Tag: ReliaQuest Bowl

Wisconsin starting wide receiver to return for senior season

Wisconsin starting wide receiver to return for senior season

Wisconsin starting wide receiver Bryson Green confirmed to reporters after the Badgers’ 35-31 loss to LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl that he will return to Wisconsin next season.

The former Oklahoma State wideout and college veteran has one year of eligibility remaining, though technically would’ve been eligible for the 2024 NFL Draft had that been an attractive path. Then with the current state of the transfer portal, there’s never total assurance that veteran contributors will return.

Green caught 25 passes for 375 yards and one touchdown during the regular season, then added seven catches for 105 yards and a touchdown during today’s loss to LSU. He figures to be Wisconsin’s top receiving option next season alongside standout Will Pauling. The trio of Green, Pauling and C.J. Williams project to be the top group in year two under Phil Longo.

Wisconsin saw experienced wide receivers Chimere Dike and Skyler Bell enter the portal after the regular season. Retaining Pauling and Green is big for the offense’s prospects in 2024.

Five Takeaways from LSU’s ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin

Here are five takeaways from LSU’s ReliaQuest Bowl meeting with Wisconsin.

LSU’s year came to an end in Tampa on Monday with LSU beating Wisconsin 35-31 in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

It makes it back-to-back 10-win seasons for [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] to begin his tenure at LSU.

The big story on LSU’s side was [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] taking over the reins at QB with [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] opting out as he moves on to the NFL.

Nussmeier passed the test with flying colors, throwing for nearly 400 yards and leading a 98-yard game-winning drive.

Also of note, [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] added to the record book, setting the program receiving yards record.

Here are five takeaways from LSU’s win.

Instant Analysis: LSU overcomes early deficit to beat Wisconsin in Garrett Nussmeier’s first start

Garrett Nussmeier threw for nearly 400 yards as the Tigers held on to win a ReliaQuest Bowl shootout.

LSU found itself in an early hole against the Wisconsin Badgers in the ReliaQuest Bowl, but after a comeback effort, the Tigers survived to win a 35-31 shootout in Garrett Nussmeier’s first start in an LSU uniform.

The defense was the Achilles heel all season, and it was a rough start on Monday for that unit. The Badgers scored two first-quarter touchdowns to jump out to a 14-0 lead, and LSU gave up 146 yards in the first quarter while its first three drives stalled out.

The Tigers managed to erase that deficit before half, however, with an eight-play, 60-yard touchdown drive that culminated with a handoff to linebacker [autotag]Harold Perkins[/autotag] at the goal line. Nussmeier would lead another scoring drive as [autotag]Kaleb Jackson[/autotag] found the end zone to tie the game with less than 90 seconds to play in the second quarter.

They couldn’t hold that tie, however, allowing a quick go-ahead touchdown drive, and a Nussmeier interception on the ensuing drive gave them a chance to add to the lead, which — fortunately for the Tigers — they were not able to do as the Badgers took a 21-14 lead to the locker room.

LSU gave up a touchdown drive to kick off the third quarter, but the offense responded as Nussmeier found [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] with a 38-yard touchdown pass to give Thomas his 16th score of the year.

After another impressive throw to the corner of the end zone to [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag], the Tigers tied the game at 28.

The Badgers retook the lead with a field goal, but with the quarter winding down, Nussmeier made a couple of big connections to lead the Tigers 98 yards down the field in three minutes to score a go-ahead touchdown with 3:08 to play.

Wisconsin managed to drive all the way down to the LSU 19, but the drive stalled and the offense went backward as the Tigers earned a game-sealing stop on 4th and 25.

Nussmeier had a bit of a slow start, but he settled in very nicely to finish with 395 passing yards and three touchdowns on 31 of 45 passing. His favorite target was [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], who had eight catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns.

[autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] made the start and set LSU’s career receiving yards record, but he would sit the rest of the game after achieving the record.

