Josh Williams scored on a 2-yard run with 1:12 left and mistake-prone No. 16 LSU rallied to beat South Carolina 36-33 to open Southeastern Conference play on Saturday.

The Tigers (2-1, 1-0 SEC) trailed 17-0 and were still trailing in the final two minutes when Williams took a handoff through a big hole on the left side and into the the end zone for the winning score. LSU players jumped with joy, but it was probably as much relief after trailing most of the game.

Garrett Nussmeier threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns, Caden Durham ran for 98 yards and a pair of scores for their eighth straight win over the Gamecocks (2-1, 1-1).

LSU was far from crisp. Nussmeier threw a fourth-down pick at the goal line that looked like it might end his team’s chances.

But the Tigers got a final chance with less than four minutes left. Nussmeier found Kyren Lacy for a 29-yard catch that took it to the South Carolina 4. Two plays later, Williams sped in for the touchdown.

For much of this game, it looked like South Carolina would come away with an unexpected win.

Quarterback LaNorris Sellers ran for two touchdowns including a 75-yard burst that was longest by a quarterback in South Carolina history. Arkansas transfer Raheim Sanders had a 66-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter that put the Gamecocks back on top.

South Carolina had a final chance to tie things, driving to the LSU 39 with :05 to play. Kicker Alex Herrera, however, pushed his long field goal attempt right and LSU players ran to the sidelines to celebrate. Sellers, who ran for 88 yards and threw for 113, came out right before halftime with an ankle injury. He returned for one three-and-out series in the third quarter before spending the rest of the game on the sidelines. Sanders ran for 143 yards and two scores.

Bowman’s 5 TD passes lead Oklahoma St. past Tulsa: Alan Bowman matched a career high with five touchdown passes, and No. 13 Oklahoma State routed Tulsa 45-10 on Saturday to set up next week’s Big 12 showdown against No. 12 Utah.

Bowman, in his seventh year of eligibility, completed 24 of 31 passes for 396 yards and one interception before sitting out the fourth quarter. He previously threw five TD passes in a game for Texas Tech against Texas in 2020 and Houston in 2018.

De’Zhaun Stribling caught seven passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns — including one covering 63 yards — to help the Cowboys (3-0) win their 10 straight against the Golden Hurricane.

While Tulsa’s defense struggled against the pass, it limited Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II. Last season’s Doak Walker Award winner as the nation’s best running back gained 41 yards on 17 carries.

Oklahoma State led 28-0 at the half on the strength of Bowman TD passes to Brennan Presley, Stribling, Talyn Shettron and Josh Ford.

Backup QB Bailey helps NC State overcome Louisiana Tech: Backup quarterback CJ Bailey was at the controls for three second-half scoring drives, DK Kaufman returned an interception for a touchdown and NC State rallied from a double-digit deficit to defeat Louisiana Tech 30-20 on Saturday.

Bailey, a true freshman summoned when starter Grayson McCall departed with an injury, ran for a 1-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter as the Wolfpack finally gained command of the game.

“I had to step in and make plays,” Bailey said. “I had to learn.”

Bailey threw for 156 yards in two-plus quarters.

Whooping cough forces cancelation of game between Portland State and South Dakota: Portland State’s game against South Dakota on Saturday was canceled because of a whooping cough case, the Vikings announced.

“A case of pertussis (whooping cough) got into the Viking team two days ago. Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that affects the lungs. As a result, many team members have been exposed to the disease,” Portland State said in a statement.

Johnson helps K-State dump Arizona: Kansas State delivered Arizona a rude welcome to the Big 12 on Friday night.

Even if it won’t count in the conference standings.

Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes, Dylan Edwards returned a punt 71 yards for a score, and No. 14 Kansas State shut out No. 20 Arizona in the second half of a 31-7 victory in a rare nonconference matchup of new Big 12 rivals rivals.

The loss ended Arizona’s nine-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

“I don’t know what we’re trying to prove to everyone else. We’re trying to prove to ourselves that we can sustain this and play at a high level,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “That was a great week of preparation. Now we have to do it again.”