GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has shouldered much of the blame for the Tigers’ disappointing 2024 season, and deservedly so, because of critical interceptions in losses to Texas A&M and Alabama.
But on Saturday night, he shouldered the credit and was Nuss Tough.
Nussmeier shook off a painful injury to his right, throwing shoulder in the second quarter and came back on fire to lead the Tigers to a 37-17 victory over Oklahoma in front of about 80,000 at Tiger Stadium as LSU finished the regular season at a solid 8-4, 5-3 in the SEC.
The junior, first-year starter completed 22 of 31 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Nussmeier threw one of his best passes of the season on a 40-yard strike to wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. for a 24-17 lead with 45 seconds to go before halftime.
Nussmeier found Hilton again for a 45-yard touchdown and 31-17 lead with 6:48 left in the third quarter. He was 5-of-5 passing for 85 yards on that drive with a 7-yard run. LSU made it 34-17 on a 22-yard field goal by Damian Ramos 13 seconds into the fourth quarter. Ramos added a 32-yard field goal with 3:19 left for the final.
GARRETT NUSSMEIER GOES DOWN AND OUT, BUT RETURNS
The first TD to Hilton in the second quarter came just minutes after Nussmeier returned to the game following a painful right shoulder injury on a sack at the 14:02 mark of the period. He writhed in pain on his back as trainers tended to him before helping him off the field and then into the locker room with the score tied 7-7.
Backup quarterback AJ Swann, a junior transfer from Vanderbilt, replaced Nussmeier, and things did not look promising. LSU took a 10-7 lead midway in the second quarter on a 34-yard field goal by Ramos, but Swann accounted for zero positive yards on the five-play, 44-yard drive. He missed on two passes, and the Tigers drew a delay of game penalty with him in charge. Tailback Caden Durham set up the field goal on a 40-yard hand-off up the middle.
Durham finished with 80 yards on 11 carries as the Tigers rushed for 110 yards on 29 carries and amassed 395 total yards.
With Nussmeier in the locker room, Oklahoma (6-6, 2-6 SEC) took a 14-10 lead with 7:22 left before halftime on a 2-yard run by Xavier Robinson. Just as Nussmeier was about to return to the game, he received a shot in the arm and shoulder – figuratively – as Aaron Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and 17-14 lead.
After Oklahoma tied it at 17 on a 44-yard field goal by Zach Schmit with 2:13 to go before halftime, Nussmeier took over as if he literally received a shot in the arm.
On third-and-four from the LSU 40, Nussmeier hit tight end Mason Taylor for 6 yards in the first of four straight completions. He hit tailback Josh Williams for 7, then Taylor again for 7 before the 40-yard touchdown to Hilton and 24-17 lead at the half. LSU never trailed again.
Nussmeier completed 4 of 4 passes for 45 yards on LSU’s second possession of the game with an 18-yard touchdown to wide receiver Kyren Lacy for a 7-0 lead at the 7:09 mark of the first quarter. His only lowlight of the game was a fumble on a sack inside his 10-yard line. Defensive end R. Mason Thomas scooped up the fumble and returned it 9 yards for a touchdown and 7-7 tie with 3:26 to go in the first quarter.
SAI’VION JONES RELISHES LAST GAME AT TIGER STADIUM
It was SEC newbie Oklahoma’s first game in Tiger Stadium in history. The Tigers and Sooners had met three times previously with LSU winning 63-28 in a College Football Playoff semifinal on Dec. 28, 2019, in Atlanta on its way to the national championship and 21-14 on Jan. 4, 2004, in the national championship game at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. In its only win in the series, Oklahoma beat LSU, 35-0, in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 1, 1950, to finish 11-0 and No. 2 in the nation.
LSU’s defense contained a running quarterback for the second consecutive week after struggling mightily against Marcel Reed and Jalen Milroe in losses to Texas A&M and Alabama, respectively. Oklahoma’s Jackson Arnold gained 69 yards on 16 carries.
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