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5 stats that defined LSU’s loss at Texas A&M in Week 9

These five stats defined LSU’s loss at Texas A&M.

LSU’s second half did not go to plan in College Station on Saturday night. Texas A&M turned to dual-threat QB Marcel Reed and the LSU defense had no response.

On the other side of the ball, LSU’s failure to run the ball put too much on the passing game and QB [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] made a series of mistakes that let the game get away from LSU.

LSU was a slight underdog and playing on the road in the SEC is never easy, but A&M flat-out beat LSU in the second half. ESPN play-by-play man Chris Fowler called it a Texas A&M avalanche. It’s hard to find a better way to describe it.

Texas A&M looked like a playoff team over the final two quarters while LSU looked like a team unprepared for the moment. Mistakes in all phases of the game cost LSU on Saturday night. Anything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

Here are five stats that defined LSU’s loss.

LSU’s 1.9 yards per carry

At first, that reads like a typo. LSU averaged 1.9 yards per carry — not what’s expected from an SEC team with future NFL linemen and blue-chip running backs.

[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] ran it 11 times for 15 yards while Josh Williams got seven carries for 23 yards. Together, they combined for a -8.33 EPA on the ground.

LSU’s offensive line couldn’t get any push or create space. Durham and Williams were constantly met by Texas A&M defenders at the line of scrimmage.

Just 19% of LSU’s runs went for 4+ yards. A&M’s mark was at 60%.

“We spent a lot of time on our run game. We should be better there,” [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] said.

Garrett Nussmeier: Three interceptions

After Week 9, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] leads the SEC with nine picks on the year. We knew Nussmeier was a “gunslinger” who would put the ball in jeopardy at times, but three picks on Saturday allowed the game to unravel for LSU.

Throwing three picks in a half isn’t a recipe for success. The turnovers came on LSU’s end of the field and set A&M up for a touchdown drive of eight yards and 26 yards. The third pick led to a field goal. Combined, A&M scored 17 points off the Nussmeier turnovers.

You could feel the momentum swing after the first interception. That’s where the game was lost for LSU. The Tigers weren’t able to settle down after that and the floodgates opened.

LSU special teams: -5.02 EPA

LSU’s field goal unit struggled on Saturday. A poor hold led to [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag] missing a field goal late in the first quarter. In the second, LSU missed another one.

Long snapper [autotag]Slade Roy[/autotag] and holder [autotag]Peyton Todd[/autotag] weren’t on the same page and it led to a bungled snap in the third quarter. That’s nine points left on the board.

With the way A&M controlled the game in the second half, it’s hard to say the nine points were the difference, but the second half looks different if LSU is playing with a bigger lead.

When you send the field goal unit out there three times, you don’t want to come away empty on all three attempts.

LSU’s EPA without explosive plays: -36.29

LSU’s offense had a few explosive plays on Saturday night, including a 76-yard catch and run from [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] and some third-down conversions to [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag].

Outside of that, LSU struggled to get anything going on offense. Without the explosive plays, LSU’s EPA was -36.29. LSU’s worst mark of the year.

With the run game not providing anything, it was hard to establish down-to-down consistency. That allowed A&M to tee up blitzes on Nussmeier and showcase some disguised coverages.

Nussmeier was feeling the pressure and knew the only way LSU could score was a big play through the air. Kelly said LSU is putting too much on its quarterback and that was evident on Saturday.

Mason Taylor and Kyren Lacy: 8 catches on 16 targets

This stat may feel a little nitpicky, but LSU only completed half of its targets to its most reliable receivers.

LSU turns to Taylor and Lacy when it needs a conversion — they’re Nussmeier’s go-to guys.

This is related to LSU’s lack of down-to-down efficiency. Part of LSU becoming a better situational football team means consistently completing passes to the dependable pass catchers.

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Stock Up, Stock Down: A tale of 2 halves as LSU falls at Texas A&M

What looked like it could be a statement win for the Tigers turned into a disaster in the second half.

LSU took a trip to College Station, Texas, to take on the Texas A&M Aggies and their new head coach, Mike Elko. In the first half, LSU was on fire. They took a 17-7 lead into the break.

