Five burning questions for USC vs. LSU: Can Jaycee Horn best another NFL talent?
South Carolina football travels to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Saturday (7 p.m., ESPN), seeking its first win over the LSU Tigers since 1994 and a 3-2 start to the 2020 season. Here are some of the main questions the Gamecocks will have to answer to get there.
Will the Gamecocks get to LSU’s freshman quarterbacks?
LSU will be missing starting quarterback Myles Brennan on Saturday, as he recovered more slowly than anticipated from a reported abdominal injury. Brennan had been solid thus far for the Tigers, tossing for 1,112 yards and 11 touchdowns in three games. In his place, LSU will play true freshman TJ Finley, a former three-star recruit that stands a massive 6-foot-6, 242 pounds.
LSU coach Ed Orgeron has also said fellow true freshman Max Johnson, a former four-star recruit, will play as well. Trying to predict what we’ll see out of two guys who have never played a snap of college football is a fool’s errand. But it is clear that the Gamecocks have a chance to rattle two youngsters likely to be amped up playing under the lights. And if defensive coordinator Travaris Robinson’s unit can bring the pressure and knock them off course early, it could be a good night for South Carolina fans.
Can Collin Hill exploit a vulnerable LSU pass defense?
LSU boasts a preseason All-American at cornerback in Derek Stingley Jr. — and yet the Tiger pass defense has been a disaster thus far this season. Opponents are passing for more than 380 yards per game, the worst mark in the SEC and second worst in the country, and 9.52 yards per attempt, fifth worst in all of college football.
Through four games, USC quarterback Collin Hill has been steady. The Gamecocks don’t have a ton of weapons around him, but his marks of his 842 total yards and four passing touchdowns are both just 10th in the SEC. His yardage has decreased game-over-game since the opener, but if there was ever a chance for him to break out and showcase the full range of his talents, this weekend’s game would seem to be it.
Who wins Jaycee Horn vs. Terrace Marshall Jr.?
This past weekend, the rest of the college football world was clued in to what South Carolina fans already knew: Junior cornerback Jaycee Horn is an elite defender capable of shutting down opposing wideouts, no matter their star power. Auburn wide receiver Seth Williams is considered an NFL talent, and Horn consistently won their matchup while breaking up four passes and intercepting two.
This week, Horn will get yet another chance to shine on the national stage against Terrace Marshall Jr., who currently ranks second in the SEC and third in the nation in receiving yards per game. Coach Will Muschamp has played coy when asked if Horn will track Marshall around the field like he did against Williams. Whenever that matchup does occur, expect NFL scouts to play close attention. Another strong performance from Horn could lift him from All-SEC to All-American discussion.
Is Jalen Brooks a legit No. 2?
The news Muschamp and the South Carolina offense had been hoping for since the summer finally came down this week: Division II transfer Jalen Brooks was granted a waiver by the NCAA, making him immediately eligible to play. Players and coaches have raved about Brooks since he arrived on campus, and the state of the Gamecock receiving corps has been suboptimal without him, to say the least. Senior Shi Smith has more targets than every other wide receiver on the roster combined.
Muschamp has praised Brooks as one of the fastest players USC has, and his big-play ability against a pass defense that has struggled has to have offensive coordinator Mike Bobo salivating. That being said, Brooks has never played Division I football, much less SEC football, and could practice but not play for four weeks. Will he be able to step in and immediately be a strong second option, or is that asking too much?
Does USC head into its bye week riding high?
Not so long ago, after a disappointing first two games, South Carolina was staring down the possibility of a 1-4 record heading into its bye week. Now, the Gamecocks are riding a two-game win streak and have a shot to take down the defending national champions, who have looked wobbly so far and now have to start a true freshman quarterback. They might not be on a roll, but the Gamecocks have more than just a hint of momentum on their side.
Capitalize on it by pulling off the road win in one of college football’s most storied environments and USC will enter its bye week with a winning record and a truckload of confidence. Muschamp entered the year with any discussion about his job security tempered more by the financial impact of COVID-19 pandemic than any results on the field. But beating LSU and Auburn back-to-back would go a long way in winning back the fan base and sparking hope for a solid season.
This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 8:40 AM with the headline "Five burning questions for USC vs. LSU: Can Jaycee Horn best another NFL talent?."
