LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier Drops To Questionable For Saturday Vs. Arkansas With Abdomen Strain

By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

The question now is, why should LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier play?

The fifth-year senior quarterback’s status for Saturday’s home game against Arkansas (11:45 a.m., SEC Network) concerning a strained abdomen worsened to questionable from probable on Friday’s availability report to the SEC office from interim coach Frank Wilson.

LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier aggravates previous injury at practice today, but probable for Arkansas:https://t.co/A0uPif9U48

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 14, 2025

Nussmeier re-injured his abdomen strain on Thursday at practice after playing through the pain for the first five games of the season, then recovering from it gradually by game six on Oct. 11 after an open date.

Wilson said Thursday he was probable and would be entering game day as the starter. Now, the chances of backup Michael Van Buren, a sophomore transfer from Mississippi State, starting Saturday are probable.

Garrett Nussmeier’s Year of Living Dangerously reaches new low. The former Heisman favorite was benched. Column:https://t.co/kugZHXdePk

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 9, 2025

LSU is 5-4 on the season and 2-4 in the SEC after three straight losses. Arkansas is 2-7 overall and 0-5 in the SEC.

Ed Orgeron may be a candidate for Arkansas, and O KnOws interim coaching. “I don’t believe I ever coached against another interim when I was an interim,” he just told Tiger Rag. “But the way things are going, it may become normal.” https://t.co/d9lt8EkgFi

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) November 14, 2025

Nussmeier is the only LSU player listed as questionable, which means he has a chance to play.

“I think he’s probable, but a little concerning,” Wilson said Thursday. “Our doctors, our trainers have been, are all on top of that to do the things necessary to allow him to have some pain tolerance and then give him the things necessary to have relief.”

The decision to start Nussmeier or play him at all will likely not be finalized until shortly before the kickoff.

Van Buren completed 5 of 11 passes for 52 yards after replacing a non-injured Nussmeier in the third quarter in the 20-9 loss at Alabama last Saturday. He rushed six times for 21 yards, but was sacked twice for 20 yards, giving him one net yard for the game. Nussmeier completed 18 of 21 passes, but for only 121 yards.

On the season, Van Buren has completed 18 of 27 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns in three games – the first two in mop-up duty. He started the last eight games of a 2-10 season (0-8 SEC) at Mississippi State last season, completing 140 of 256 passes for 1,886 yards and 11 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He rushed 69 times for 169 yards, but for a net of -12 yards after 27 sacks. He was 1-7 as the starter.

“If we have to start Michael, if we got down to that, we feel that’s he’s fully capable of doing so,” Wilson said.

Van Buren’s had a good week of practice, Wilson said, after sharing time with the first team as Wilson said all week that both quarterbacks would play. But Nussmeier was considered the starter before the injury on Thursday.

“I think you’ll see him continue to raise his level of competitiveness,” Wilson said of Van Buren. “He understands the chance that our team has, that he has individually to claim victory to be bowl eligible. I think he’s a mature young man, and the things that he’s doing in preparation show that.”

Nussmeier has completed 194 of 288 passes for 1,927 yards and 12 touchdowns through nine games with five interceptions. He is 65th in the nation in passing yards per game with 214. In his first season as a starter in 2024, he finished No. 6 in the nation with 311.7 yards a game on 337-of-525 passing for 4,052 yards that was fifth in the nation and 29 touchdowns with 12 picks.

He entered the season as a Heisman Trophy favorite and was considered a first round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Nussmeier may be wise not to play in any of LSU’s remaining three remaining regular season games, should his injury not improve dramatically. The Tigers host Western Kentucky next week before playing at No. 11 Oklahoma. LSU is a win away from becoming bowl eligible and is a 5.5-point favorite over Arkansas.

In other LSU availability reports Friday, starting linebacker Whit Weeks (ankle) has been ruled out and will miss his fourth straight game. Wide receiver Nic Anderson (knee) will also not play.