Unfortunately, that lead would not last. In the second half, LSU was outscored 31-6 as Nussmeier threw three interceptions and a new quarterback for A&M was unstoppable. Elko subbed in Marcel Reed in the second half for the Aggies and they scored on every drive he had. It was a rough loss for LSU as it suffered its first conference loss.

Let’s look at who saw their stock rise and who saw their stock fall in the Tigers’ loss to Texas A&M in Week 9.

Stock Down: Garrett Nussmeier

[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] picked a bad night to have his worst game of the season. Nussmeier looked great in the first half but in the second half, he got bullied by the Aggies defense. He finished the night with three interceptions, the most interceptions he has thrown in a single game in his career.

Stock Up: Aaron Anderson

[autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] had another big game as he finished the night with three receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown. He led the Tigers in receiving yards with [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] right behind him.

Stock Down: Special Teams

[autotag]Damien Ramos[/autotag] had a rough night in College Station. He made his first field goal but he missed his last two field goal attempts as he doinked the first one and just missed the second one.

Stock Down: Abhorrent second half

After taking a 17-7 lead before halftime, LSU was outscored 31-6 in the second half. Nussmeier threw three interceptions and the defense had no answer for Marcel Reed. Every drive Reed started ended in points.

Stock Down: Running game

I have been harping on the LSU run game for two years in a row and I will continue to do it. Texas A&M outgained LSU on the ground 242-24. LSU finished the game with only 24 rushing yards. How do you plan on opening up the passing game if the other team does not have to respect your run game?

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Instant Analysis: LSU collapses in second half, suffers first SEC loss against Texas A&M

It was a tale of two halves for the Tigers in Saturday night’s frustrating loss to Texas A&M.

It was a tale of two halves for LSU on Saturday night against Texas A&M.

The Tigers dominated the first half and looked like they were on the way to a statement win on the road. But TAMU completely reversed the script in the second half, outscoring them 31-6 as it ultimately pulled away to win 38-23 and hand coach Brian Kelly’s team its first SEC loss as well as a severe blow to its College Football Playoff hopes.

LSU captured the early momentum on the road, taking a 3-0 lead before a fumble from star Aggies running back Le’Veon Moss deep in their own territory set it up with excellent field position. The Tigers’ offense cashed in with an excellent throw and catch from [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] to [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] to extend the lead to 10-0.

However, Texas A&M responded with an impressive drive to get on the board as Moss made up for the fumble with a touchdown to get on the board.

LSU had a chance to push its lead back up to 10, but a dropped touchdown from [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag], who mistimed his attempt to high-point a ball in the endzone in his first target of the season, brought out the field goal unit. From 48 yards out, [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag] missed just to the right as the Tigers wasted a scoring opportunity.

However, they wouldn’t waste their next possession. After starting at the 10, Nussmeier found [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] on a quick slant, and he did the rest as he hit a gap and found paydirt 75 yards later, outrunning the entire Aggie secondary.

LSU had the momentum entering the second half but missed some opportunities. Ramos missed another long field goal before halftime, and early in the third quarter, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] threw an ugly interception to set the Aggies up with excellent field position.

After a 6 of 18 start for Conner Weigman, Mike Elko opted for a quarterback change to the more mobile Marcel Reed, and they quickly capitalized and cut the deficit to three. LSU had a chance to answer on the ensuing drive, but more special teams mishaps cost it as an early snap ruined the timing on Ramos’ kick, which couldn’t even be attempted.

TAMU responded with a quick touchdown drive led and capped off by Reed, giving it its first lead of the game. Things went from bad to worse as Nussmeier, who was excellent in the first half, tossed his second interception to give the Aggies great field position again. Though a penalty took a touchdown off the board, Texas A&M ultimately found the end zone to extend the lead to 11.

With their backs against the wall, the Tigers had to respond. Nussmeier made a few gutsy throws to lead them down the field, and after a touchdown pass to [autotag]Trey’Dez Green[/autotag] was ruled short at the one, Nussmeier did it himself on a sneak to cut the deficit back to one score. However, the two-point conversion attempt to cut it to three was no good, and LSU still faced a five-point deficit.

