The countdown is on for LSU football’s game against Baylor in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
The 8-4 Tigers can end the season on a three-game win streak with a victory over the Bears in Houston. Following a midseason skid where it lost three straight SEC games, LSU recovered to defeat Vanderbilt and Oklahoma in Death Valley.
Since its final game, the Tigers saw parts of its roster depart for the NFL Draft and enter the transfer portal. They will be without three starting offensive linemen and its top two receiving threats, along with both starting defensive ends.
Head coach Brian Kelly’s team made several transfer portal acquisitions, but now is the time for the current roster to make a lasting impression heading into the offseason.
Baylor brings almost its full roster to Tuesday’s contest, with the exception of a starting safety and defensive end depth piece, both of whom entered the portal. By ending the regular season on a six-game win streak, the Bears bring a heap of confidence into the matchup. Will it be enough to defeat LSU?
Here are three things to watch in the Texas Bowl between LSU and Baylor.
LSU’s passing attack
Garrett Nussmeier will play quarterback for LSU after announcing his return for the 2025 season. But who will catch the passes?
The gunslinger’s two favorite targets in Kyren Lacy and Mason Taylor declared for the NFL Draft. Three wide receivers and a tight end entered the portal, leaving a relatively inexperienced group of pass catchers.
Baylor doesn’t boast a high-powered passing defense, which may give the Tigers time to establish rhythm distributing the ball. [autotag]Chris Hilton[/autotag] hauled in two catches for two touchdowns of 40+ yards and [autotag]Aaron Anderson[/autotag] could continue his breakout campaign as well.
A key to success in the passing game is the offensive line’s ability to protect Nussmeier. It will be playing without its two starting tackles and a starting guard as it attempts to hold a Baylor defensive line in check that boats one of the best interiors in the Big 12.
Baylor Run Game
For the Bears’ offense to be successful, it must establish the run with Bryson Washington. He finished sixth in the Big 12 with 1,004 rushing yards and averages 5.9 yards per carry. Dawson Pendergrass also has 100 attempts on the season and averages 6.1 yards per carry.
A point of emphasis for Kelly on defense was for the secondary to shorten the field and make open-field tackles. With [autotag]Sage Ryan[/autotag] entering the portal and [autotag]Major Burns[/autotag] opting out, the Tigers will be without two of its veteran defenders. Up front, defensive ends Bradyn Swinson and Sai’Vion Jones are slated to play.
Washington is hard to take down as he averages 4.13 yards after contact, good enough for third in the Big 12. LSU needs to make contact early to combat the run while also relying on a young group of safeties to lock down in pass defense. True freshmen Da’Shawn Spears and Javien Toviano will be the two players to watch for the Tigers.
Special Team Battle
Since Kelly’s arrival to Baton Rouge, he’s aimed to strengthen the special teams units in order to make game-changing plays. The units, especially in punt returns, will need to lock in for the contest against the Bears.
Baylor allows just 5.9 yards in punt returns per game while averaging 20.67 yards itself. Josh Cameron returned 14 punts for 290 yards, averaging 20.71 yards per return. He took one for 73 yards.
That success extends to kickoffs as well. In 2024, Jamaal Bell returned one for a touchdown and averaged 24.5 yards per return through 20 attempts. Punter Palmer Williams averages 49.61 per kick and had 21 go for over 50 yards. He totaled 2,034 punting yards on the season.
Should LSU need to punt the ball often, it needs to stay disciplined in its defense and make tackles early to eliminate the Bears’ threats in the return game. Winning the field position battle through special teams will give the Tigers an even better chance to end their season on a high note.