No. 16 LSU Rallies Late To Escape Upset Following Scare From South Carolina
Game Ending Touchdown Pulls LSU Out from 17-0 Deficit against Gamecocks
In what was a nail-biting thriller at the heart of Columbia, S.C., the LSU Tigers staged an impressive comeback despite trailing 17 points, to edge out the South Carolina Gamecocks in an exciting college football game that ended 36-33 in favor of the Tigers.
Nussmeier Steers LSU to Victory
At the wheel of this thrilling comeback was Garrett Nussmeier, who, after a tense encounter, was able to steer his team to victory with a final touchdown drive that ended with Josh Williams’ 2-yard score with only 1:12 left on the clock.
Earlier in the game, Nussmeier had thrown an interception at the goal line, among other mistakes that put the Tigers behind for much of the match. The determined quarterback, wiping aside his mishaps, commented after the victory, “You want me to worry about the interception with three minutes, 45 seconds left trying to win the game? No. Let’s flush it and go win the football game.”
Confidence and Resilience from the Tigers
This level of confidence reverberates throughout the Tigers, as hinted by Coach Brian Kelly, who lauded his team saying, “So proud of the grit and the perseverance of this team. They’re not going to give up. That’s in their DNA.” This was evident indeed as the trailing Tigers managed to spark an impressive comeback and secure a victory that had long seemed improbable.
Gamecocks’ Fierce Competition
The Gamecocks also put up a remarkable effort during the confrontation, leading the match for the most part. They were successful in blocking a punt and holding LSU without points after first-and-goal being just 2 yards from the end zone in the third quarter.
Gamecocks’ quarterback, LaNorris Sellers, ran for two touchdowns including a 75-yard burst, the longest by a quarterback in South Carolina history. They even had a final chance to tie the game, after their transfer from Arkansas Raheim Sanders had a 66-yard touchdown putting the Gamecocks back on top in the fourth quarter.
Missed Chance for the Gamecocks
With only 5 seconds to play, after driving to the LSU 39-yard line, the Gamecocks had a glimmer of hope to level the scorelines. Unfortunately, their kicker, Alex Herrera, missed his 49-yard attempt pushing it left. Following this miss, LSU players celebrated their comeback victory after escaping what seemed to be certain defeat earlier in the game.
Summary
The LSU victory epitomizes the importance of resilience in college football. Despite trailing by 17 points against South Carolina and seeming out of the match, they bounced back notably, proving that the final whistle is indeed the decider of any game. This victory was especially remarkable as they overcame several in-game mistakes and blunders to secure a victory that will live long in the memory of everyone involved.
