEC Network, here’s what the Tigers bring to the table.

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How they got here

Two weeks ago, LSU encountered a roadblock as visitors in Oxford, Mississippi. The Tigers, then the No. 4 team in the country, couldn’t get things going on offense in a 24-19 loss to Ole Miss. The Rebels out-gained LSU 480 to 254 in total yards, despite committing 14 penalties to their opponents’ seven.

That game dropped the Tigers to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play but represents the only blemish on their résumé thus far. Despite not scoring as many points as they’d like in the early going, LSU had gotten the job done in all of its previous contests.

The Tigers kicked off the fall with a 17-10 victory on the road at then-No. 4 Clemson. They have since handily beaten two non-Power Four opponents, Louisiana Tech (23-7 on Sept. 6) and Southeastern Louisiana (56-10 on Sept. 20), and claimed their first conference win of the season against Florida by a 20-10 score.

Last time out

Last year’s matchup between South Carolina and LSU was a clash between two 2-0 teams heading into the third week of the season. The eyes of the college football world were locked in on Columbia, which was hosting ESPN’s College GameDay for the first time in a decade.

The intensity of the pre-game festivities carried into the game, as the Gamecocks catapulted ahead to a 17-0 lead. But an upset win failed to materialize as it went along. By the time the clock struck zero, South Carolina had suffered a 36-33 loss.

Even though the defeat happened early in the season, it proved to have significant ramifications on the makeup of the College Football Playoff three months later. The Gamecocks finished the season four spots outside of an at-large bid in 15th. They were also one of three 9-3 SEC teams just outside and looking in at the postseason field.

Of South Carolina’s three defeats, it also proved to be the one most shrouded in controversy. The Gamecocks had the opportunity to take a 36-33 lead late in the fourth quarter after Nick Emmanwori returned an interception for a touchdown, but the refereeing crew called a roughing the passer penalty on Kyle Kennard that took away the score. On3’s Pete Nakos deemed it the third-worst call of the 2024 campaign.

Where they sit in the rankings

The Tigers are ranked in both the AP and USA Today Coaches polls. LSU is currently No. 11 in the AP poll after rising two spots from last week and receiving 949 votes. The USA Today Coaches poll also pegged the Tigers as the No. 11 team in the country with 999 votes.

In ESPN’s College Football Power Index (FPI), LSU is ranked No. 17 with a 15.8 FPI. Its projected record is 8.0-4.0. The team has an 99.0 percent chance of winning six games, a 1.4 percent chance of winning the SEC and a 30.2 percent chance of reaching the College Football Playoff this season.

In ESPN’s SP+ rankings, the Tigers check in at No. 16 with a rating of 20.0.

LSU sits 14th in the Massey Ratings. It ranks 24th in offense and ninth in defense.

ESPN gives the Tigers a 73.0 percent chance to win this weekend. LSU heads into the contest as 9.5-point favorites, according to ESPN BET Sportsbook.

Players to watch

Garrett Nussmeier (Fifth-year senior, quarterback) — Once one of the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy, Nussmeier has seen the hype surrounding his name slightly cool in recent weeks. But by no means has he had a bad season. His QB rating (76.7) is ranked 26th among FBS quarterbacks. Through five games, he has completed a career-high percentage of passes (67.3) for 1,159 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions.

Barion Brown (Senior, wide receiver) — Brown, a veteran transfer from Kentucky, possesses the ability to inflict damage in multiple phases of the game. He has caught the most passes of any Tigers wideout (25) for the second-most yards on the team (239). Brown is also LSU’s primary kick returner, having gained 126 yards on five returns this year. He has scored five kick return touchdowns over the course of his collegiate career.

West Weeks (Graduate student, linebacker) — One of three Weeks brothers on the Tigers’ linebacker room (Whit is a junior, and Zack is a freshman), West has been among the team’s most disruptive forces behind the line of scrimmage. His 29 total tackles rank second among LSU defensive players, while his 2.5 tackles for loss are tied for first. West has also accumulated three quarterback hits and one sack.

Path to victory

Both the Gamecocks and Tigers bring into the game their own offensive struggles. But there is one specific area in which both squads are at the bottom of the SEC: running the football. South Carolina remains the only team in the conference averaging fewer than 100 rushing yards per game (99.8). LSU, on the other hand, possesses an average that is only slightly higher (104.8). Stopping the run will be a point of emphasis for the Gamecocks’ defensive line, which could make the Tigers’ offense one-dimensional and place even more pressure on Nussmeier.

South Carolina will also need some big defensive plays, whether they be key stops or turnovers, to keep their upset chances alive. That means third-down defense could be pivotal. Heading into Saturday, LSU’s third-down conversion rate on offense (42.4 percent) is slightly less than that of South Carolina’s on defense (44.4 percent). Maintaining that advantage will give the Gamecocks greater possession and more opportunities to wreak havoc.

Speaking of havoc, that’ll be going on in the stands at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge all night long. Shane Beamer shared on Tuesday that South Carolina’s players have practiced in simulated rowdy crowd environments, and the Gamecocks will get to see the real thing this weekend. With penalties still being a concern for South Carolina, discipline and the prevention of self-inflicted mistakes in all phases could prove to pay dividends.

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