LSU football drops another season opener as defense can't hold on in loss to USC
LAS VEGAS — The stakes kept getting raised between LSU football and USC in the season opener at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
No. 12 LSU and No. 23 USC traded the lead three times in the second half and the advantages were never larger than four points until the Trojans were able to put together a game-winning drive aided by an LSU targeting penalty to give Brian Kelly his third straight season-opening loss as coach of the Tigers, 27-20.
LSU led 17-13 in the fourth quarter. But the Trojans recaptured the lead with 5:44 left on a 28-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Miller Moss to Ja'kobi Lane.
On the ensuing drive, the Tigers retied the game at 20 on a 31-yard field goal from Damian Ramos with 1:47 to go.
With the game on the line, LSU's defense let the Trojans off the hook. A targeting call on safety Jardin Gilbert set up USC for the game-winning touchdown; a 13-yard touchdown run from Woody Marks as USC sank LSU.
The Tigers (0-1) dropped their fifth straight season opener.
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LSU football's Garrett Nussmeier comes out slinging
The Tigers' opening drive was 13 plays and nine of those were pass plays, a drive where LSU coach Brian Kelly opted to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 3 but LSU failed to convert as Nussmeier was pressured and rushed to throw.
But the junior starting quarterback connected on 19 of his first 22 throws of the game, including his first touchdown pass of the night to Kyren Lacy in the second quarter. Nussmeier's longest pass in the air and completion happened on LSU's game-tying drive late, a 41-yard connection with Aaron Anderson.
Nussmeier didn't test USC's defense over the top much, but his intermediate and short passing game was accurate and allowed the Tigers to piece drives together. He finished the game 29-of-38 for 304 yards with two TDs and an interception thrown in the waning moments of the loss.
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LSU's defense didn't give up 500 yards to a Lincoln Riley-coached offense but it gave up 450. USC gained 243 yards in the second half.
USC quarterback Miller Moss found plenty of success throwing the ball on the Tigers secondary. Defensive coordinator Blake Baker tried mixing things up in the second half a little bit with freshman P.J. Woodland replacing junior cornerback Sage Ryan for a stretch.
While senior defensive end Sai'vion Jones had a couple of sacks, LSU's defensive line failed to administer consistent pressure on Moss. Star junior linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. moved around a lot and affected the game at times.
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Whatever concerns there were centered around Nussmeier's receiving options, Lacy rapidly squashed any doubt.
Not only was Lacy a major part of the LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan's game plan early and often, but the senior, who did play plenty last season along now NFL stars Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., answered when his number was called against the Trojans.
Slicing and dicing through USC's revamped secondary that was supposed to be improved from 2023, Lacy finished with 94 yards on seven catches and one TD.
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Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz atbdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU football falls to USC in season opener as defense sputters late
