GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
OXFORD, Mississippi – LSU won its season opener this season and its Southeastern Conference opener.
But the No. 4 Tigers failed in their first game of the season against a real opponent, falling at No. 13 Ole Miss, 24-19, Saturday afternoon at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
And quarterback Garrett Nussmeier reverted back to his earlier form this season, passing poorly likely because of a still smarting or aggravated abdomen injury that has bothered him since August. And LSU coach Brian Kelly had said last week that he was past the injury.
It did not look like that as the fifth-year senior who routinely threw for 300 yards or more last season completed just 21 of 34 passes for a career-low 198 yards and one lucky, tipped touchdown for a 7-0 first quarter lead with an interception.
He badly underthrew a very open wide receiver Chris Hilton Jr. for what would have been a 39-yard touchdown early in the third quarter. Hilton had to come back for the ball, and drew an interference call. But LSU later had to settle for a field goal and 17-10 deficit instead of a 17-14 game.
“No,” Kelly said when asked if Nussmeier’s torso/abdomen health had anything to do with him missing passes frequently. “I mean, Garrett Nussmeier needs to play better. Every player on our offense has to play better. We weren’t very good on third downs (2 of 11). That’s not just Garrett. We’ve got to get open. We struggled with completing deep balls. This is not a Garrett Nussmeier problem. All I can tell you is, he’s healthy.”
It sure looked like he was not at times.
“I’m not going to answer any questions about my health right now,” Nussmeier said when asked if he was healthy. “Right now, I’m frustrated about the loss. We’ll get back, watch the tape, find ways to get better.”
LSU also struggled to run the ball, gaining just 57 yards on 22 carries. Starting running back Caden Durham missed the game with an ankle injury, but there was not a lot of running room. True freshman back Harlem Berry led LSU with 22 yards on seven carries.
The Tigers (4-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) will get an open date to regroup before an Oct. 11 home game against South Carolina (3-2, 1-2 SEC) after beating Kentucky on Saturday.
The Rebels (5-0, 3-0 SEC) looked like a College Football Playoff team. LSU, meanwhile, has two wins over ranked teams at the time at Clemson and at home against Florida, but neither is ranked now with losing records.
“We need to play better,” Kelly said.
Ole Miss took command of the game early in the fourth quarter with a 75-yard drive in 11 plays for a touchdown and 24-13 lead. And to rub salt in the Tigers’ wound, former LSU running back Logan Diggs scored the TD on a 6-yard run with 11:08 to play.
REVENGE to be in the air when LSU faces trio of former players now at Ole Miss:https://t.co/DvNNbjFoVB
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) September 26, 2025
But LSU fought back to get within 24-19 with 5:04 to play on 6-yard touchdown run by Berry. LSU’s two-point conversion attempt on an inside running play lost yardage.
Ole Miss took the ensuing kickoff and possessed the ball for the remainder of the game. The Rebels could’ve made it a 31-19 final. But after tight end Dae’Quan Wright caught a 20-yard pass all alone in the flat on 4th-and-3 with 1:46 to play, he simply knelt down with an untouched TD in front of him to keep possession. Ole Miss ran out the rest of the clock.
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) September 27, 2025
The Tigers had gradually got back into the game in the third quarter after trailing 17-7 at the break. Damian Ramos’ 39-yard field goal with 6:35 to play in the period cut Ole Miss’ lead to 17-10 after a 33-yard drive in eight plays. Nussmeier completed 3 of 3 passes on that drive, but for just nine yards. He benefitted from a 15-yard pass interference call to help set up the field goal.
SO WHY DID THE SEC GET RID OF LSU-BAMA ANNUALLY? OPINION
LSU drove just 16 yards in six plays for a 48-yard field goal by Ramos to cut Ole Miss’ lead to 17-13 with 58 seconds left in the third quarter. Cornerback PJ Woodland’s interception of quarterback Trinidad Chambliss deep in LSU territory and return of 31 yards to the Ole Miss 47-yard line set up the field goal.
