By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, TIGER RAG STAFF Writer
LSU will be playing in its 57th bowl on Saturday as the Tigers (7-5, 3-5 Southeastern Conference) face No. 21 Houston (9-3, 6-3 Big 12) at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN at NRG Stadium in Houston in the Texas Bowl.
LSU is 2-1 all-time in Texas Bowls, and it will be playing in the third tier bowl for the second straight season after defeating Baylor, 44-31, on New Year’s Eve last year.
LSU is 34-21-1 all-time in bowls.
Here’s a look at each Texas Bowl game ranked from 1 through 3 based on LSU’s best performance to worst:
1. No. 20 LSU 56, Texas Tech 27 … Dec. 29, 2015, Houston
LSU’s first trip to the Texas Bowl did not disappoint. After saving his job with a 19-7 win over Texas A&M, LSU coach Les Miles made sure he was prepared for coach Kliff Kingsbury’s Red Raiders.
The Tigers’ run-heavy offense gave Texas Tech trouble all night, particularly star sophomore running back Leonard Fournette. The New Orleans native carried the ball 29 times for 212 yards and four touchdowns. In addition to his dominant night on the ground, Fournette caught a 44-yard touchdown pass. LSU outgained Texas Tech 638-399.
Defensively, LSU did enough to stop Texas Tech, despite giving up nearly 400 yards of offense. The Tigers sacked future NFL superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes six times and intercepted him once.
“This is a night that Leonard Fournette would have again and again and again,” Miles said after the win. “I wouldn’t call it routine, because he is not a routine runner. He’s a special back. But we would expect him to have nights like this. He’s fast and strong and capable.”
STATISTICS: QB Brandon Harris, LSU: 14-of-23 passing, 261 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 41 yards on 3 carries, 1 TD; RB Leonard Fournette, LSU, 212 yards on 29 carries, 4 TDs, 1 catch for 44 yards, 1 TD; QB Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech, 28-of-56 passing, 370 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT.
2. LSU 44, Baylor 31…Dec. 31, 2024, Houston
The game carried much excitement for 2025 as quarterback Garrett Nussmeier had just announced he would return to LSU for his senior season.
LSU’s offense erupted for 427 yards as Nussmeier passed for 313 yards and three touchdowns. Defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s unit gave up over 500 yards to Baylor.
“I know cynics would say it’s disappointing,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said. “It wasn’t disappointing. It was a team that was less than perfect because of inexperience. A team that gained experience. To win nine games and win three in a row at the end, I’m just happy for our football team.”
STATISTICS: QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, 24-of-34 passing, 313 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT; QB Sawyer Robinson, Baylor, 30-for-51 passing, 445 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INTs; WR Chris Hilton Jr.
3. Kansas State 42, LSU 20 … Jan. 4, 2022, Houston
LSU’s second time in the Texas Bowl was certainly one to forget, but there are still notable stories from the game. Offensive line coach Brad Davis served as interim coach as Ed Orgeron was fired effective at the end of the regular season, and new coach Brian Kelly choosing not to coach the bowl.
Now, Davis is a lame duck offensive line coach for the Tigers in Saturday’s game as he was not retained by new coach Lane Kiffin. Interim coach/running backs coach Frank Wilson will also not be returning to LSU after this game as he was also not retained and will move on to Ole Miss as running backs coach. Also not retained by Kiffin are running game coordinator/tight ends coach Alex Atkins and co-offensive coordinator/receivers coach Cortez Hankton.
LSU’s roster had gaping holes before the 2022 Texas Bowl, as it does now. Before the ’22 game, LSU had only 39 scholarship players available, and senior wide receiver Jontre Kirklin had to play quarterback for the first time since his Lutcher High days. LSU wouldn’t stand a chance as Kansas State outgained the Tigers’ porous defense, 442 yards to 308 and won easily.
But Kirklin’s performance and efforts would be remembered by Tiger fans.
“Shoot, we Fightin’ Tigers man,” he said. “We ain’t ’bout to back down from nobody. It don’t matter. If we got 11, we’re going to play.”
The loss dropped LSU to 6-7 for its only losing season this century.
STATISTICS: QB Jontre Kirklin, LSU, 7-of-11 passing 138 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, 61 yards on 11 rushes; QB Skylar Thompson, Kansas State, 21-of-28 passing, 259 yards, 3 TDs; RB Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State, 146 yards on 21 carries, 3 TDs.
LSU-HOUSTON SERIES HISTORY
LSU is 2-1 all-time against Houston. The Tigers’ first game against the Cougars was a thrilling one that opened the 1996 season. LSU trailed 34-14 going into the fourth quarter, but running back Kevin Faulk took over and led the Tigers to a 35-34 win. Faulk rushed for as school record 262 yards on 21 carries with an 80-yard touchdown and a 3-yard score.
Faulk also returned a punt back 78 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to get the Tigers within 34-21.
In 1999, a 20-7 loss by the Tigers sealed the fate of coach Gerry DiNardo, who dropped his eighth straight game to fall to 2-8 overall (0-8 SEC) after a 4-7 and 2-6 campaign in 1997. LSU has not lost more than three in a row since. DiNardo was fired two days after the game.
In 2000, LSU and new coach Nick Saban went to 2-0 on the season with a 28-13 win behind quarterback Josh Booty. Saban would lose three of his next four games, but bounced back to finish 8-4 and 5-3 in the SEC. After eight losing seasons from 1989 through 1999, LSU has had only one losing season since Saban’s entrance in 2000 – the 6-7 in the 2021 season with the last loss in the Texas Bowl.
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