As the LSU Tigers prepare to battle the South Carolina Gamecocks this weekend, fans are looking for more. The Tigers enter Week 7 ranked as the No. 11 team in the AP Top 25 Poll owning a 4-1 record and a 1-1 mark in SEC play. LSU got a much-needed bye week following a 24-19 loss to Ole Miss in Week 5. That means they enter this weekend's matchup against the Gamecocks with plenty of time to rest up and prepare.
So far this season, it's clear that the Tigers haven't played up to their full potential. Brian Kelly has preached the importance of playing complimentary football, which is something that has evaded the Tigers up to this point. The defense has bailed out the offense out, which has resulted in several close victories in games where LSU should have pulled away.
With kick-off between the Tigers and Gamecocks now just a few days away, Brian Kelly is saying what all LSU fans are thinking. The Tigers have yet to play a complete game this season, which is something that fans are hungry to see.
Brian Kelly is here to talk about LSU-South Carolina:
— Glen West (@glenwest21) October 6, 2025
“We’re looking for a complete game. We have not played a complete game yet.”#LSU
LSU hasn't taken control of a game this season
LSU has failed to take control of a game this season. Sure they dominated FCS Southeastern Louisiana, but the Tigers haven't put together a complete game against an FBS opponent in 2025, which is concerning.
LSU's 17-10 win at then-No. 4 Clemson looked like an extremely impressive win at the time, but Dabo Swinney's team has spiraled ever since. LSU struggled to get anything going offensively against Louisiana Tech in Week 2, resulting in an underwhelming 23-7 win. The defense picked off DJ Lagway a whopping five times against Florida, but the offense failed to pull away. The game ended in a 20-10 LSU victory, with the offense managing to score just 13 points despite being put in great spots all night long thanks to stellar defensive play.
The Tiger defense didn't put together its best performance against Ole Miss, but Blake Baker's unit kept LSU in it by allowing just seven points in the second half. Yet again, it was the offense that sputtered and couldn't get the job done.
The Tigers need a complete effort against the Gamecocks
Obviously, LSU fans want to see a win over South Carolina. It's a series that LSU has dominated, owning a 20-2-1 all-time record against the Gamecocks. But LSU fans also want to see the Tigers take control of the game. The Tigers had opportunities to take control against Clemson, Florida, and Louisiana Tech, but they let their opponents hang around. That isn't going to fly as the Tigers navigate a tough schedule the rest of the way.
Kelly has preached the concept of playing complimentary football, but it hasn't materialized yet. Most notably, the offense hasn't found a rhythm, and the running game has been non-existent. Getting a win is the first priority, but doing so in convincing fashion would ease the minds of a lot of Tiger fans.