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Garrett Nussmeier on road games: 'There's nothing like going and taking the life out of a stadium'

FaceProfileby: Thomas Goldkamp10/16/25
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LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier's bye week came at just the right time after a 4-1 start (Photo: Stephen Lew | Imagn Images)

LSU has been on the road twice already this season, taking down Clemson and losing to Ole Miss. For quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, there’s something particularly appealing about the chance to return to the road once more.

One, the Tigers can flush the taste of the loss to the Rebels out of their mouths. Two, it’s a chance to do something special.

“I actually enjoy playing on the road more than I enjoy playing at home at times,” Nussmeier said this week. “Not because I don’t like playing in front of our fans, but there’s nothing like going and taking the life out of a stadium. Making a big play and you hear the place go silent. There’s nothing like it.”

LSU will travel to take on Vanderbilt this weekend. Normally, that’s a sentence that wouldn’t cause much intrigue; the Commodores have traditionally been a doormat of sorts in the league.

Not this year. Or last year, even.

Vanderbilt really asserted itself on the national stage a year ago when it took down juggernaut Alabama at home. Since then, all it has done is prove that it was no fluke.

The team will enter Saturday’s game with a 5-1 record and designs on continuing a playoff push. It’ll have to go through LSU — and Garrett Nussmeier’s visions of silencing the stands — to get there.

“So I’m definitely looking forward to it,” Nussmeier said. “Big road games are a lot of fun. So it’s a great opportunity, a great challenge.”

For his part, LSU coach Brian Kelly doesn’t necessarily relish being away from home quite as much. But he also understands where Nussmeier is coming from.

Silencing the home crowd has a certain appeal. Kelly wants to see it on Saturday.

“Yeah if we can do it I love that,” he said. “I’d rather have the crowd at home rooting us on for four quarters, but I clearly understand what he’s referring to. There’s nothing better than taking a crowd out of a game. It’s exhilarating as a competitor that when you get those opportunities that means you’re having success.

“And that’s what Garrett’s, that’s the depth of him, is that he loves to be that guy that goes in there and changes the whole tenor of a stadium. And we hope he’s able to do that again this weekend.”