Our Digital Season: Week 6—LSU @ South Carolina (sort of)

The week at large gave us some perspective on what really matters. A demoralizing loss against Missouri feels like a blip compared to the natural tragedies that took place around the state and, specifically, Columbia over the past seven days. So now we find ourselves playing a home game at another team's stadium. What a weird-ass week, right? Let's see what ODS does with it.

LSU wins the toss and will kick.

1st Quarter, or ORTHQUAKE

After a touchback, Perry Orth is sacked on 1st down, but finds Jerell Adams for a 20 yard gain on 2nd. Jump to 3rd and 8. 5 wide. Orth hangs tough in the pocket, and hits Terry Googer on the sideline for a 1st down. Or does he? It's under review. It stands! 1st and 10 at the LSU 42. A first down later, Orth is sacked again, and it's 2nd and 17. Carson gets 3 back, bringing up 3rd and long. A blitz is picked up, and Orth hits Jerell Adams for the 3rd time this drive for the 1st down. Ball on the LSU 17. Jump to 3rd and 9. Screen to Carson, but he gets just 1. Fry on for the field goal, and it's good. 3-0, Cocks.

Touchback. Handoff to Fournette on 1st, and he's gang tackled for a loss. Then a gain of just 1 for the IRL Heisman hopeful. Harris to Dupre on 3rd, and it won't be enough a gain. LSU goes 3 and out. Pharoh returns the punt to the 33.

But South Carolina gains just 5, and will punt it back. LSU takes over at their own 28.

After a Fournette draw gains 4, Hariss finds Dural for 18. 1st and 10 at the 50. Fournette runs off-tackle for 8. Then 8 Darrell for Williams. Brandon Harris escapes what appeared to be a surefire sack, and runs for 16. Then he scrambles for 12 more. 1st and goal on the 6. Give to Fournette, and he steamrolls DJ Smith for the touchdown. 7-3, LSU.

Touchback. Jump to 3rd and 8. Orth drops back, and fires—it's a bullet to Pharoh Cooper, who's got separation. Caught, and he runs it in for the 73 yard touchdown. Just like that, it's 10-7, Gamecocks.

Touchback. Fournette gains 8 on the run off-tackle. Then Malachi Dupre takes it on the endaround and gains 18. 1st and 10 at the 50. A play later, it's a 12 yard completion to Chark. Jump to 3rd and 8 at the SC 35. 5 wide. Pass is complete, but they won't get enough. LSU trots out the offense on 4th and 1. Fournette gets 4, and the chains move. Jump to 3rd and 4. Halfback draw gains nothing, and LSU will have to settle for the field goal attempt. Up and good, and it's 10 all.

2nd Quarter, or LATE SCORES ARE STILL SCORES

Touchback. Two short passes, and it's 3rd and 5. Orth with time—he throws into traffic, but it's snagged by DJ Neal. 13 yards, and it's 1st and 10. The draw to Carson gains 1, then another gains 0—he's rushed 5 times for 4 yards. Our ODS running game is as dynamic as or IRL running game. 3rd and 9, and the screen pass gains 1. Punt.

Touchback. LSU gets nothing, and will punt it back.Cooper calls for a fair catch at the 28.

Orth has all day on 1st, and finally airs out a bomb—caught by DJ Neal for 44 yards! 1st and 10 at the LSU 27. After two negative plays, it's 3rd and 16. Oh hey another screen pass on 3rd and long, how original. Carson loses a yard, and Fry will attempt the 51 yarder. He has the leg IRL—and also in ODS! Good for 3, and it's 13-10.

Touchback. LSU is moving. Harris hits Fournette then Dupre for a total of 22. Then it's to Chark for 10. Then 22 more to Chark. Two plays later Fournette runs it in again, and it's 17-13.

South Carolina takes over at its own 25. Fifty seconds remain—SC has 3 timeouts. 5 wide on 1st.  Orth is almost picked—but a defensive pass interference (which is almost never called in this game) will give SC the 1st down. Jump to 3rd and short—it's Orth to Googer for 20! 1st and 10, and Orth finds Cooper for 10 more. To Heard over the middle, and he's brought down—the clock is ticking. They scramble to the line. Spike? No! They run the play—and Orth hits Heard again, this time in the back of the end zone. Touchdown Gamecocks, and it's 20-17 as we go to halftime.

HALFTIME ANALYSIS

DigiOrth is actually killing it. He's thrown for 282 yards and a couple touchdowns. Nevermind that DigiShon Carson has 6 rushes for 2 yards. Apparently the DigiCocks are devoted to throwing the rock. Meanwhile, Fournette has just 31 yards on 12 attempts (2 TDs tho) . And Brandon Harris is 8/8 for 97 yards.

3rd Quarter, or COOOOOOP

Touchback. Three consecutive runs by Fournette move the chains. Two plays later—ah, there it is. A 60 yard touchdown run for Fournette, and it's 24-20, LSU.