Nussmeier gave the Tigers a glimpse at what the future could hold on offense, and it’s bright even with Daniels, Nabers and Thomas heading off to the NFL.

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Tanner Mordecai joins former Wisconsin QB Jack Coan with passing mark set against LSU

Tanner Mordecai joins former Wisconsin QB Jack Coan with passing mark set against LSU

Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai is having a day against LSU. At the time of writing this, the Badgers lead the No. 13-ranked Tigers 31-28 entering the fourth quarter. Mordecai is up to 303 passing yards and three touchdowns on the day, having undoubtedly his best day as a Wisconsin Badger.

Believe it or not, Mordecai today became the first Wisconsin passer with 300+ passing yards since September 7, 2019, when Jack Coan threw for 363 yards against Central Michigan.

There are several more instances of this happening between 2010 and 2019 leading into Coan as a starter, including Joel Stave setting the mark three times and Russell Wilson twice. But from Coan to Mordecai, which included 34 games played by Graham Mertz, the Badgers never had a 300+ yard passer.

Mordecai is ending his short Wisconsin career on a high note today as the program moves into 2024 and welcomes in former Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke as its new signal-caller. Careers aren’t made in bowl games, but Mordecai’s performance today should be applauded for years to come.

WATCH: Wisconsin WR Will Pauling is going off against LSU

WATCH: Wisconsin WR Will Pauling is going off against LSU

As this article is being written, the Wisconsin Badgers currently hold a 28-21 lead over the No. 13 LSU Tigers in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Yes, many top LSU players including Heisman Trophy winner QB Jayden Daniels opted out of the game. But the Badgers were double-digit underdogs entering the contest, yet might be playing their best game of the season.

One big piece of that is outgoing QB Tanner Mordecai. He is 18/27 for 259 yards and three touchdowns midway through the third quarter. Another bright spot and someone who will be a huge piece of the team next year: wide receiver Will Pauling.

Pauling went off in the first half, catching five passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns.

His burst and explosion made it look like Wisconsin was the SEC power with the nation’s top wide receivers, instead of LSU on the opposing sideline.

 

Wisconsin and LSU have gone back and forth offensively day, making for an entertaining product. For the Badgers going forward, it’s great news big contributors like Pauling look primed for a huge 2024.

LSU true freshman receiver makes a position change

Receiver Khai Prean has moved to cornerback after redshirting in 2023.

Ahead of the ReliaQuest Bowl against Wisconsin, it seems a member of LSU’s 2023 signing class has made a position change.

Receiver [autotag]Khai Prean[/autotag], a former four-star recruit from Saint James, has moved to cornerback. He also changed his jersey number from No. 82 to No. 28.

Prean was listed as an athlete as a recruit, ranking just outside the top 400 nationally. He played on both sides of the ball in high school, and he was listed on LSU’s depth chart as a cornerback ahead of the matchup against the Badgers.

He will take a redshirt this season as he hasn’t appeared in a game, but he could potentially make his debut in the game against the Badgers.

Prean will help provide added depth in 2024 at a position where the Tigers really need it. Outside of veteran [autotag]Zy Alexander[/autotag], the team is likely to rely heavily on young players in the secondary next fall.

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LSU to wear purple jerseys against Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl

The Tigers will wear a gold-purple-gold combination for the first time in two years.

The Tigers will wrap up the 2023 campaign on Monday when they take on Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, and they’ll do so in some alternate threads.

LSU announced that it will be wearing purple jerseys for the game against the Badgers while it will wear gold pants and its typical gold helmet, as well.

The Tigers are looking to finish up the season by picking up win No. 10, and it would mark back-to-back 10-win seasons under [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag]. It will attempt to do so in a uniform combination it hasn’t worn in two years, though it did wear purple jerseys in the win over Georgia State in November.

It will also be just the fourth time the Tigers have worn purple jerseys in a bowl game and the first since 2000.

LSU will face Wisconsin at Raymond James Stadium at 11 a.m. CT on Monday morning.

