South Carolina Prepares for Crucial Road Clash at No. 13 LSU After Bye Week
South Carolina may be idle this week, but the Gamecocks (3-2, 1-2 SEC) are staring down one of the toughest stretches of their season — starting with a primetime showdown in Baton Rouge.
The SEC announced Monday that South Carolina’s matchup at No. 13 LSU on Saturday, Oct. 11, will kick off at either 7:00, 7:30, or 7:45 p.m., airing on ESPN, ABC, or SEC Network. No matter the slot, it will mark the Gamecocks’ fifth straight night game this year.
This trip begins a brutal five-game stretch against nothing but ranked SEC opponents. After facing LSU, Shane Beamer’s squad will take on No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 10 Alabama, No. 4 Ole Miss, and No. 6 Texas A&M — with three of those contests on the road.
A Shot at Redemption
This LSU game will also carry extra weight for South Carolina. The Gamecocks are still looking to avenge last year’s controversial 36-33 home loss to the Tigers. In that Week 3 clash, safety Nick Emmanwori appeared to seal the win with a 100-yard pick-six. However, the play was wiped out by an unnecessary roughness flag on Kyle Kennard for a shove on LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
Without the touchdown, LSU rallied late, scoring the go-ahead touchdown with just over a minute left. South Carolina’s chance to tie slipped away when kicker Alex Herrera missed a field goal as time expired.
The Gamecocks haven’t beaten LSU since 1994 and have only managed two wins in the all-time series. Their last trip to Tiger Stadium was in 2020, where they fell 52-24.
The Opponent
Like South Carolina, LSU (4-1, 1-1 SEC) is also on a bye week before this clash. The Tigers opened 2025 with four straight wins — highlighted by a season-opening victory over then-No. 4 Clemson — and added wins over Louisiana Tech, Florida, and Southeastern Louisiana. But in their most recent outing, LSU stumbled in a 24-19 road loss to Ole Miss, struggling to find offensive rhythm.
South Carolina’s Momentum
The Gamecocks will enter Baton Rouge fresh off their first SEC win of the season, a commanding 35-13 victory over Kentucky. After opening the year 2-0, South Carolina endured setbacks against Vanderbilt and Missouri before rebounding last weekend.
With both teams rested and seeking momentum, the upcoming clash at Tiger Stadium sets the stage for a high-stakes SEC battle under the lights.
