Wednesday Wayback: Ocean’s 07

We hit the rewind button in our rewatch of the 2007 season, travelling back in time to visit a contest between undefeated South Carolina (!) and an undefeated LSU.

The Game

Go ahead and skip the first 30 minutes of the video

[34:11] This game had all the makings of trouble: a day game played in the middle of a tropical depression against Steve Spurrier. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

[37:30] LSU just completely eats up the Gamecock offensive line and forces Mitchell to roll the pocket right into Chase Pittman.

[45:25] Malicious but legal hit from Craig Steltz. My god man.

[54:15] Again, this game was played in sloppy conditions. It wasn’t raining during this part of the game but make no mistake, there was a downpour beforehand.

[56:00] For the second time, South Carolina gets great field position following a punt. The first time it was a bad punt, this time it was a partial block as a rusher blew through three blocks.

[1:05:15] Ah yes, the good ole reverse pass busted into a run. Miss u, HBC.

[1:07:00] That was a pretty play call. Almost like a forward screen pass or a moving pick, get a receiver out in front to run interference (without actually getting an interference call) for a receiver running a slant to beat any man coverage and it nearly works.

[1:10:35] South Carolina gets on the board on a goal line toss power. 7-0.

[1:15:10] Beautiful route from Richard Dickson to get some separation down field. He gets matched up with an outside backer and eats his lunch. Flynn nails the throw.

[1:16:30] Step dad Gary is kinda right here. I don’t know why Les would go to Holliday in these conditions, but Les does and....

[1:17:00] He goes virtually untouched on a power out of the shotgun for 33 yards. It really is a beautiful run that was ABSURDLY blocked. Everybody on the line compromised their opponents and Holliday took advantage of it. 7 all.

[1:21:15] Oh hey Ryan Mallett!

[1:22:15] What a PBU by Danny McCray.

[1:30:00] Baseball jokes!

[1:31:45] At this point the LSU offensive line is blowing Gamecocks off of the ball. Perrilloux gets the rock on a shotgun keeper and gets a hole wide enough to drive a NASCAR through to get inside the red zone.

[1:33:00] And again, Richard Dickson is completely forgotten about by South Carolina. Play action where Flynn didn’t even set his feet. 14-7 LSU.

[1:38:35] Wet ball fumble!

[1:41:40] Les Miles tries to one up Spurrier with the fake reverse but nothing is doing so Flynn has to tuck and run. On the next play Perrillox keeps it on the read option and gets 20+ yards.

[1:46:00] Pretty bad shank from Colt David. In retrospect, I wonder if this and the field conditions helped contribute in the decision of a play later in the game.

[1:54:10] Another gashing run from LSU with the help of some great blocks.

[1:59:20]

[2:00:10] The hidden midget play! Some cheese for a first down from Holliday. Gonna have to be more creative than that if you’re gonna fool the Ol Ball Coach, Les...

[2:02:30] I absolutely love that Spurrier is laughing to himself on the sideline. Even though it went against him, he loves the hell out of that play. It was a perfect homage to Spurrier and would cause Florida infinite woe for the remainder of Les Miles’ tenure at LSU in one of the most iconic plays of the 2007 season. 21-7 LSU.

[2:38:15] Perrilloux makes a bad decision to keep here despite the read play biting down hard on him and it puts LSU in a 3rd and 6, which they can’t get out of. In fact, LSU was lucky that Flynn’s pass was dropped because it would have been an easy pick six.

[2:44:00] South Carolina makes a quarterback change to Chris Smelley, but still can’t move the chains on 3rd and 1. Dorsey and Favorite blow up the play. Spurrier rolls the dice and for it on 4th and inches, but Luke Sanders of all people gets in the backfield in an instant and forces a turnover on downs.

[2:49:20] /low whistle

[2:52:00] That was a beautiful play on the backwards pass, but the conditions got the better of it.

[2:54:00] Hester with immaculate blocking is pretty unfair. Gets popped pretty hard down at the five but just keeps on falling forward until he’s in paint. 28-7 LSU.

[2:58:00] South Carolina finally gets some decent field position thanks to a hell of a return from Culver.

[3:00:00] Of course, this being Spurrier means that South Carolina takes shots down field instead of trying to move the ball. But they pick up the first on 3rd and 10 anyway.

[3:02:15] After back to back 10 yard passes, South Carolina goes to the ground and spoiler alert, it gets shut down. When South Carolina goes deep again, Chevis Jackson comes down with an interception short of the goal line.

[3:10:00] Dorsey gets double teamed but he stays in the play long enough to take the coverage sack.

[3:18:00] I don’t think the ball ever crosses the plane for a first down. Also, never change, student section.

[3:21:15] At this point it’s moot, but South Carolina just could not find a way to cover Dickson.

[3:34:20] Well, that didn’t work out at all.

[3:36:50] That’s just tremendous effort there. Beckwith never really squares him up and when the tackle is broken, Danny McCray pulls off. Keeps the drive and South Carolina alive.

[3:39:15] And again, South Carolina on 3rd and distance. Steltz slips in the coverage and South Carolina keeps on climbing downfield.

[3:40:00] Boyd beats Highsmith in coverage on an out route to get in a goal to go situation.

[3:42:50] South Carolina can’t get in the end zone and have to settle for a field goal. 28-10 LSU.

[3:52:30] Yet again, the Gamecocks convert a 3rd and long. It’s garbage time, but this is kind of stunning how they’re getting bailed out time and time again.

[3:54:00] And a halfback middle screen on a blitz sets up South Carolina 48 yards downfield in prime scoring position.

[3:57:00] lol Scott Thorman home run to tie it in the 10th.

[3:57:50] Favorite had Smelley dead to rights on the deep sack but he grabs Smelley by the facemask inadvertently. South Carolina gets bailed out again.

[4:00:25] And of course, South Carolina scores on a 3rd down goal line fade. 2 point conversion no good, knocked down by Tyson Jackson. 28-16 LSU.

[4:04:50] South Carolina nearly recovers the onside kick, and probably should have, but LSU gets the ball and ends the game.