South Carolina football can't hold on late, drops heart-breaker to LSU Tigers as officiating questions abound

South Carolina Football vs. LSU:
Other Notes

• Captains for the game were Rocket Sanders, Nick Emmanwori, Brady Hunt, and Demetrius Knight.
• On the opening drive, the Gamecock offensive line dominated up front. The Gamecocks scored on a 7-play, 75-yard drive four different plays that went for over 10 yards before a LaNorris Sellers touchdown run.
• A pick-6 for USC was called back due to a horsecollar against Kyle Kennard. The penalty is one that will be called nearly 100% of the time, but by rule, it was not a penalty. Thankfully for the Gamecocks, Carolina got a stop on the drive anyway.
• Vershon Lee left the field for one play after having his helmet ripped off, and Ryan Brubaker came in for the snap.
• The South Carolina defense dominated early, especially in the front 7.
• LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had to plug some of the holes on his helmet to cancel out the Gamecock crowd noise enough to hear the coach-to-helmet communication system.
• Clayton White switched to the 3-3-5, and LSU took advantage for their first touchdown of the game.
• The LSU offense was much better after the score.
• DQ Smith got caught peeking into the backfield on a play-action fake, leading to LSU's second touchdown.
• LSU's offense started matchup-hunting after the 1st quarter ended. They intentionally moved their receivers through pre-snap motions to get them into favorable 1-on-1 situations against nickels, safeties, and linebackers instead of Carolina's corners. Several of the Tigers' best plays came in these situations.
• After a pass interference call gave LSU the ball in a 1st-and-goal from the 2-yard line situation, the normally very emotional Shane Beamer was calm and implored his defense to mirror his behavior. They forced a turnover on downs on the drive.
• Robby Ashford replaced LaNorris Sellers at the start of the 2nd half following the latter's injury. Sellers returned but wasn't the same and was replaced by Ashford again. The Gamecocks' passing game was non-existent after Sellers got hurt.
• Dylan Stewart and Kyle Kennard were not on the field enough in the 2nd half. JT Geer, Desmond Umeozulu, Gilber Edmond, and Bryan Thomas, Jr. got more playing time, and LSU gashed the Gamecocks on the run and were able to give quarterback Garrett Nussmeier much more time to throw than earlier in the game. When Kennard became an every-down player again, he was a game-wrecker.
• Frankly, the officiating was bad all day.