Instant Takeaways: LSU Football Takes Down Baylor 44-31 in the Texas Bowl

Garrett Nussmeier propels the Tigers to win No. 9 on the season, take down Baylor on New Year's Eve.

Dec 31, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) runs the ball during the first half against the Baylor Bears at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers wrapped up the 2024 season in the victory column with a 44-31 victory over the Baylor Bears in the Texas Bowl.

Garrett Nussmeier and Co. handled business offensively with over 300 passing yards with another 11-plus on the ground.

It was an emotional victory for the Bayou Bengals after linebacker Whit Weeks went down with a gruesome injury prior to halftime.

The heartbeat of the LSU defense, Weeks was ultimately carted off of the field and put in an air cast before heading to get further testing.

The Tigers capped off the 2024 season with a win with the program succeeding in multiple areas on Tuesday afternoon.

The Instant Takeaways from the Texas Bowl:

The Youngsters Take Control Early 

The Tigers knew they would need contributions from their youngsters on Tuesday night in Houston with the true freshmen answering the call.

It started with pass catcher Trey’Dez Green making plays through the air early in the game with key conversions on third and fourth down. 

Fast forward to the end of the first half and Green had already hauled in a pair of touchdown catches, a handful of receptions and multiple important plays.

Green handled business offensively as the young piece, but defensively it was linebacker Davhon Keys getting it done. 

On the Bears’ first offensive drive of the game, it was Keys who came up with a pick-six. The freshman linebacker hauled in the interception and returned it 40 yards to the end-zone. 

It was all LSU after going up 14-0 early in the first quarter with the Tigers never looking back.

Garrett Nussmeier, Chris Hilton Handle Business

The connection between LSU signal-caller Garrett Nussmeier and wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. took the offense by storm to wrap up the end of the 2024 regular season.

Fast forward to the Texas Bowl and the duo carried their momentum into the clash after logging over 100 yards together with a huge touchdown in the first half. 

Hilton ended the day with four receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. 

The performance was just what the doctor ordered for Hilton after the redshirt-junior battled the injury bug all season. It was imperative he ended the season with a bang and the veteran wideout did just that.

For Nussmeier, LSU’s QB1 came out of the tunnel shot out of a cannon and didn’t slow down through the final three quarters.

He ended the night with 304 passing yards and 3 touchdowns while going 24-for-34 through the air. It was an efficient way to end the season for Nussmeier as he prepares for a pivotal next few months of his development. 

LSU Avoids Blown Lead, Secondary Struggles

LSU went up 28-7 early in this one led by Nussmeier, Green and Hilton offensively, but quick passes from Baylor signal-caller Sawyer Robertson kept the Bears within striking distance. 

Through three and a half quarters, Robertson was up to 400 yards and a pair of touchdowns to keep the Bears afloat.

It was a struggle for the LSU secondary on Tuesday afternoon with Ashton Stamps and PJ Woodland battling through a depleted secondary. Factor in senior Zy Alexander exiting the game with a minor injury and it left this group with a lack of bodies. 

Robertson carved the defense through the air with 445 passing yards with wideout Josh Cameron logging 111 yards receiving with a touchdown.

Baylor had four receivers with over 50 receiving yards. It was a challenging day at the office for LSU’s defensive backfield with the Bears getting all they wanted offensively.

More LSU News:

LSU Adds Commitments From Seven Top-100 Transfers in the Portal

LSU Dishes Out Offer to No. 1 Quarterback in America

Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

Join the Community:

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.