COLUMBIA — Another ranked opponent, another tough loss for South Carolina and coach Steve Spurrier. A lot of variables went right for South Carolina on Saturday against LSU, including a 17-10 lead in the third quarter, but the Gamecocks fell in a heartbreaking 24-17 loss to the No. 14 Tigers in Columbia on Saturday as Spurrier fell to 2-9 against ranked opponents at home.

LSU running back Charles Scott completed the comeback and capped off an 11-play, 83-yard, 6:24 drive in the fourth quarter with a 2-yard touchdown to put the Tigers up for good with 4:16 left in the game.

“It was a tough night. We had our chances,” Spurrier said. “We wish we had come up with a win for our fans. It just didn’t work out.”

In his first SEC start, Garcia tossed for 215 yards on 14-for-26 passing but was sacked six times, fumbled on a run and threw his only interception of the game on the Gamecocks’ final drive to end USC’s comeback hopes.

“We played a freshman quarterback in his first start in the SEC,” Spurrier said. “It probably wasn’t a good idea but we thought he gave us the best chance to win a ballgame.

“Our pass protection was not good most of the night. We ended up trying to throw too much and weren’t successful.”

The Gamecocks (5-3, 2-3) finished 1-for-9 on third-down conversions and rushed for only 39 yards.

“Maybe we should’ve run the ball more but we just can’t seem to get many yards,” Spurrier said.

The defense did its part for much of the game, forcing an interception in the second quarter that led to a Mike Davis 1-yard touchdown run to put USC up by seven before the half.

But LSU (5-1, 2-2) used a two-quarterback system and bruising running game that tallied 164 yards that eventually wore USC down.

LSU starting QB Jarrett Lee finished the game with 189 yards on 16-for-26 passing.

Down a touchdown in the third quarter, Tiger quarterback Andrew Hatch threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Richard Dickson on a throwback play to the left side that had Dickson wide open for the score and the tie.

LSU broke a 3-3 tie in the second quarter when Scott, who rushed for 61 yards on 16 carries, reached the end zone on a 5-yard touchdown run up the middle set up by a screen pass two plays earlier to Keiland Williams, who led the Tigers in rushing with 72 yards, that went for 15 yards to put the Tigers up 10-3 with 3:58 left in the first half.

The Gamecocks tied up again in the second quarter when Garcia threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to Weslye Saunders when the tight end came across the field and was wide open.

But after Davis’ go-ahead score before the half, the Gamecock offense stalled in the second behind a heavy rush by the LSU defense.

Now, the Gamecocks get a week off, and Spurrier said without a running game, the Gamecocks will continue to lose to good teams.

“We’ll try to regroup, take a little time off and get ready for Tennessee.” Spurrier said.