LSU’s offense started slowly with a three-and-out but quickly found rhythm. Nussmeier capped a 13-play, 45-yard drive with a quarterback sneak for the opening score. The Tigers then pulled away with two consecutive touchdown runs from Johnson, followed by a 17-yard touchdown pass from Nussmeier to Barion Brown and a 9-yard strike to Zavion Thomas just before halftime, giving LSU a commanding 35-0 lead.
Nussmeier, who has been managing a torso injury, delivered a precise performance, completing 25 of 31 passes for 273 yards before exiting early in the third quarter. His final act was a 23-yard touchdown pass to tight end Bauer Sharp, stretching the lead to 42-0. He was replaced by sophomore Michael Van Buren Jr., who contributed a 1-yard rushing touchdown and a 27-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Parker in the fourth quarter.
The Southeastern Louisiana Lions managed just 204 total yards, with most production coming against LSU’s reserves in the second half. Their only touchdown came in the third quarter, when Carson Camp connected with Deantre Jackson for a 14-yard score. LSU’s defense, led by coordinator Blake Baker, held the Lions to just 30 yards of offense in the first half and forced several punts with strong play up front.
LSU outgained Southeastern Louisiana 530-204, recorded 32 first downs to the Lions’ 10, and converted 9 of 14 third-down attempts. The Tigers’ defense collected four sacks, including two from Damien Shanklin, while Kaleb Proctor led the Lions with two sacks of his own.
After the game, head coach Brian Kelly emphasized the team’s focus on playing to their own standard rather than the opponent. “We have a standard of how we want to play and I thought we upheld that standard,” Kelly said. “There is no perfection out there, but there was definitely some progress.”
With the win, LSU improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2019 and extended its home winning streak. Next, the Tigers travel to face Ole Miss as SEC play resumes. Southeastern Louisiana (2-2) will host UTRGV in their next matchup.
For full stats and highlights, visit the ESPN game summary or check the CBS Sports recap.