The Crimson Tide of Alabama secured a victory over LSU with a final score of 20-9, marking the Tigers’ fourth defeat of the season. LSU’s quarterback, Garrett Nussmeier, spent a significant portion of the latter half of the game observing from the sidelines.
Nussmeier was replaced by Michael Van Buren as quarterback following a 14-yard sack taken during LSU’s initial offensive drive of the second half. At halftime, the Tigers were behind with a score of 17-3, and following Nussmeier’s sack, a subsequent field goal narrowed Alabama’s lead to an 11-point margin.
It was a noteworthy decision made by interim head coach Frank Wilson during his debut game leading the Tigers. Wilson assumed the role of interim coach following the dismissal of Brian Kelly less than two weeks prior, which occurred after LSU’s home loss to Texas A&M.
Nussmeier, a fifth-year senior, has been managing a torso injury for a considerable part of the season. He began the season as a contender for the Heisman Trophy, but he has not met those expectations as LSU’s offensive plays have struggled throughout the season. Before his exit from Saturday’s game, he completed 18 of 21 pass attempts, but these passes only amounted to 121 yards, and he was sacked twice.
Van Buren is a sophomore who transferred from Mississippi State. During his freshman year, he participated in 10 games for the Bulldogs. Van Buren completed 5 of 11 pass attempts, achieving a total of 52 yards.
Although Alabama’s performance was not overwhelmingly dominant, the Tide never appeared to be at significant risk of losing the game. LSU managed to reduce Alabama’s lead to eight points during the second half, but Alabama responded two drives later with a field goal, re-establishing a two-possession advantage.
The Tide ensured their victory when London Simmons recovered a fumble by Van Buren with 3:11 remaining in the game.
This defeat marks the Tigers’ third consecutive loss and their fourth in the past five games. A season that showed promise with a Week 1 victory against Clemson has taken a downturn in the recent month. LSU is now responsible for Brian Kelly’s $50 million buyout and must find a new coach after athletic director Scott Woodward was let go days after Kelly.
With upcoming games against Arkansas, Western Kentucky, and Oklahoma, LSU needs to win all remaining games to secure a winning record in 2025. Will Van Buren be in the starting lineup against the Razorbacks in Week 12?
Meanwhile, Alabama now holds a 6-0 record in the SEC, sharing the top position in the conference with Texas A&M. The Crimson Tide are scheduled to host No. 12 Oklahoma in Week 12 before concluding their season with a visit to Auburn. Winning both of these games would guarantee Alabama a spot in the SEC championship game.
Tide QB Ty Simpson completed 21 of 35 passes for 277 yards and one TD, though he also lost a fumble. While Simpson’s performance was not poor, it likely placed him in a solid third behind Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza in the Heisman race with three weeks left in the regular season.
