Favored by about five touchdowns, No. 3 LSU got the win but not the style points. The Tigers leaned on a suffocating defense, three Damian Ramos field goals, and a steady night from Garrett Nussmeier to grind past Louisiana Tech, 23-7, on a humid Saturday night at Tiger Stadium. The result keeps LSU football perfect at 2-0, but the performance left plenty to fix before a ranked Florida visit next weekend.

This one never snapped into a blowout. LSU didn’t lead by more than 10 until late in the third quarter and spent long stretches trying to unlock a Bulldogs defense that sat back, rallied to the ball, and dared the Tigers to be patient. Barion Brown, the transfer wideout from Kentucky, answered with eight catches for 94 yards and the game ball, while the LSU defense turned the night into a wrestling match the Bulldogs couldn’t win.

How the game unfolded

LSU actually opened with a wobble. On the fourth offensive snap, Nussmeier underthrew a deep shot to Brown, and Louisiana Tech’s Michael Richard came down with an interception at the Tech 29. The Tigers’ defense responded right away, forcing a three-and-out, and a short punt tilted field position back toward LSU. From there, the offense settled down and assembled its cleanest series of the night: an 11-play, 98-yard march that chewed 5:37 and ended with Nussmeier zipping a 7-yard touchdown to Nic Anderson for a 7-0 lead.

LSU doubled down on long possessions in the second quarter. A 13-play, 85-yard drive stalled in the red zone, but Ramos cashed a 23-yard field goal for 10-0. It was the story of the night: sustained drives, not many explosives, and just enough execution to keep the Bulldogs at arm’s length.

The Tigers finally created a little breathing room after halftime. A short field set up a six-play, 33-yard series that ended with Caden Durham muscling across from 3 yards for a 17-0 edge. With Louisiana Tech’s offense stuck in the mud, that cushion felt bigger than it looked on the scoreboard.

Ramos stretched it to 20-0 with a 46-yarder early in the fourth, and LSU looked ready to coast. Louisiana Tech still had some fight, though. Reserve quarterback Blake Baker led the Bulldogs on their best possession of the night, a 13-play, 74-yard push capped by a 33-yard strike to Devin Gandy with 4:02 left. Any hint of late drama evaporated when LSU answered with a clock-milking drive that ended in Ramos’ third field goal, from 19 yards, to lock down the 23-7 final.

Nussmeier closed with 237 passing yards and the touchdown, bouncing back from the early pick by working underneath throws and taking what was available. LSU spread the ball around, but Brown was the constant. He found holes in zones, won on quick outs, and kept the chains moving. He called the night fun and said he was “just out there having fun, letting the game come to me.” Aaron Anderson added eight catches for 73 yards, giving Nussmeier two reliable outlets as Louisiana Tech shaded coverage to limit deep shots.

Defensively, LSU smothered almost everything. The Tigers held the Bulldogs to 154 total yards and won the line of scrimmage from the jump. Senior linebacker West Weeks led the way with 10 tackles and a sack, and the front seven squeezed running lanes until Tech had to throw into tight windows. Multiple three-and-outs flipped possession numbers and set up LSU’s long, methodical drives. By the end, LSU had outgained Tech by 211 yards and dominated time of possession, 36:52 to 23:08.

Head coach Brian Kelly didn’t sugarcoat it. He said he wasn’t happy with production across the board and called the win a step, not a statement. He did tip his cap to Brown, saying the transfer “balled out” and delivered the playmaking they expected when he arrived from Kentucky.

• Score by quarters: LSU 7-3-7-6, Louisiana Tech 0-0-0-7
• LSU scoring plays: Nic Anderson 7-yard TD catch; Caden Durham 3-yard TD run; Damian Ramos field goals from 23, 46, and 19 yards
• Louisiana Tech scoring play: Blake Baker to Devin Gandy, 33-yard TD pass late in the fourth
• Top performers: Garrett Nussmeier (237 pass yards, 1 TD); Barion Brown (8 rec, 94 yards); West Weeks (10 tackles, 1 sack)

Takeaways and what it means

The defense is ahead of the offense. That was clear in Week 1 and louder in Week 2. LSU tracked the ball cleanly, tackled in space, and set the tone on early downs. Weeks was everywhere, and the pass rush squeezed the pocket without selling out and giving up explosives. Louisiana Tech didn’t have the time or the lanes to sustain drives until the fourth quarter.

On offense, it was a night of patience and small bites. LSU built scoring chances with long drives but left points on the field. Three field goals and just two touchdowns tell the story. Red-zone execution and finishing blocks at the point of attack will be priorities this week. The short game worked; the Tigers will want more chunk plays as competition ramps up.

Nussmeier’s night was solid after the early mistake. He protected the ball, worked through reads, and got it out on time. The aggressive shot to Brown that turned into an interception was a reminder of the thin line between explosive and turnover, but he settled in and ran the system. The next step is hitting intermediate throws that turn first downs into explosives.

Brown looks like a ready-made No. 1 option. He won on slants, outs, and crossers, and he took the stress of the game in stride. Anderson’s volume was another plus; he found space underneath and gave LSU a second steady target. When the Tigers do find more vertical chances, those two should open lanes for everyone else.

Special teams did its job. Ramos was calm and clean from three distances, including a confident 46-yarder. Field position was steady, and the operation looked sharp. Nights like this, where touchdowns are hard to find, turn kickers into difference-makers.

Discipline and details will be the theme before Florida. LSU didn’t bury an underdog when it had chances. The Tigers were methodical, not explosive, and that kept the door cracked longer than anyone in purple and gold wanted. A top-15 opponent will punish red-zone stalls and third-and-medium miscues. The building blocks are there—ball control, a defense that hunts, and skill players who can win their matchups—but the finishing touch needs to arrive fast.

Context matters, and the schedule now sharpens. At 2-0, LSU has done what it must—win and stay healthy—while the defense has set a high floor. The upside depends on how quickly the offense finds balance between patience and punch. Florida will bring more speed, more disguise, and more stress. If LSU’s defense travels and the receivers keep winning, the Tigers will like their chances. If the red-zone gridlock sticks around, expect another tense night under the lights in Death Valley.

For now, LSU owns a 23-7 win that reads comfortable on paper and complicated on tape. That’s not a bad place to be in early September—so long as the fixes come by next Saturday night.

Aldric Whittaker

Hi, I'm Aldric Whittaker and I'm an expert in home building with a special passion for interior design and home repair. I've been in the construction industry for over 15 years, and I've helped countless clients create their dream homes. In addition to my work as a builder, I also enjoy writing about my experiences and sharing my knowledge with others. My goal is to inspire people to create beautiful and functional living spaces, and to provide practical advice on maintaining and improving their homes.

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