COLUMBIA — No. 1 Texas has raised some eyebrows with it quarterback leading the team in rushing at 58 yards per game. South Carolina took a page from coach Mack Brown’s playbook in the first half with Stephen Garcia.

South Carolina entered the LSU contest Saturday ranked last in the SEC in rushing at 109 yards per game. Before the game, USC’s leading rusher was running back Mike Davis and his 59 yards per game, compared to league-leader Michael Smith from Arkansas at 119.8 per game.

But Stephen Garcia, who was second on the team in rushing (109 yards), made the ground game successful with 41 yards on 13 carries. He also snagged four first downs with his legs before intermission.

Some of his runs were even by design. The Gamecocks used a misdirection play that saw Garcia set up in the shotgun and fake the hand off to Davis, who went left, while Garcia kept the ball and took it around the right end for a 20-yard gain.

Garcia also used his legs to get away from sacks that led to big plays. On a second-and-6 at the USC 33, Garcia escaped a heavy Tiger rush and looked like he had plenty of room to run. But he pulled up instead and launched a pass down the field to Kenny McKinley, who stopped on a dime and came back to the ball to make a 41-yard reception.

However, LSU’s six sacks left Garcia with just 15 yards and 19 carries by the end of the game. He also fumbled on a 4-yard run after taking a hit from LSU’s Chris Hawkins. It was recovered by Tiger Perry Riley at the LSU 46.

THRILLA IN COLUMBIA?

It wasn’t quite Ali-Frazier, but LSU’s league-leading receiver Brandon LeFell took on the nation’s 2nd-best pass defense — first in the SEC — in what was supposed to be a big test for both sides.

LaFell came into the game with 29 pass receptions for 407 yards and three touchdowns. He’s average of 5.8 yards per catch and 81.4 yards per game led all receivers in the SEC.

The Gamecocks, which had given up 132 passing yards per game and only two touchdowns before Saturday, got the better end of the deal for most of the game.

Despite being LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee’s most-thrown to target, the USC secondary kept LeFell in front of them, not allowing the dangerous receiver to get deep. LeFell caught four receptions for 55 yards without a touchdown with his long coming on a 23-yard catch that ended the first half.

PICK PARTY

The Gamecocks went the farthest they had been in a game all season without an interception after being picked off at least once in every game this season. But, Garcia’s late pick on USC’s last drive continued a streak, however, of an interception in every game this season.

USC has thrown multiple INTs in five games, including four in the opener against N.C. State by Tommy Beecher.

Chris Smelley, who was benched last week against Kentucky, had accumulated nine interceptions on the season. Garcia, his replacement, had only thrown one career pick against UAB on Sept. 27.

KICKING TO NEW HEIGHTS

LSU senior kicker Colt David closed in on the all-time Tiger scoring record after hitting one field goal and three extra points. David’s total of 316 points puts him just three points behind former LSU running back Kevin Faulk at the top of the list. David is already the all-time holder for points by a kicker and has hit 45 of 58 field goals.