LSU will take Garrett Nussmeier against anybody in the country. The veteran QB returns to Baton Rouge for a fifth season in 2025 after putting up big numbers in his first season as the full-time starter in 2024.
With an elite receiving core at his disposal, Nussmeier could be in for a monster 2025 season. He is firmly in the Heisman conversation, and has LSU positioned to make a run at an SEC title and National Championship.
Nussmeier being LSU's starting quarterback in 2025 was never a debate once he decided to forgo the NFL Draft and come back to the Tigers. However, several other SEC teams had to go through quarterback competitions in order to find their starter. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer just named his starting QB for the 2025 season, and because of Nussmeier's experience for LSU, Tiger fans shouldn't lose sleep over it.
Nussmeier's experience remains invaluable to LSU
Redshirt junior Ty Simpson has been named the starting quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. This isn't necessarily a surprise, as Simpson had been the frontrunner to win the job for most of the offseason. But Kalen DeBoer has now made the official decision to have Simpson be the Tide's QB1.
For all we know, Simpson could be great. The former five-star prospect hailing from Martin, TN has all the tools to be a strong quarterback in the SEC. But at this point in time, his inexperience for Alabama is no comparison to what LSU is bringing back with Nussmeier at the helm.
Nussmeier totaled 4,052 passing yards and 29 touchdowns last season. Sure, his 12 interceptions may have been too many, but he still completed 64.2 percent of his throws and led the SEC in completions with 337. That kind of returning production at the quarterback position in the SEC is invaluable. It's something Alabama doesn't have in Simpson.
Simpson has been in Tuscaloosa since 2022, so he is at least familiar with what it takes to be an Alabama starting quarterback. However, in three seasons, he has thrown a total of just 50 passing attempts. In total, he's completed 29-of-50 passes, which evens out to a 58 percent completion percentage. He's collected 378 yards through the air and doesn't have a touchdown pass to his name yet.
The Tigers and Tide are set to meet on Nov. 8 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The game marks an important part of LSU's schedule, as the Tigers look to beat the Tide for the first time since 2022.