However, it ultimately didn’t matter. Once Reed entered the game, the Tiger defense couldn’t get off the field. On the following drive, Reed connected with Noah Thomas for a 54-yard gain, and Moss quickly scored again to push the lead to 12, the biggest lead of the game to that point for either team.

The offense got the ball back, but a well-read check down was intercepted, Nussmeier’s third of the game, and while Texas A&M couldn’t quite deliver the dagger, it hit a field goal to push the lead to 15 and make things difficult for the Tigers.

LSU turned the ball over on downs, officially ending any hope of a comeback. After dominating the first half, Nussmeier was just 11 of 24 in the second along with his three turnovers. He was also sacked twice and faced the most pressure he has all season, though he still managed 405 yards on 50 attempts with 50% completion.

Nussmeier had to lead the way on offense as there was no ground game to speak of. LSU totaled just 24 yards on 23 carries.

Defensively, it was a disastrous second half. The Tigers allowed 229 yards in the final two quarters and 376 overall. The Aggies ran for 242 yards and five touchdowns, with Reed accounting for 62 of those yards and three of those touchdowns.

It’s an ugly loss for an LSU team that seemed to have turned the corner in recent weeks. Now, it will have the week off to refocus before hosting Alabama in what has become a must-win game.

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Former LSU receivers continue to dominate the NFL

LSU continues to earn the title of WRU early in 2024.

For years, LSU was known as “DBU.”

The Tigers were synonymous with sending star defensive backs to the NFL. In recent years, former LSU defensive backs have continued to produce, but LSU has claimed the mantle at another position — wide receiver.

Three of the NFL’s six leading receivers are LSU products. [autotag]Ja’Marr Chase[/autotag] leads the NFL with 620 yards. [autotag]Justin Jefferson[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] rank fifth and sixth with 531 and 513 yards, respectively.

Further down the leaderboard, [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] ranks 14th with 427 yards. He sits eight in catches, despite only playing five games and getting rough quarterback play.

LSU put receivers in the NFL throughout the 2000s and 2010s. [autotag]Dwayne Bowe[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon LaFell[/autotag] eventually gave way to [autotag]Odell Beckham Jr.[/autotag] and [autotag]Jarvis Landry[/autotag]. But the group in the league now is deeper and more talented.

Its a young group too, and its set up to lead the NFL for some time. Thomas and Nabers are rookies while Chase and Jefferson are just getting around to their second contracts.

Ohio State has a claim to “WRU” too with Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Marvin Harrison Jr. in the league. But that core doesn’t stack up with LSU’s at the moment.

LSU has another promising group of receivers on campus now. [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] both rank in the top 10 in the SEC in receiving yards and will aim to be LSU’s next difference makers at the next level.

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4 things we’ve learned about LSU in 2024

LSU is halfway through its regular season. Here’s four things we’ve learned about the Tigers.

We’re already halfway through the college football regular season. LSU has six games down with six more to go.

LSU’s first six games didn’t lack intrigue. LSU’s played four games against Power Four opponents and three came down to the wire. LSU came up short against USC in Week 1 but staged comebacks against South Carolina and Ole Miss to jump out to a 2-0 start in conference play.

After the Ole Miss upset, LSU is up to No. 8 in the AP Poll, five spots better than where it began the year at No. 13.

Given all that LSU lost after 2023, a 5-1 start is impressive. You can’t make the playoff in the first six games, but you can get knocked out of it. LSU did enough to stay alive and remain in the thick of the playoff race.

Here, we’ll look at five things we’ve learned about LSU in these last seven weeks. We had a lot of questions about this group entering the year and now with a good sample size to look at, many have been answered.

The receiver depth is even better than we thought

Receiver was somewhat of a question for LSU after losing [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] That type of production is hard to replace in one offseason, but LSU is managing just fine with a plethora of talented options.

[autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] leads the way with 30 catches for 463 yards. His five-catch, 111-yard performance vs. Ole Miss made it back-to-back 100-yard games for the fifth-year senior.

[autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] is enjoying a breakout year with 30 catches for 452 yards. Both marks rank in the top 10 among SEC receivers. Transfers [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Zavion Thomas[/autotag] are both making impacts too.

Along with the receivers, tight end [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] leads all SEC tight ends with 33 receptions.

This group doesn’t have the same explosiveness element as last year’s, but it’s deep and dependable.

Defensive development is ahead of schedule

LSU brought in a new staff on the defensive side of the ball, hoping to accelerate the development and get the most out of its young talent. We’re seeing that so far.

Start at defensive tackle, where [autotag]Bo Davis[/autotag] continues to get competent production from its interior defensive line despite losing [autotag]Jacobian Guillory[/autotag]. True freshmen [autotag]Ahmad Breaux[/autotag] and [autotag]Dominick McKinley[/autotag] are both in the rotation while veteran transfer [autotag]Gio Paez[/autotag] is on track to set career highs in stops and pressures.

At linebacker, Blake Baker has sophomore Whit Weeks playing like a star. Greg Penn has shown progress too.

LSU hired Corey Raymond to rebuild the secondary, and we’re already seeing the impact for LSU’s corners. The Tigers look much more comfortable in man coverage and playing balls in the air. Zy Alexander leads all SEC CBs in PFF coverage grade after week seven.

The OC transition could have been smoother

LSU’s offense is good, but it’s still experiencing some hiccups as it figures out its identity. Mike Denbrock took the OC job at Notre Dame after leading the best offense in the country at LSU in 2023.

Brian Kelly didn’t have to look far for Denbrock’s replacement, promoting QB coach Joe Sloan and WR coach Cortez Hankton.

Sloan called plays before in his time at Louisiana Tech, but this is his first time doing it at this level.

LSU has struggled to recreate last year’s success on the ground. Regression was expected without Jayden Daniels’ legs, but the fall is significant. After leading the country in EPA/rush last year, LSU ranks 94th this year.

Nussmeier isn’t a threat with his legs and LSU is yet to find an adjustment that makes up for that.

The drop-back game is one of the best in the FBS, but consistency is an issue. Nussmeier was uncomfortable early against Ole Miss but eventually settled in. Expect Sloan to get his QB in rhythm early against Arkansas.

LSU shows poise under pressure

All offseason, Brian Kelly spoke about the maturity of this team. He said it was the most “player-led” group he’s had since arriving in Baton Rouge. That’s starting to show up on the field.

LSU hasn’t played many comfortable games this year. Outside of South Alabama, virtually every game was close at one point. That said, LSU found a way to be 5-1.

The Tigers came up short at the end vs. USC, but LSU hung in there to get big conference wins against South Carolina and Ole Miss. Both wins required big plays late in the game.

Ideally, you’d like to see LSU controlling more games than it is, but remaining cool under pressure isn’t a skill every team has. It’ll come in handy with more close games in the coming weeks.

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5 takeaways from LSU’s overtime win over Ole Miss

Here are five takeaways from LSU’s thrilling win over Ole Miss.

LSU didn’t run a single play with the lead on Saturday night, but the Tigers led when it mattered the most — after the final play.

Down three, needing a touchdown to win, QB [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] found [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] in the endzone to upset No. 9 Ole Miss in front of a packed Tiger Stadium crowd.

LSU needed this win. A season-opening loss to USC trimmed the margin for error, but with this victory, LSU adds a signature win to its resume.

As for Ole Miss, it was the Rebels’ second loss of the year. Lane Kiffin’s group will most likely have to be perfect from here on out to remain in the playoff discussion.

LSU is right back in the thick of the national picture as SEC play heats up. The Tigers will play back-to-back road games at Arkansas and Texas A&M. Both will be tests, but LSU proved it is ready to compete on the big stage with Saturday’s win.

Here are five takeaways from LSU’s 29-26 overtime victory.

