LSU finished the 2023 college football season on a high note, defeating Baylor 44-31 in the Texas Bowl held on Tuesday at NRG Stadium in Houston. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier led the charge for the Tigers with 304 passing yards alongside three touchdown passes, two of which found receiver Trey'Dez Green.
The victory improved LSU's record to 9-4, establishing a positive end to their season, especially after overcoming some early season challenges. Nussmeier wasn't alone; Chris Hilton Jr. also made significant contributions, accumulating 113 receiving yards. LSU's special teams shone brightly, as Zavion Thomas electrified the crowd with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
“I think we were able to do a great job of getting the ball down the field and once we were able to hit some big plays down the field it opened up a lot of things,” expressed head coach Brian Kelly after the game. “Critics would say (the season) was disappointing. It wasn’t disappointing. It was a team less than perfect because of inexperience... So to win nine games and win three in a row at the end, I’m just happy for our football team.”
Baylor's quarterback Sawyer Robertson also had impressive numbers, passing for 445 yards with two touchdowns. Receiver Josh Cameron caught eight passes for 111 yards and also had one touchdown for the Bears, who ended their season at 8-5. Despite showcasing their offensive potential, Baylor struggled to capitalize on their opportunities, failing on five of six fourth-down conversion attempts throughout the matchup.
Coach Dave Aranda addressed the team's struggles post-game, remarking, “This was an opportunity for us to get to another level and we didn’t do it. The moment was too big for us. We had way too many mistakes... There hasn’t been a game like this in a long time. We’ve played complementary football, and this was not true today.”
The game started with LSU seizing early control. Nussmeier threw his first touchdown pass to Green, giving them the initial lead. Shortly after, on Baylor’s fifth offensive play, Davhon Keys intercepted Robertson's pass and returned it for 41 yards, pushing LSU's lead to 14-0 by the end of the first quarter.
Responding to the early deficit, Baylor fought back. Robertson connected with Cameron for a 21-yard touchdown to narrow the gap to 14-7. But LSU’s Nussmeier was quick to answer; he threw another scoring pass, this time for 41 yards to Hilton, restoring the lead to 21-7.
The Tigers continued to build their lead, with Nussmeier tossing another touchdown pass to Green. The Bears, refusing to back down, pulled closer with Pendergrass' short touchdown run. Yet, immediately following, Thomas’s electrifying kickoff return for another touchdown gave LSU the 34-17 advantage just before halftime, deflATING any momentum Baylor had gathered.
The second half proved just as eventful, though Baylor had several chances to close the gap. Following their opening possession of the third quarter, Robertson faced pressure and failed to convert on fourth-and-6 at the Tigers' 9-yard line. Nevertheless, the Bears found the end zone again, pulling within 10 points after Robertson’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Hawkins.
Despite being handed advantageous field position after Garmon Randolph's interception of Nussmeier, Baylor’s potential scoring opportunity faltered when they suffered a significant loss due to a bad snap on fourth-and-1, pushing them back 36 yards and allowing LSU to maintain its slim lead.
Turning the tide, LSU’s Josh Williams added another 4-yard rushing touchdown, and kicker Damian Ramos contributed with a 43-yard field goal, pushing the lead to 20, leaving the Bears with too great of a mountain to climb.
Baylor managed to score once more with Dawson Pendergrass’s 3-yard rush but fell short overall, sealing the result at 44-31.
With this win, LSU established not only confidence for the next season but also showed growth throughout the year, especially considering the struggles they faced early on. Coach Kelly’s sentiment encapsulated the team's efforts; improvement and resilience defined their season as they finished strong.