Coming off a blowout win at Kentucky, the South Carolina Gamecocks will look for another SEC victory when the No. 16 LSU Tigers visit Columbia in college football Week 3 action this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET, with ABC on the broadcast and ESPN’s College GameDay crew on site.
South Carolina opened as a +9 underdog, but the point spread has shifted to +7.5 or +7 at most books following the Gamecocks’ 31-6 win at Kentucky, a matchup where they also were sizable underdogs. The moneyline hasn’t moved much, though, with LSU at around -275 to come away with the win. The total line is around 50.5 points.
Both programs have shown highs and lows this season. South Carolina opened with a surprisingly narrow 23-19 win over Old Dominion then dominated a Kentucky squad that was riding high after a Week 1 win. LSU held a 17-13 over USC in the second half before falling by a score of 27-20 in its opener. The Tigers then pulled away from FCS program Nicholls for a 44-20 win behind six touchdown passes from Garrett Nussmeier, but they were 46.5-point favorites in that mismatch.
We break down this SEC matchup below along with a sportsbook promotion for those looking to open a new account to wager on the game.
LSU favored by a touchdown in SEC road test at South Carolina
How LSU could win and cover the spread
When South Carolina scraped by Old Dominion, the market reacted strongly enough to make the Gamecocks +9.5 underdogs at Kentucky. By winning outright, the Gamecocks indicated that could have been an overreaction. Now LSU is getting some value with the point spread moving from -9.5 to -7 following a somewhat uninspiring win over an FCS program.
The Tigers may simply have more firepower with a highly efficient quarterback in Nussmeier targeting Kyren Lacy, Aaron Anderson, and tight end Mason Taylor. South Carolina will likely try to shorten the game by leaning on its ground game, but LSU has an elite defensive line that’s allowed just 3.0 yards per carry through two games. LSU has won seven straight over South Carolina, including five wins by double digits.
How South Carolina could cover the spread or win
The Gamecocks have home-field advantage and are 12-10 against the spread at Williams-Brice Stadium under current coach Shane Beamer. Those games have trended to the under, and South Carolina’s defense is fresh off a 31-6 thrashing of a talented Kentucky offense. LSU lost several explosive playmakers to the NFL this offseason, a shortcoming that reared its head down the stretch against USC.
South Carolina returned eight starters from a defense that improved throughout last season and has started strong in 2024. If the Gamecocks are able to ride big tailback Raheim Sanders on offense, they could keep this game relatively low-scoring and potentially cover the spread or grind out a win.