Garrett Nussmeier makes the play when it matters

[autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] didn’t play his best football on Saturday night, but he made the plays when it mattered the most. With regulation winding down, Nussmeier delivered a strike to [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] to tie the game. On the first play of overtime, Nussmeier found Lacy for six.

Nussmeier was just 22/51 on the night, but when you look back at this performance, you’re going to remember the throws to Anderson and Lacy.

Equally important, was a throw to [autotag]Mason Taylor[/autotag] on fourth down to keep LSU alive on the final drive in the fourth.

LSU got resiliency from its senior quarterback on Saturday night.

Defense delivers

LSU opened its checkbook to land defensive coordinator [autotag]Blake Baker[/autotag]. The reasons why were evident on Saturday night.

Even as the offense got off to a slow start, the defense got the necessary stops. Ole Miss’ success rate on the night was just 37%, putting the Rebels in the 30th percentile.

LSU struggled on third down, but that’s about the only complaint. LSU was aggressive and made life hard on the ground and through the air. The unit made the necessary adjustments throughout the night to come up with stops in the fourth quarter.

The secondary played well and LSU’s young corners made plays in man coverage. That’s what LSU needs if it’s going to reach the playoff.

LSU’s run game is still an issue

LSU didn’t get much from its run game. The Tigers averaged -0.25 EPA/rush, far below an acceptable mark. 50% of LSU’s runs were stopped for two yards or less and that led to trouble on later downs.

[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] carried it 12 times for 37 yards and [autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] ran it nine times for 34 yards. Both backs didn’t get much help from the offensive line as Ole Miss did a good job of plugging the holes.

We knew Ole Miss had a strong defensive front entering the night, but LSU looked outmatched when it tried to run the ball. That’s not a good sign with the defenses LSU has on deck.

LSU defense creates havoc

LSU got the big plays it needed from its defense. On the night, LSU generated 11 tackles for loss and six sacks.

[autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] and [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] were active all night, getting pressure on Jaxson Dart and getting runs stops near or behind the line of scrimmage.

LSU knew it needed to keep Ole Miss off schedule to have a chance in this one. The big plays from the front seven prevented Kiffin’s offense from establishing a consistent rhythm.

LSU is back in the playoff race

LSU took a back seat in the playoff discussion these last few weeks, but a win over a top-10 opponent should move the needle.

It’s a long season, but this game had major playoff implications no matter the winner. LSU remains in control of its own destiny with the win while Ole Miss will need some help.

This win buys back some room for error for LSU. The Tigers can lose one down the stretch and still make the playoff at 10-2.

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Stock Up, Stock Down: LSU beats Ole Miss in overtime classic

Let’s look at who saw their stock rise and who saw their stock fall in the win over the Rebels.

LSU welcomed Ole Miss into Baton Rouge for one of the biggest games of the season. The No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels were looking to remain in the top 10 and deep in the hunt for a college football playoff spot. To do that, they would have to beat No. 13 LSU under the lights of Tiger Stadium.

The Rebels led this game from the start of the second quarter until Aaron Anderson caught a touchdown pass to tie it with 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter. That led to this game going to overtime. In overtime, the Rebels got the ball first and were backed up to 4th and 25. Ole Miss hit a 57-yard field goal to give them a 26-23 lead.

On the Tigers’ first play in overtime, [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] found [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] on a 25-yard touchdown pass to win the game 29-26.

Let’s look at who saw their stock rise and who saw their stock fall in this game.

Stock Up: Aaron Anderson

[autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] had another big game as he caught a touchdown pass late to tie the game at 23. He finished the night with three receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown against Ole Miss.

Stock Down: Run Game

Once again, LSU was unable to run the ball in a big game. The Tigers finished the night with 84 yards on 24 carries. That is an average of only 3.5 yards a carry. That will not get the job done in the biggest games. With the offensive line the Tigers have, they should be able to get over 100 yards on the ground.

Stock Up: Whit Weeks

(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

[autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] had the best game of his career against Ole Miss. He finished the night with a team-high 18 tackles. 10 of those tackles were solo. He was almost ejected from the game for targeting but after a review, the call was overturned.