Carson brings the kickoff out of the endzone (bad Shon! bad!) to the 12 yard line. On 2nd down, it's Orth to Neal for a gain of 16 and a 1st. Neal is closing in on 100 yards. Jump to 3rd and 2. Give to Carson—and he gains a cool 10 yards, increasing his yardage total by 600%. 1st and 10 at the 48. Then Orth gains 9 on the keeper. Play action, and Orth hits Heard for a 1st down. Then it's to Googer for 15 more. Orth with another keeper, this time for 12. 1st and 10, just outside of the 10 yard line. But three consecutive runs gain a total of -1 yards, and SC will settle for the field goal. It's good, and it's 24-23, LSU.

Fournette returns the kickoff to the 23, and LSU promptly goes 3 and out. Cooper returns the punt to the LSU 28.

USC reciprocates—3 and out. LSU takes over at its own 27.

LSU continues the trend—3 and out. Cooper fields the punt, dekes once, and finds a seam! He won't be touched! It's an 82 yard punt return for Cooper. South Carolina will go for two—Orth rolls out, and hits Googer, making it 31-24.

Touchback. Time for a healthy dose of Fournette—gains of 3, 7, and 5 move the chains. That's how the quarter will end.

4th Quarter, or TO STRESSED TO BE BLESSED

Jump to 3rd and 5. Harris has to scramble, and he'll gain just 2. It's 4th and 3, and LSU will go for it. The give to Williams—not Fournette—loses 3! Turnover on downs.

1st and 10 at the LSU 43.  Jump to 3rd and 3. It's an endaround for Neal, but it gains nothing. They'll trot out Fry for a 53-yarder...no good. LSU takes over.

Jump to 3rd and 6, and Harris finds Williams on the wheel route—he runs it in 60 yards for the touchdown. But oh man—Delahoussaye misses the extra point! South Carolina retains the lead, 31-10.

Kickoff returned to the 24. Six minutes and change remains. Play action, and Orth floats one to the flat—and it's intercepted! Jones snags it, and trots it in for the easy pick six. A two-point conversion later, and it's 38-31, LSU.

South Carolina takes over at its own 22. Orth tries to air one to Cooper, and it's another near-pick. Jump to 3rd and inches. I formation—Wilds runs east to west, and he's stuffed. South Carolina will elect to punt with just over 5 minutes remaining. Returned to the 30.

A holding penalty backs things up, and LSU can't get anything going. They'll punt on 4th and 15. Cooper calls fair catch at the 34.

On 2nd and 3, Orth will run it himself for a gain of 11. Then Orth runs for 11 more. Jump to 3rd and 6. Orth has a man, but the ball's batted down. It's 4th and 6 in LSU territory, so South Carolina will go for it. And Orth finds Neal on the sideline! He rumbles ahead, and is finally tripped up at the 1 inch line. Orth...drops back? He throws it away. Um. 2nd down. Give to Carson loses 2. Oh god. Carson gains 2 but can't score. 4TH AND INCHES. ORTH DROPS BACK—AND HITS COOPER! Touchdown! Holy smokes, what a series. It's 38-38.

Touchback. Lewis hits Gordon for 7. Harris gains 4—Fournette must be injured, because he's been out for several drives. Two plays later, it's a 26 yard completion to Chark. But South Carolina forces a 4th and 6 at their 33 yard line. LSU will attempt the 50 yarder for the lead...it's no good! 1:04 remains. South Carolina has 3 timeouts and ball at their own 33.

A screen pass to Carson works, finally, and gains 10. Orth has to throw it away on 1st. 5 wide on 2nd. Orth hits Jeffery on the sideline for 12! 5 wide again, now at the LSU 45. Orth nails Heard—but he drops it. Another 5 wide set. Orth is sacked—and fumbles! But Markway falls on it. 3rd and 21. They hurry-up for some reason—they have 3 timeouts, so I'm not sure why. But it's still 5 wide. Curiously, they're letting the clock tick all the way down. What. They'll snap it with 3 seconds left. Idiots. Orth's pass is incomplete, and we go to overtime.

Overtime, or IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE COME TO THIS

LSU wins the toss, and will play defense first. Orth throws it away on 1st. HB draw on 2nd loses a down. Incomplete on 3rd, and South Carolina will have to try the field goal. Fry's 43 yarder is up—and good. 41-38, South Carolina.

Jump to 3rd and 6—and Harris finds Dural for 11. 1st and goal at the 9. Pass complete, but gains just 4. Handoff gains nothing. 3rd and goal. Harris drops back—throws over the middle, and Holloman swats it down. They'll kick the field goal—good, from 21 yards out. 41-41.

Second Overtime, or HEY A SECOND OVERTIME WHICH MEANS THIS WILL HAPPEN

Screen pass gains just 2. Then a handoff to Williams loses 3. It's 3rd and 11. Blitz is picked up, and Harris will find Gordon for a gain of 24. 1st and goal from the goal line. The next play, Harris rolls out and hits Dupre. Touchdown, LSU. 48-41, Tigers.

Screen pass to Carson gains 4. Another screen—but this time, Orth can't get rid of it, and loses 13 yards. It's 3rd and 19. Then Orth is sacke,d fumbles, and South Carolina recovers. So it's 4th and 34 now. Wonderful. Orth's hit as he throws—and, ha, it's intercepted by a lineman and returned for a touchdown.

Final Score, 54-41, Tigers. You read it right: South Carolina lost by 13 points in overtime.

You know what? Fake stats don't matter. Go donate some money to the flood victims.

Go Cocks!