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WATCH: LSU continues key bowl practices in Houston

On3 imageby:Matthew Brune•12/28/24•

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Brian Kelly
Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

LSU’s preparation for the 2024 Kinder’s Texas Bowl continues and on Saturday, the media was allowed to view practice and record a portion of the drills. Some of the media on hand was able to get videos and post them on social media for fans to watch as the Tigers put their finishing touches on their 2024 season.

Here’s a handful of clips from Wilson Alexander of The Advocate, and John Eads from WAFB-TV and my thoughts on what to expect in Tuesday’s bowl game.

LSU Defense

As you can see, DJ Pickett is getting to work with Corey Raymond throughout this bowl season, hopefully getting him ready for the 2025 season where he is going to be expected to play a significant role. Outside of that, there’s going to be plenty of movement in the secondary as Major Burns and Sage Ryan are not playing, making way for a shakeup at the safety spot with names like Javien Toviano and Dashawn Spears getting ample snaps.

Young players like linebackers Davhon Keys and Tylen Singleton will also get in the mix and be fun names to watch. It’s uncertain what the plans are from the coaching staff entering this game, but Blake Baker will look for substantial improvement over the offseason to further develop this defensive depth chart for next year.

LSU Offense

The return of Garrett Nussmeier is the headline for LSU in this game, but in practices it’s fun to see Harlem Berry out there with Caden Durham and imagining what those two can do together. The offensive line has also shuffled, with Tyree Adams, Paul Mubenga, DJ Chester, Bo Bordelon, and Miles Frazier as the five starters in practice from left to right.

You see Garrett Nussmeier as No. 40 in practice as he and Whit Weeks swapped jerseys for the practice on Saturday. Trey’Dez Green also got a lot of reps as an in-line tight end option which he projects to be next season.

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Baylor vs. LSU press release

WACO, Texas — Winners of six straight to conclude the regular season – the longest such streak in program history – Baylor football will wrap up the 2024 season with the Kinder’s Texas Bowl, facing off with LSU at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday at NRG Stadium. 
 
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN, with Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (analyst) and Taylor Davis (sideline) calling the action. The game will also be broadcast live on the Baylor Sports Media Network, with the Voice of the Bears, John Morris (play-by-play), and former BU greats J.J. Joe (analyst) and Ricky Thompson (sideline) calling the action. 
 
Baylor (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) will be meeting LSU (8-4, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) for the first time since the 1985 Liberty Bowl and for the third time in a bowl game. The Bears have advanced to 27 total bowl games, including 12 of the last 15 years, and are playing a bowl in Houston for the first time since the 2018 Academy + Sports Houston Bowl. 
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
• LSU comes into the game with the Bears owning a 8-4 record and posting a 5-3 mark in Southeastern Conference play. The Tigers have won two straight, going 6-1 at Tiger Stadium and 2-2 in road games. LSU owned a ranking as high as No. 8, which followed a 29-26 overtime win over No. 9 Ole Miss. The Tigers were ranked in 10 of their 12 games in 2024. 
• LSU wrapped up its regular season with a 37-17 beatdown of Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 30, which followed a 24-17 win over upstart Vanderbilt. LSU suffered losses vs. Florida, No. 11 Alabama, No. 14 Texas A&M and No. 23 USC, earning wins over Nicholls, South Carolina, UCLA, South Alabama, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Vanderbilt at OU. 
• LSU is under the direction of third-year head coach Brian Kelly, a decorated winner who has served as a successful head coach at Grand Valley State (1991-2003), Central Michigan (2004-06), Cincinnati (2006-09), Notre Dame (2010-21) and LSU (2022-24). Including all stops, Kelly owns a 291-107-2 all-time record and has gone 28-11 in his three years at LSU, helping the Tigers to a 10-4 season in 2022 – including a Citrus Bowl win – a 10-3 mark in 2023 – including a ReliaQuest Bowl win – and an 8-4 mark in 2024. Kelly went 92-39 in his tenure in South Bend, Ind.
• Kelly is assisted by associate head coach and running backs coach Frank Wilson, the former head coach at UTSA and McNeese, defensive coordinator Blake Baker and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan. Cortez Hankton serves as the co-offensive coordinator. A native of Houston, Baker is in his first year as the DC, after serving as Missouri’s DC from 2022-23 and previously serving as the LB coach at LSU in 2021. He was the DC at Miami from 2019-20 and Louisiana Tech from 2015-18. Sloan coached QBs at LSU from 2022-23 before taking over as the OC in 2024. He was on the staff at Louisiana Tech from 2013-21, including time as the OC from 2020-21. 
• The Tigers average 431.9 yards per game, including 315.3 passing and 116.6 rushing. Defensively, LSU allows 352.5 yards per game, including 205.9 passing and 146.6 rushing. LSU averages 29.3 points per game and allows 23.7. QB Garrett Nussmeier has thrown for 3,739 yards with 26 TDs and 11 interceptions. Caden Durham has rushed for 693 yards with six TDs on 127 carries, while Josh Williams has added 108 rushes for 440 yards and five TDs. Kyren Lacey has hauled in a tea-leading 58 catches for 866 yards and nine TDs, while Aaron Anderson has caught 53 balls for 784 yards with five TDs and Mason Taylor owns 55 grabs for 546 yards and two scores. Defensively, White Weeks has 119 tackles, 10 for a loss and 3.5 sacks. Greg Penn III has 80 tackles, Bradyn Swinson has 8.5 sacks and 12 QB hurries and Zy Alexander owns two interceptions. 
 
SIX-GAME WIN STREAK
• Baylor is riding a six-game winning streak, its most since 2021, entering the bowl game seeking its first six-game streak since 2019. The five-game win streak vs. Big 12 teams is its most since 2019. 
• The six-game streak includes a furious offensive attack that ranks among the nation’s leaders. 
 
UP NEXT
• Baylor will open its 2025 season on Aug. 30 vs. Auburn at McLane Stadium and then on Sept. 6, traveling to face SMU. 
 
SERIES HISTORY
• Baylor will be meeting LSU for the 12th time in series history and the first time since facing LSU in the 1985 Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn., a 21-7 Baylor win. LSU leads the all-time series, 8-3. 
• LSU has won three of the last four meetings and opened the series with wins in five straight games from 1907-1959. the Bears won in 1960, 1963 and 1985. 

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