Nussmeier passes for 304 yards and 3 touchdowns as LSU defeats Baylor 44-31 in the Texas Bowl

Photo by: Kevin Magee/BogalusaTribune

HOUSTON -- Garrett Nussmeier passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns, leading LSU to a 44-31 victory over Baylor in the Texas Bowl on Tuesday.

Nussmeier, completing 24 of 34 passes, connected with Trey’Dez Green for touchdowns of 10 and 1 yard, and with Chris Hilton Jr. for a 41-yard score in the first half, helping LSU (9-4) establish a 34-17 lead by halftime.

Nussmeier expressed that the win provides LSU with a “confidence boost” moving into the next year.

“Ending the season with a win feels great,” said Nussmeier, who was named the game’s MVP. “It was something we aimed for. Coach (Brian) Kelly mentioned before the game that this marks the beginning of 2025, so we wanted to make a statement. We discussed having a killer instinct.”

Hilton made four catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Anderson had eight catches for 91 yards for the Tigers, who ended the season on a three-game winning streak. LSU has now won three consecutive bowl games.

Kelly was satisfied with the way the Tigers concluded 2024.

“I know critics might find it disappointing,” he said. “But it wasn’t disappointing. It was a team that wasn’t perfect due to inexperience. A team that gained experience. … Winning nine games and three in a row at the end, I’m just happy for our football team.”

Sawyer Robertson completed 30 of 51 passes for a career-high 445 yards and two touchdowns for the Bears (8-5), who saw their six-game winning streak end.

“I thought he fought hard,” Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. “He placed the ball where it needed to be. … He handled pressure well, stepped up in the pocket, took hits, got back up, and rallied the team. I believe his best is yet to come.”

Dawson Pendergrass ran for 63 yards and two touchdowns, while Josh Cameron caught eight passes for 111 yards and a touchdown.

“This game had too many mistakes,” Aranda said. “It’s unfortunate. We haven’t had a game like this in a while. We’ve played complementary football, and this wasn’t it. If we could take away just one mistake, we might have won the game in the end.”

Baylor closed the gap to 34-24 with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Robertson to Ashtyn Hawkins, six minutes into the third quarter. After Garmon Randolph intercepted Nussmeier, giving Baylor the ball at LSU's 26, the Bears had a chance to narrow the lead further.

However, on 4th-and-1 from LSU's 17, a bad snap over Robertson’s head resulted in a 36-yard loss, and LSU capitalized on the mistake with Josh Williams scoring a 4-yard touchdown run at the start of the fourth quarter.

Takeaways

Baylor: The offense, which averaged 434.5 yards per game this season, finished with 507 yards. However, the defense struggled to contain LSU, which gained 418 yards.

LSU: The Tigers scored in all three phases. Davhon Keys returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, and Zavion Thomas returned a kickoff 95 yards for a score just before halftime.

Up next

Baylor will host Auburn on August 30 to start the next season. LSU will visit Clemson on the same day.