South Carolina vs. LSU Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 7

LSU is favored at home in Week 7.

LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is looking to lead his team to a fifth win in 2025. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

After a bye week in Week 6, the LSU Tigers are looking to get back on track on Saturday against South Carolina in an SEC matchup.

The Gamecocks are just 3-2 in the 2025 season, although they are coming off a  35-13 win over Kentucky in their last game.

This matchup features two of the more intriguing quarterbacks in the SEC in LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers. This season, Sellers has battled an injury and has just four touchdown passes to his name in five appearances.

As for Nussmeier, he’s thrown the ball more than any quarterback in the SEC, but it has yielded middling results, as he’s averaging just over 230 yards per game through the air.

Oddsmakers have set LSU as a sizable favorite at home, but can it cover against a Gamecocks team that is 3-2 against the number in 2025?

Let’s dive into the odds, a key player to watch and my prediction for this SEC battle.  

South Carolina vs. LSU Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

• South Carolina +8.5 (-108)
• LSU -8.5 (-112)

Moneyline

• South Carolina: +270
• LSU: -340

Total

• 43.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

South Carolina vs. LSU How to Watch

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 11
• Time: 7:45 p.m. EST
• Venue: Tiger Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): SEC Network
• South Carolina record: 3-2
• LSU record: 4-1

South Carolina vs. LSU Key Players to Watch

Garrett Nussmeier, Quarterback, LSU

A candidate to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Nussmeier has not gotten off to a great start in 2025. 

Through five games, he’s thrown for 1,159 yards even though he’s attempted the most passes (and completed the most) in the SEC. The star quarterback has a 7-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio, but LSU would love for him to generate some more explosive plays in the coming weeks. 

LSU has scored 23 or fewer points in four of its five games this season, only clearing that mark and SE Louisiana. This could be a bounce-back spot for Nussmeier against a South Carolina defense that is just 71st in defensive success rate this season. 

South Carolina vs. LSU Prediction and Pick

I don’t love laying this number with the Tigers, who are just 2-3 against the spread this season, so instead I’m looking to the UNDER on Saturday night.

LSU has combined for 43 or fewer points in four of its five games, only clearing this total in a 56-10 win over SE Louisiana in Week 4. Meanwhile, South Carolina has two games that fell short of this number and has not combined for more than 49 points in a single game in 2025.

The Gamecocks’ offense has been suspect at best, ranking 75th in EPA/Play and 114th in the country in EPA/Rush. That is not going to cut it against an LSU defense that is 32nd in EPA/Play and 23rd in EPA/Rush this season.

The Tigers have given up just 61 points in five games and are holding opponents to 293 total yards of offense per game in 2025.

Meanwhile, the LSU offense is just 103rd in the country in EPA/Rush and 125th in rush success rate this season. The Tigers have not put up any big scoring games against quality opponents, and now they’re facing a South Carolina defense that is solid – ranking 49th in EPA/Play this season.

I think this game ends up being a slugfest as these two quarterbacks try to turn around their 2025 seasons. 

Pick: UNDER 43.5 (-110 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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