In the final game of the 2025 LSU football season, the Tigers fell short against the Houston Cougars 38-35 at the Texas Bowl on Saturday night.
One thing that was evident was the absence of Blake Baker’s defensive masterclass, and a new era of offense was all over the field.
In a monumental first kick return, Barion Brown ran it downfield for 99 yards to put seven up on the board immediately. Shortly after, another seven was racked up after a pass to Trey’Dez Green.
What had looked so promising for the Tigers quickly went downhill after numerous mistakes that led to 43 yards surrendered in the first half, along with four defensive penalties. Former Texas A&M quarterback Connor Weighman and his offensive line quickly began exposing the gaps in the LSU defense.
“God knows, we played outstanding defensively in the last several weeks, for sure, and even in this season,” interim head coach Frank Wilson said. “But again, there was some transition in personnel that you could probably attribute to someone.”
Soon, the offense began using efficient routes to get quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. down the field or throwing passes that LSU hadn’t seen all season. This sets the tone for whether this will be the type of offense new head coach Lane Kiffin will bring to the table.
If so, there will be quite the turnaround compared to the 2025 season. Will Blake Baker be able to shape up a defense that can keep up with this new offensive speed? Throughout the first half against Houston, it seemed like something completely unattainable.
Heading into the second half, LSU lost its 14-point lead and was trailing by seven points. The Cougars started with the ball in the third, and from there, it looked up for LSU. It scored a touchdown six minutes into the third quarter, tying the game and putting the fight for the trophy back on the table.
Just a short five minutes later, Houston put another seven points in front of the Tigers. With just about 20 minutes of football left, it was now or never for the Tigers to walk away with a win.
As the clock signalled the end of the third, there was a newfound sense of energy on the LSU sideline for what might be their last time playing the game of football this season. It was then that LSU added seven more to the board at the start of the fourth, making it a battle until the clock hit zero.
But it just wasn’t enough for LSU, and the Cougars walked away victorious. This 2025 season for the Tigers was full of ups and downs, but the Tigers walked away with heads hanging low.
“I’m finishing with my boys,” Wilson said. “I’ll burn this building down if you don’t let me finish. I’m going to finish with my boys, because the love is unconditional.”
There is a new energy amongst the team as it readies for Kiffin to take the wheel and see what’s in store next fall. Will the Tigers return to the Texas Bowl, or will there be a chance at a playoff run?