A game effort by LSU in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl wasn’t quite enough as the Tigers fell to the Houston Cougars 38-35 Saturday night at NRG Stadium in Houston.
LSU finished a disappointing season 7-6. It’s the fewest wins since the Tigers went 6-7 in 2021.
It was the final game at LSU for interim Head Coach Frank Wilson, who has accepted a position as running backs coach at Ole Miss. Wilson guided the Tigers to a 2-3 record after taking over when Brian Kelly was fired.
LSU hired Lane Kiffin, who was at the game, as Kelly’s replacement in late November:
“I’m proud of our team,” Wilson said during his postgame press conference. “I’m proud of the way they competed to the best of their ability especially in the midst of where we’re at in our current state.”
LSU played without several starters, including six on defense, who were injured or opted out after declaring their intention to enter the transfer portal or declaring for the NFL Draft.
The Tigers tied the game at 28 on a 6-yard pass from Michael Van Buren Jr. to Kyle Parker and Damian Ramos’ PAT with 14:54 left in the game.
The Cougars answered with a 13-play, 72-yard drive capped by a 25-yard field goal by Ethan Sanchez with 7:42 left to play.
After forcing a three-and-out, Houston went 81 yards in eight plays for a touchdown and a 38-28 lead with 2:23 left.
LSU wasn’t done, though. Van Buren hit Chris Hilton Jr. with a 46-yard pass. A 15-yard pass to Zavion Thomas and a 14-yarder to Hilton moved the ball to the 1.
On third down from the 3, Zavion Thomas scored on a run, cutting the lead to 38-35 with 1:15 to play.
LSU had a chance to recover the onside kick but couldn’t do it and Houston ran out the clock.
The Tigers got off to a great start. Barion Brown returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. LSU made it 14-0 on a 23-yard pass from Van Buren to Green.
The Cougars then scored three unanswered touchdowns to take a 21-14 halftime lead. The final one, a 7-yard pass from Conner Weigman to tight end Tanner Koziol capping a 90-yard drive, came with just 4 seconds left in the half.
A pass interference penalty on third-and-10 from the LSU 29 followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved the ball to the 7.
LSU had a chance to put points on the board late in the first quarter after Houston cut the lead to 14-7, but Ramos missed a 44-yard field goal.
The Tigers tied the game at 21 on their first drive of the second half, going 73 yards in six plays.
Brown caught a 37-yard pass on the drive’s first play. On second-and-3 from the 4, a leaping Green caught a pass in the end zone.
The Cougars regained the lead with an 8-play, 75-yard drive that included a 35-yard run by Dean Connors.
Weigman, the game’s Offensive MVP, completed 27-of-36 passes for 236 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.
Connors rushed for 126 yards on 16 carries. Koziol caught nine passes for 76 yards. First-team All-Big 12 receiver Amare Thomas had seven catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
Van Buren completed 16-of-26 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Most of the yards came in the second half.
Green had four catches for 80 yards. Parker had seven for 68. Hilton had three for 67.
LSU had 77 yards rushing. Harlem Berry had a 36-yard run early in the game and finished with 45 on three carries, all in the first half.
Linebacker Davhon Keys led the defense with 14 tackles. Safety Tamarcus Cooley had 11.