The LSU Tigers welcomed one of the newest members of the Southeastern Conference, the Oklahoma Sooners, to Tiger Stadium for the first time Saturday night. Garrett Nussmeier left the game with an injury in the first half but returned with a pair of key touchdowns to Chris Hilton Jr as the Tigers controlled the second half en route to a 37-17 victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
After each team traded punts on their first possessions, LSU got rolling offensively on their second possession with a seven-play, 53-yard scoring drive that capped with a 18-yard touchdown from Garrett Nussmeier to Kyren Lacy to put the Tigers ahead 7-0 with seven minutes remaining in the first quarter.
LSU got the ball back after another defensive stop deep in their own territory. On a long 3rd down, Nussmeier was hit and fumbled, recovered by Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas and brought back nine yards for the scoop and score to tie the game at 7-7.
On the next LSU possession, Nussmeier took a blindside hit and had to leave the game for a period. The Tigers struggled without him, especially in the red zone. Damian Ramos connected on a 34-yard field goal to put the Bayou Bengals ahead 10-7.
On the ensuing Oklahoma possession, Jackson Arnold connected on a 50-yard pass play to JJ Hester that put the Sooners in business. Two plays later, Xavier Robinson punched it in from two yards out as Oklahoma went in front for the first time 14-10. On the kickoff, Aaron Anderson took the kick 100 yards back for an LSU touchdown to regain the lead at 17-14 with inside of seven minutes remaining in the first half.
The Sooners once again moved the ball down the field thanks to the legs of Arnold that set up a tying field goal Zach Schmit from 44 yards out. During the two minute drive, LSU got the ball down the field in a hurry as the Tigers went 66 yards in 1:17 as Nussmeier found Chris Hilton Jr down the sideline for a 40-yard touchdown strike to give LSU the 24-17 lead.
On the Tigers’ first drive of the second half, LSU went 88 yards on nine plays as Nussmeier once again found Hilton for the 45 yard touchdown pass and a 31-17 lead over Oklahoma in their first trip to Tiger Stadium.
Sage Ryan, the former Lafayette Christian product, came up with an interception on a trick play from Oklahoma. Then, Nussmeier hit Kamarrion Pimpton in stride for a 42-yard completion that put LSU inside the five yard line. LSU couldn’t find the endzone and had to settle for a 22-yard field goal from Ramos to extend the lead to 34-17 headed into the fourth quarter.
LSU got a late field goal from Ramos for his third of the night and that would be it as the Tigers controlled Oklahoma in the regular season finale 37-17.
BIG NUMBER: 24
After a 7-7 tie in the first quarter, LSU scored 24 points in the second and third quarters to space themselves away from Oklahoma down the stretch, leading to the win in their regular season finale.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Garrett Nussmeier
After suffering a tough hit to his shoulder and leaving the game for a period, Nussmeier delivered a dominant performance as the junior completed 22-31 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns.
UP NEXT: LSU finishes the regular season with an 8-4 record and will find out their bowl fate following the conference championship games next weekend.