Stock Down: Turnovers

SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The only downside I can see from this game is Nussmeier throwing two interceptions. Those two interceptions led to LSU losing the turnover battle against South Alabama. Again, it did not matter in the end, but it is something to improve on.

Stock Up: Sacks

LSU spent a lot of time in the backfield against Ole Miss. The Tigers ended the night with six total sacks compared to Ole Miss having zero. [autotag]Bradyn Swinson[/autotag] led the way with two sacks of his own.

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Instant analysis from LSU’s thrilling overtime win over Ole Miss

The Tigers survived to win an instant classic against Ole Miss in overtime.

Ole Miss entered Saturday night’s game looking for its first win at Tiger Stadium since 2008. After a wild game that couldn’t be decided after four quarters, the Rebels are still searching for that win as LSU survived an instant classic thanks to a dart from [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] to [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] to win the game in overtime, 29-26.

It was a rough start offensively for the Tigers. They couldn’t run the ball, totaling just 33 yards on 13 carries in the first half while [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] completed just 11 of 26 passes with an unlucky interception on a tip drill.

Ole Miss had its own issues capitalizing, coming away with zero points on two early red zone trips after a missed field goal and failed fourth-down conversion. But the Rebels still managed to move the ball and jumped out to a 10-0 lead.

LSU would get on the board with a nice drive capped off by a touchdown pass to [autotag]Trey’Dez Green[/autotag], and though Ole Miss scored again to push its lead back to 10, the Tigers had a chance late in the second quarter but a touchdown pass to [autotag]Zavion Thomas[/autotag] was called back as LSU settled for a field goal.

It got another chance on an Ole Miss fumble in the final minute but once again had to settle for a [autotag]Damian Ramos[/autotag] field goal as it went into the locker room facing a 17-13 deficit.

LSU got into scoring position early in the third quarter on a big pass play to [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag], but the drive stalled and Ramos missed a kick. The Rebels responded with a field goal drive of their own, but LSU would answer with another Ramos kick to cut it to 20-16 with just over a minute left in the third quarter.

The teams traded interceptions in the fourth quarter, and Ole Miss was ultimately able to extend its lead to seven in the final minutes.

Facing a do-or-die drive, Nussmeier came up clutch. On fourth and five from the 23-yard line, he found Anderson with the game on the line for a game-tying touchdown with 27 seconds to play. That forced overtime after a [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag] sack on a Hail Mary attempt halted Ole Miss’ potential game-winner.

After some procedural penalties to start the overtime period, Ole Miss had to settle for a field goal. The Tigers took over knowing a touchdown would win it, and it took only one play for Nussmeier to deliver just that, finding Lacy in the end zone in one-on-one coverage for the game-winner.

It wasn’t the most efficient game for Nussmeier, who completed just 22 of 51 passes with a pair of interceptions. But he also threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns, including the decisive score in overtime. Lacy finished with 111 yards and a score on five catches.

It wasn’t a banner day for the defense, which allowed 464 yards, but the Tigers managed to keep the Rebels from scoring touchdowns, giving the offense a chance. Twelve penalties for more than 100 yards and two turnovers of its own didn’t help the Ole Miss cause.

The win keeps LSU’s College Football Playoff hopes alive, and the Tigers will look to keep the momentum going when they travel to face Arkansas next weekend.

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PFF’s 5 highest graded LSU players after 5 games

According to PFF, these are LSU’s five most valuable players through five games.

LSU is five games into its 2024 campaign. After a win over South Alabama in week five, the Tigers are 4-1 heading into a bye week.

After the open date, the schedule heats up. LSU will host Ole Miss on Oct. 12 before taking road trips to Arkansas and Texas A&M. That stretch is pivotal to LSU’s playoff hopes. If LSU goes 3-0, the Tigers have room for error heading into the Alabama showdown on Nov. 9. Anything less than 3-0 means the pressure is on the rest of the way.

After dropping the opener, four-straight wins have LSU back where it began the season in the polls. Here, we’ll take a look at the players providing the most value to LSU right now.

