Nussmeier’s 237 yards and TD passing enough for No. 3 LSU to top feisty Louisiana Tech, 23-7

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Garrett Nussmeier passed for 237 yards and a touchdown and No. 3 LSU held Louisiana Tech to 154 total yards in a 23-7 victory on Saturday night.

Caden Durham rushed for a 3-yard touchdown for LSU (2-0), which was favored by about five touchdowns but didn’t lead by more than 10 points until late in the third quarter.

“We’re not happy with production across the board,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “I’m not happy with the performance, but it’s a win.”

LSU’s defense did its part, shutting out the Bulldogs (1-1) until reserve quarterback Blake Baker’s 33-yard scoring pass to Devin Gandy with 4:02 left in the game.

The Tigers outgained Louisiana Tech by 211 yards and LSU held a large advantage in time of possession, 36:52 to 23:08.

Barion Brown caught eight passes for 94 yards for the Tigers and got a game ball for his effort.

Brown, a transfer from Kentucky, “balled out,” Kelly said. “That’s what we expected from him.”

Fellow Tigers receiver Aaron Anderson had eight catches for 73 yards.

But the Bulldogs frustrated Nussmeier and Co. on a handful of possessions, forcing a turnover, three punts and four field goal attempts, one of which failed.

LSU rushed for 128 yards — and Kelly said “a lack of execution by coaches and players alike” made it tough for the Tigers to finish drives and pull away on the scoreboard.

“Everybody collectively did not live up to the standard that we have set here,” including coaches, Kelly said. “We have more — and that didn’t show up tonight and that’s disappointing.”

The Tigers struggled to distance themselves from their opponent on a day when No. 1 Ohio State, No. 14 Florida State and No. 24 Texas Tech took halftime leads of 48 or more points.

LSU’s opening drive ended on Nussmeier’s first interception of the season when his deep pass was tipped and caught by Bulldogs safety Michael Richard.

LSU’s next drive ended when Damian Ramos’ 51-yard field goal attempt missed wide right.

The game remained scoreless until Nussmeier’s short TD pass to Nic Anderson in the last minute of the first quarter. Ramos added a short field goal in the second quarter, and there was no more scoring until Durham’s TD with 1:58 left in the third quarter.

That led Kelly to play many starters, including Nussmeier, for most of the game.

“He knows he’s got to play better,” Kelly said. “I’ve got to coach better.”

The takeaway

Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs’ defense, which opened with a shutout over Southeastern Louisiana a week earlier, looked sound in keeping the game close well into the third quarter. Tech’s special teams were solid, too, pinning LSU at or inside its own 10-yard line four times on punts.

LSU: LSU’s defense, impressive in holding Clemson scoreless in the second half of a Week 1 triumph, extended its shutout streak to nearly six quarters before allowing the Bulldogs to score.

Injuries

Center Braelin Moore (ankle) and tight end Trey’Dez Green (knee) both were injured during the game and Kelly said they are expected to have imaging done on Sunday. Moore limped off with field after the first offensive snap. Green, who had a touchdown catch at Clemson the previous week, limped off with help from staff early in the fourth quarter. Edge rusher Jimari Butler also limped off with help late in the fourth quarter.

Up next

Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs host New Mexico State on Saturday.

LSU: The Tigers host Florida on Saturday in the SEC opener for both teams.