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ReliaQuest Bowl: How to watch Wisconsin vs. LSU on TV or live stream

Wisconsin take son LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl and is still a big underdog despite Jayden Daniels not playing.

This season may not have gone according to plan for the Wisconsin Badgers, but they will get a chance to ring in the new year with a bowl victory over an SEC opponent on New Years Day. Wisconsin faces the LSU Tigers on Monday afternoon in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, but they will be an underdog in the matchup.

Wisconsin won’t get much relief in facing an LSU team without the best player in the country, quarterback Jayden Daniels (opting out), because the status of the Wisconsin roster leaves them undermanned against the Tigers, who will be pretty well-stocked outside of the absence of this year’s Heisman Trophy winner.

The Big Ten is 1-2 against the SEC so far this bowl season with Ohio State and Penn State each taking losses to Missouri and Ole Miss, respectively, in their New Years Six bowl games. Maryland picked up the win against Auburn in its bowl game. New Years Day will feature three Big Ten vs. SEC bowl matchups, including the College Football Playoff semifinal between Michigan and Alabama. Can the Big Ten gain an upper hand on the SEC in head-to-head matchups this year?

Here is how to watch Wisconsin take on LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa.

Brian Kelly ‘excited’ to see Da’Shawn Womack’s expanded role in ReliaQuest Bowl

The true freshman and former five-star has said he will start at JACK when LSU is in dime packages.

While bowl games have lost quite a bit of luster in recent years, they still serve a very important purpose.

These games don’t count toward the four-game redshirt limit, meaning young players will have ample opportunity to participate when LSU takes on Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Monday morning.

One of those players is [autotag]Da’Shawn Womack[/autotag], a former five-star recruit and true freshman who told the media he will be starting at the JACK position when LSU sets up in dime packages.

Coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] elaborated on the role he would play.

“Again, another true freshman that will get an opportunity to play quite a bit. ‘Development’ is an interesting word, right? You develop at different times throughout the year,” Kelly said. “It’s time to come out of the oven, right? You keep them in there for so long, then it’s time to play.

“We feel like it’s time for him to play. We’re going to put him in a position where we think he can help us. He’s done a really good job this year of maturing. I think a lot of it was his maturation. That was the first time he was put in front of the media, and that was not by accident. We do things here pretty intentional. We think he’s ready. It will be fun to watch him play.”

Womack has appeared in 11 games as a rotational player this season, making 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

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Garrett Nussmeier discusses first start at quarterback for LSU ahead of ReliaQuest Bowl

Garrett Nussmeier has made 17 appearances for the Tigers, but Monday’s ReliaQuest Bowl will be his first start.

With [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] opting out of the ReliaQuest Bowl against Wisconsin to focus on the NFL draft, the reins have now been handed over to redshirt sophomore [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag].

Nussmeier has seen quite a bit of action in his three years at LSU, but Monday’s New Year’s Day showdown will be his first start. He said that with his familiarity with the team and system, it doesn’t really feel new to him.

“It doesn’t really feel new to me,” Nussmeier said in a release. “I feel like I have great relationships with all my teammates, all my coaches. It doesn’t feel new getting reps with these guys. It’s great to get all the reps now and build chemistry with them, but I think we’ve done a great job as an offense of coming together and doing the right things.”

The son of an NFL assistant, Nussmeier has been a reliable backup for the Tigers, seeing action in 17 games while completing 98 of 174 passes for 1,325 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions.

He shined in extended action against Georgia and Purdue last season, and he also entered at the end against Alabama after an injury to Daniels.

For his part, Daniels also made the trip to Tampa to support his team.

“We made each other better every day,” Nussmeier said of Daniels. “That was the best part. I think that’s helped my career the most, having to compete against such a high level player every single day. We pushed each other. There were no off days. I think that’s what I took away the most.”

Nussmeier has a big opportunity in front of him in what could be an auction for next year’s starting job. The Tigers also added a transfer portal quarterback with SEC starting experience in former Vanderbilt signal-caller AJ Swann, who will arrive in the spring.

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