LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier throws a pass as he is pressured by Wisconsin linebacker Darryl Peterson during the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 1. (Chris O’Meara – The Associated Press)
By Associated Press
Garrett Nussmeier showed why LSU is confident he’s capable of thriving as Jayden Daniels’ successor.
The 13th-ranked Tigers (10-3) launched the team’s post-Daniels era with a 35-31, come-from-behind victory over Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 1, with a calm Nussmeier leading a 98-yard drive to produce the winning touchdown in the closing minutes.
“You do what you have to do to win the football game. It doesn’t matter if you start from the 1, the 2 … you just stick to the process play-by-play, move the chains, move the chains and put the ball in the end zone,” the third-year sophomore said.
“That doesn’t just speak to me, it speaks to our entire group,” Nussmeier added. “You can’t do it by yourself. And to go 98 yards with the game on the line, that means a lot to me. To be the leader of the offense, that matters more.”
Stepping in to make his first college start after Daniels — the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner — opted out to begin preparing for the NFL draft, Nussmeier completed 31 of 45 passes for 395 yards, three TDs and one interception.
The 21-year-old, who backed up Daniels for two seasons after the Heisman winner transferred to LSU from Arizona State, tossed TD passes of 14 yards to Chris Hilton Jr. and 38 and 4 yards to Brian Thomas Jr., whose second score put LSU ahead for the first time with 3:08 remaining.
Citrus Bowl
reshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava ran for three touchdowns and threw for one in his first career start, and No. 25 Tennessee shut down No. 20 Iowa’s Division I-worst offense to beat the Hawkeyes, 35-0, in the Citrus Bowl.
Iamaleava, a prized recruit for Volunteers coach Josh Heupel, stepped in for senior Joe Milton, who opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL draft. The 19-year-old threw for 151 yards, and his 27 rushing yards included three scores.
“I just took it as every other game,” Iamaleava said. “We knew we had a job to do. There was no nervousness or anything going into the game. It felt like we were just really prepared.”
Dylan Sampson rushed 20 times for 133 yards for the Vols (9-4), and Tennessee’s defense did the rest against an Iowa offense that came in averaging 16.6 points per game and 238.8 yards.
Fiesta Bowl
Oregon’s expectations for a national championship in its final Pac-12 season fell six points short.
Behind a record-setting quarterback, the Ducks will head east to the Big Ten with a big trophy in tow.
Bo Nix threw for 363 yards and five touchdowns to cap a stellar career, and No. 8 Oregon closed out its Pac-12 era by rolling over No. 18 Liberty, 45-6, in the Fiesta Bowl.
“Really, this game is about unfinished business and we said we’re wrapping up the last chapter of our book,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “I thought our guys were a phenomenal chapter.”
Nix played like a Heisman Trophy finalist after opting to join his teammates on the field one last time, throwing for 257 yards and four touchdowns as the Ducks built a 31-6 halftime lead. Nix finished 28 of 35 in just over three quarters and completed 77.44% of his passes this season, breaking the NCAA record of 77.36%, set by Alabama’s Mac Jones in 2020.
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