re: LSU ranks 39th in opp PPG

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I'm curious to see how many of those points scored were in garbage time.

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It can be argued that MSU points (we led by 15 points going into the 4th quarter - gave up 2 drives of over 80 yards to the best QB we will face this year) in the 4th, because we had let up off the gas a little quickly.

But I won't do that. (0)

We led by 31 points (38-7) when we scored late in the 3rd quarter against Auburn. I would argue those last 2, meaningless touchdowns were garbage - game ended 48-21 and was not close since the 1st quarter. (14)

Syracuse was much more of a competitive game - I would say the game was definitely over when we scored a FG after their interception in the 4th, to make it 34 - 17 (3 scores) with 5:11 remaining in the game. (7)

Eastern Michigan scored their final touchdown in the 3rd Quarter to make it 30-22 - say what you want about their program, it cannot be argued that any of their points were in "garbage" time, unless you just count the entire game as "garbage" time because we played down to a OOS "rent-a-win" team (which is on us, frankly). (0)

South Carolina scored their final touchdown in the 3rd Quarter, to close the gap to 2 touchdowns (38-24). We added an insurance score in the 4th, but I'm not sure we can count any of USCe points as garbage time. (0) (ETA: I'm open to arguments that their final TD might have been garbage - we were up 21 points relatively late in the 3rd )

So, I would say 21 points is about right to say - "garbage time" scores out of 110 points - 5 games, we're giving up 22 points per game, and we're giving up almost a FG and a half of that (4.2 ppg) as garbage time.

In addition, there is the KOR for a TD (averages 1.4 ppg) by the Gamecocks that cannot be charged to the defense. That would reduce the points scored against the defense during the competitive phase of all games played almost a touchdown (5.6 ppg), or down to 16.4 yards per game.

Of course we are scoring almost 40 points per game (37.8) - so there's that.