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The Recap: LSU rallies to beat Wisconsin in Tampa

On3 imageby:Shea Dixon•01/01/24•

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Photo: USA Today

When the LSU offense needed Garrett Nussmeier the most, the redshirt sophomore – making his first career start – drove the Tigers 98 yards to score and take the lead with three minutes remaining.

When the LSU defense was needed the most, the Tigers came up with three straight sacks on Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai to secure the win in the final minute.

In a game LSU trailed by double-digits at multiple points, the Tigers managed to buckle in and get the win after outscoring Wisconsin 21-10 in the second half and holding the Badgers to zero points in the fourth quarter.

Nussmeier finished the game 31-for-45 passing for 395 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.

Here’s the recap from the game, a look at the biggest plays and more as LSU wins 10 games for the second season in a row as ReliaQuest Bowl champions.

FIRST QUARTER

(LSU won the toss and elected to receive)

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier started off in a rhythm, hitting Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr. and Kyren Lacy for catches on the opening drive.

Josh Williams and Logan Diggs both had a carry at running back on the first drive, but the Tigers were forced to punt after failing to convert a third down that came after Nussmeier hit Thomas deep down the sidelines for a catch that was ruled incomplete after Thomas stepped out of bounds before hauling in the catch.

After punting it to Wisconsin, the Badgers struck first.

Following a third down conversion, quarterback Tanner Mordecai hit Will Pauling for a 41-yard gain, which was followed up by an impressive snag by Bryson Green for a 20-yard touchdown catch to put the Badgers ahead 7-0.

Wisconsin 7, LSU 0 – 8:28 remaining in the first quarter

LSU’s second drive didn’t bring any results after the Tigers went three-and-out on three snaps, and a poor punt by Jay Bramblett set Wisconsin up with good field position near midfield.

No matter, the Tigers came up with an answer on defense following a nice play by safety Major Burns to make the tackle short of the sticks and force a fourth down.

Wisconsin’s offense stayed on the field, but head coach Luke Fickell let the clock run down before calling a timeout. With the ball at Wisconsin’s 49-yard line, the Badgers elected to punt it away.

On the following drive, LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers broke the program’s career receiving yards record on an 11-yard catch. The grab put him at 3,003 career receiving yards, passing up the 3,001 yards totaled by Josh Reed during his time in Baton Rouge (1999-2001).

Nabers also owns the record for most career catches by an LSU player (187 and counting). The No. 1 spot in the record books was previously held by Wendell Davis, who caught 183 passes from 1984-87.

As for the drive at hand, a 4th-and-1 conversion attempt failed after Josh Williams got stuffed behind the line of scrimmage.

One play later, Mordecai hit Will Pauling for a quick grab, and Pauling made LSU’s defense miss right away as he coasted 60 yards for the touchdown to put the Badgers up double-digits as the first quarter came to a close.

Wisconsin 14, LSU 0 – 0:17 remaining in first quarter

A five-yard run by Josh Williams on LSU’s first play of the drive put an end to the opening quarter.

SECOND QUARTER

After another punt by the LSU offense, Wisconsin got the ball back and drove it near midfield, but a holding call on first down back the Badgers up to 1st-and-20.

From there, Harold Perkins got home on the blitz and forced Mordecai to throw it away on third down before Wisconsin punted it back to LSU.

After converting on a third down pass to Thomas, Nussmeier settled in with his best drive of the game so far.

First came a 21-yard back shoulder throw to Lacy, then and 18-yard catch-and-run by tight end Mason Taylor.

A five-yard run by Cain set LSU up at the goal line, and linebacker Harold Perkins – a running back in high school – stepped in and carried it into the end zone for the touchdown.

Wisconsin 14, LSU 7 – 5:50 remaining in second quarter

A 21-yard run by Wisconsin’s Cade Yacamelli got the Badgers into LSU territory, but the Tigers buckled in to force a 51-yard field goal attempt that missed wide left.

Nussmeier stepped back into a groove by hitting Thomas on plays of 7 yards and 17 yards.

After a 12-yard run by Josh Williams, Nussmeier found running back Kaleb Jackson on a dump off pass that Jackson took 13 yards for the first down.

On the next play, Jackson took to the handoff 12 yards for a score to tie the game.

LSU 14, Wisconsin 14 – 1:28 remaining in second quarter

While the LSU offense managed to find a way to tie the game, the defense continued to stumble by giving up a touchdown on just five plays.

After a pair of 22-yard gains in the passing game, Mordecai found Pauling for his second touchdown of the game as the Badgers took the lead back before halftime.

Wisconsin 21, LSU 14 – 0:47 remaining in second quarter

Nussmeier picked up a quick first down on a throw to Taylor, but his first turnover came when the Badgers intercepted a pass intended for Thomas.

