The LSU Football team is set to face off against the Baylor Bears in the Texas Bowl on New Year's Eve as both teams wrap up their seasons in the Texas Bowl. The Baylor Bears enter as slight favorites due to the opt outs on LSU's side as the Tigers lose several key pieces to the NFL Draft and the transfer portal. Using the projected depth charts for both teams, we simulated a game of EA Sports' College Football 25 to get an idea for how this game may play out.
The LSU Tigers kicked off the scoring as Garrett Nussmeier and Chris Hilton kept in rhythm with Nussmeier finding Hilton for a 33 yard touchdown. The Bears would answer right back as Sawyer Robertson found Ashtyn Hawkins deep for a 75 yard touchdown tying the game at 7 a piece.
The Tigers would score the only points in the second quarter when Garrett Nussmeier found Trey'Dez Green for a 7 yard touchdown. The Bears would score the lone points in the third quarter when Bryson Washington beat the Tigers for a 23 yard rushing touchdown.
The Tigers took the lead early on in the fourth quarter on a Damian Ramos field goal and then extended it as Garrett Nussmeier found Caden Durham for a ten yard touchdown. Baylor would score late as Sawyer Robertson found Josh Cameron for a 16 yard touchdown but, it was too little too late as LSU recovered the onside kick.
Garrett Nussmeier played a clean game completing 15 of 24 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns to three different receivers. The Tigers rushing attack struggled as Caden Durham led the team with 58 yards on 15 carries but, his biggest impact was as a receiver scoring a touchdown.
On defense, Whit Weeks and Bradyn Swinson combined for a sack while Freshman Dominick McKinley continued to impress recording a sack. In his first game at safety, Javien Toviano recorded an interception and returned it 18 yards. DaShawn Spears made his impact felt deflecting three passes and recording 4 tackles.
On Special Teams, Zavion Thomas was electric as a punt returner with 66 return yards on 4 punts with a long of 22 yards.