PFF grades aren’t perfect, but they can be a good insight into a player’s performance. Here are PFF’s top five graded Tigers through five games.

Note: To qualify, a player needs at least 75+ offensive or defensive snaps played.

No. 5 – Zy Alexander, 76.9

Alexander hasn’t played much thanks to being in and out of the lineup with injuries. But when he has played, he’s been LSU’s top-graded defensive back.

He’s allowed five yards in 53 coverage snaps while recording a pass breakup. He wasn’t even targeted in 14 coverage snaps vs. UCLA.

Alexander missed last week with a concussion. The bye comes at a good time for the LSU defense which could use its veteran cornerback in the lineup.

No. 4 – Aaron Anderson, 78.9

[autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] is in the midst of a breakout campaign. He’s LSU’s leading receiver with 27 catches to go along with 371 yards. Both of those marks are already career highs for the redshirt sophomore. He was a five-star out of high school in 2022 and that talent is starting to show.

Anderson’s grade of 78.9 puts him in the top 10 among SEC receivers and his 3.28 yards per route run ranks seventh.

LSU knew what it had in [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] at receiver, but Anderson added another element to this group.

No. 3 – Bradyn Swinson, 79.3

Swinson is LSU’s top-graded defender thus far. This is a case where the number clearly matches what we see on the field. Swinson is the definition of an impact player.

His 19 pressures rank third in the SEC while his five sacks are tied for second. LSU needed a true disruptor to emerge up front and it got just that with Swinson.

No. 2 – Caden Durham, 80.2

Durham has the smallest sample size of anyone on this list with just 71 snaps and 29 carries on the year. But he’s beginning to see more and more time and for good reason.

Durham’s grade of 80.2 ranks fourth among LSU running backs. He showed breakaway ability in the win over South Alabama, totaling 157 yards on his first two touches.

Durham’s 8.4 yards per carry lead all qualified SEC running backs. LSU may have its next backfield star in the true freshman.

No. 1 – Garrett Nussmeier, 87

LSU’s top-graded player is its leader at quarterback. Nussmeier’s PFF grade ranks fifth among SEC QBs. His QBR is even better, ranking 10th nationally.

Nussmeier had a couple of blunders against South Alabama, throwing two picks. Outside of that, it’s hard to criticize much about Nussmeier’s play this year.

LSU has a signal caller that can compete with anyone in the SEC.

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Stock Up, Stock Down: LSU takes care of business against South Alabama

Caden Durham stock = UP.

These kinds of games are trap games for LSU. I have seen them lose these games before but tonight was a different story. Thanks to some help from [autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag], LSU took the lead early in this game and never looked back as LSU’s offense put on a show. The Tigers won the game 42-10 over the South Alabama Jaguars.

Durham had a great night but he was not the only one. [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] also had great games on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, the Tigers were led by [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag] and [autotag]Whit Weeks[/autotag]. Penn finished with 14 tackles and Weeks finished with nine tackles on the night.

Let’s look at who saw their stock rise and who saw their stock fall in this game.

Stock Up: Caden Durham

[autotag]Caden Durham[/autotag] was rated as one of the best running back prospects in the country last year for a reason. The kid is really good. For a team that has not been able to run the ball all year, Durham paved the way on the ground. He finished the night with seven carries for 128 yards and a touchdown. He also had three receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown.

Stock Up: Kyren Lacy

Although he did not finish the game with a touchdown reception, [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] led the way for the LSU receiving core as he finished the night with five catches for 107 yards.

Stock Up: Greg Penn III

What a great game it was for [autotag]Greg Penn III[/autotag]. He finished the night with the most tackles on defense as he had 14 total tackles, seven solo, and 0.5 tackles for loss.

Stock Down: Turnovers

The only downside I can see from this game is Nussmeier throwing two interceptions. Those two interceptions led to LSU losing the turnover battle against USA. Again, it did not matter in the end, but it is something to improve on.

Stock Up: Surviving the trap game

I have seen LSU lose games like this before. Saturday night was a different story. LSU took control of the game in the first quarter and never looked back as they put on a show against the Jaguars.

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