With 32 seconds remaining in the half, Wisconsin picked up nine yards on first down before Sage Ryan broke up a deep pass down the sidelines and Bryson Green dropped a pass to set up 4th-and-1.

Wisconsin elected to go for it on fourth down from the 36-yard line instead of kicking another 50-plus yard field goal.

With 18 seconds remaining, the Tigers called a timeout before the Wisconsin offense attempted a run that was stopped short of the sticks and resulted in a turnover on downs with 13 seconds remaining.

LSU kneeled the ball out and headed to the locker rooms at halftime down by a touchdown.

HALFTIME: LSU 21, LSU 14

THIRD QUARTER

Wisconsin’s offense got the ball first and picked up where the Badgers left off, going 75 yards on eight plays for the score.

The touchdown came after Jackson Acker took a handoff and went untouched 33 yards for the score.

Once again, the Badgers were up by 14 points.

Wisconsin 28, LSU 14 – 12:09 remaining in third quarter

LSU badly needed another answer on offense, and the Tigers got it in just five plays.

Nussmeier found Lacy for a 14-yard gain before Josh Williams popped off a 17-yard run.

That’s when Nussmeier flashed his talent in the deep passing game, hitting Thomas in stride in the end zone for the 38-yard touchdown strike.

Wisconsin 28, LSU 21 – 10:27 remaining in third quarter

After the Badgers converted a first down to begin the drive, LSU’s defense came up with an answer when Maason Smith sacked Mordecai on 3rd-and-11, forcing Wisconsin to put it away.

The Tigers picked up a quick first down on a run by Noah Cain, then tacked on another 15 yards after a pass interference was called on a deep pass to Thomas.

After a trick play didn’t yield results on first down, Nussmeier found Lacy for a 12-yard gain. Lacy went down on the play after making a cut, but later jogged off without assistance.

On the next snap, Nussmeier hit Williams on a roll out for another first down.

One play later, Nussmeier found Chris Hilton in the back corner of the end zone for a touchdown. It was ruled a score initially, but Wisconsin challenged the catch. After a review from the referees, the ruling on the field was upheld as LSU tied the game.

LSU 28, Wisconsin 28 – 4:44 remaining in third quarter

After LSU tied the game, Wisconsin started in enemy territory after a big return was coupled with a personal foul on Andre Sam.

On the second snap of the drive, Mordecai found Green for a 36-yard gain to put the Badgers on the 1-yard line.

Then came the biggest stop of the game for the LSU defense through three quarters. Mordecai was taken down for a five-yard loss on a tackle by Major Burns, and after getting three yards back on a run, the Badgers were stuffed for no gain as Jordan Jefferson and the LSU defense got the stop.

Wisconsin elected to kick a field goal on 4th-and-Goal from the 3-yard line, taking the lead back with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter.

Wisconsin 31, LSU 28 – 0:58 remaining in third quarter

Noah Cain’s 12-yard run got the LSU drive going, but the Tigers took a step backwards following a false start on Thomas that was followed by an incompletion from Nussmeier to Thomas that set up a 3rd-and-15 to begin the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

Needing 15 yards to keep the drive alive, Nussmeier’s check down to Mason Taylor on third down went for just five yards as the Tigers were forced to punt it away to the Badgers down by three points with 14:11 remaining in the game.

From there, the teams traded punts as Wisconsin punted it away twice and LSU once before the Tigers took the ball back at the 1-yard line with 6:10 remaining in the game.

After a deep ball sailed on Nussmeier, the Tigers picked up a first down thanks to a pair of runs by Williams.

Then came two of the biggest plays of the game for Nussmeier. First, he hit Kyren Lacy for a 37-yard touchdown. Then, Nussmeier found Hilton deep down the sideline for a 43-yard gain.

After a three-yard run by Williams, Nussmeier hit Thomas for the 4-yard touchdown. Damian Ramos converted the extra point to give LSU the first lead of the day following an 8-play, 98-yard drive.

LSU 35, Wisconsin 31 – 3:08 remaining in fourth quarter

Wisconsin quickly moved the ball past midfield as the clock moved under 2 minutes remaining in the game.

When LSU needed a stop the most, the defense stepped up and delivered.

After getting to the 19-yard line, Wisconsin went backwards after Jordan Jefferson sacked Mordecai for a 13-yard loss. On third down, Mekhi Wingo sacked Mordecai for a 10-yard loss. On fourth down, Greg Penn sacked Mordecai and stripped the ball. Da’Shawn Womack picked up the loose ball to secure the turnover on downs and LSU win.

The Tigers kneeled the ball out after getting it back with 31 seconds remaining to win 10 games for the second time in two seasons.

FINAL: LSU 35, Wisconsin 31

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