LSU trailed 17-7 at the half as Ole Miss outscored the Tigers, 17-0, from late in the first quarter on. The Rebels outgained LSU in the first half 285 yards to 126 with 18 first downs to seven. Chambliss started as expected over previous starter Austin Simmons and completed 23 of 39 passes for 314 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 14 times for 71 yards.
And Nussmeier rarely looked right, fluttering and underthrowing passes as he was 9 of 15 for 102 yards in the first half with an interception and a touchdown.
Healthier Garrett Nussmeier and offense’s nice tuneup vs. SLU mixed with Ole Miss’ porous D may concoct a nice Hotty Toddy cocktail in Oxford Saturday. @racertodd Column:https://t.co/1YnrbKofQF
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) September 21, 2025
Through three quarters, Nussmeier had improved to 16-of-25 passing for 144 yards.
After a three-and-out on LSU’s first possession with two incompletions by Nussmeier, things looked good early for the Tigers and for Nussmeier. LSU took a 7-0 lead at 9:10 to go in the first quarter on a 67-yard drive in five plays. Nussmeier was 4-of-4 for 67 yards on the drive with a 50-yard completion to start things to wide receiver Zavion Thomas. That set up a fortunate 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nic Anderson. Tight end Trey’Dez Green was Nussmeier’s intended receiver. In traffic, Green, who played basketball briefly at LSU last season, tipped it back toward Anderson, who made the catch.
LSU’s defense forced a field goal out of Ole Miss after the Rebels had reached a first down at the 14-yard line. Lucas Carneiro’s 25-yard kick was good to cut LSU’s lead to 7-3 with 1:40 left in the first quarter after an 83-yard drive in 18 plays that took up 7:30.
The Tigers took an apparent 14-3 lead with 5:20 left in the second quarter on a 71-yard interception return by true freshman cornerback D.J. Pickett of Chambliss, but he was called for pass interference on wide receiver Deuce Alexander. And Ole Miss took over on LSU’s 30-yard line. On the very next play, LSU cornerback PJ Woodland interfered with wide receiver Harrison Wallace III to give Ole Miss a first down at the 15-yard line. Running back Kewan Lacy took it in from there for a touchdown and 10-7 lead with 5:09 to go in the third.
Ole Miss went 70 yards in five plays for the touchdown with four penalties against LSU for a whopping 50 yards – the pair of pass interferences, a 15-yard roughing the passer against linebacker West Weeks early in the drive and a 5-yard offside call against defensive tackle Bernard Gooden.
The Rebels went up 17-7 with 13 seconds to go in the first half on a nine-play, 69-yard drive that drew no penalties and took just 2:03. Chambliss hit wide receiver Cayden Lee for the 2-yard touchdown.
There were 16 penalties in all in the first half – LSU (6 for 74) and Ole Miss (10 for 69).
Ole Miss finished with 480 yards in all to 254 by LSU.
“Clearly, we hung on for dear life in the first half,” Kelly said. “We couldn’t get off the field. We need to play better and more consistent on the offensive side of the ball.”
And clearly Nussmeier needs to get healthier if he can and play better.
“It’s a long season,” Kelly said. “I felt we had the personnel to win this football game. Ole Miss was the better football team today. But tomorrow’s coming.”
INJURY REPORT: LSU redshirt freshman starting right tackle Weston Davis suffered an injury in pre-game warm-ups and did not play. True freshman Carius Curne replaced him.
LSU sophmoore starting running back Caden Durham (ankle) did not play. Sophomore Ju’Juan Johnson and true freshman Harlem Berry replaced him.
Starting wide receiver Aaron Anderson left the game in the second quarter with an injured elbow after catching two passes for 12 yards.
LSU starting junior linebacker Whit Weeks was injured with 2:47 to play in the game. LSU starting left guard Paul Mubenga left the game in the third quarter with an injury.
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