How it Happened: LSU falls short in Oxford, drop to 4-1
The LSU Football team nearly made it out of September unscathed, but Ole Miss was able to secure a 24-19 home win to drop the Tigers to 4-1 on the season.
While the LSU defense held Lane Kiffin and the high-powered Ole Miss to 24 points in front of the home crowd, the Tigers – as has been the case across the month of September – were unable to find a rhythm on offense, scoring a touchdown in the first quarter and again in the final minutes while adding a pair of field goals from Damian Ramos on drives that stalled out.
LSU starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier turned in one of his poorest showings to date, finishing 21-for-34 passing for 197 yards, one touchdown, and one interception on a drive when the Tigers were in Ole Miss territory.
Here is how the game unfolded in LSU’s first SEC road game of the 2025 season.
LSU RB Caden Durham is ruled out vs. Ole Miss
09/27/2025 01:51:57 PMLSU starting running back Caden Durham suffered an ankle injury in Week 4’s win over Southeastern, and he was listed as questionable throughout the week. LSU head coach Brian Kelly said it would be a game-time decision, and while Durham traveled with the team and was on the field during initial warmups, he kept his travel outfit on soon after the SEC’s final injury report listed him as “out”. Expect LSU to turn to running backs Ju’Juan Johnson and Harlem Berry, as well as Kaleb Jackson. Wide receiver Zavion Thomas could also see touches out of the backfield, which has become a piece to LSU’s offensive game plan each week through four games.
LSU RB Caden Durham is ruled out vs. Ole Miss
09/27/2025 01:51:57 PMLSU starting running back Caden Durham suffered an ankle injury in Week 4’s win over Southeastern, and he was listed as questionable throughout the week. LSU head coach Brian Kelly said it would be a game-time decision, and while Durham traveled with the team and was on the field during initial warmups, he kept his travel outfit on soon after the SEC’s final injury report listed him as “out”. Expect LSU to turn to running backs Ju’Juan Johnson and Harlem Berry, as well as Kaleb Jackson. Wide receiver Zavion Thomas could also see touches out of the backfield, which has become a piece to LSU’s offensive game plan each week through four games.
LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier looks sharp in warmups before kickoff
09/27/2025 02:30:02 PMNussmeier is going through warmups with full range of motion in his upper body and was getting reps with the receivers on various routes inside the redzone. Nussmeier had been dealing with a torso injury through the first weeks of the season but was sharp last week against Southeastern and is expected to be without restrictions on Saturday evening in this top 15 matchup.
LSU starts on defense for the first time all season
09/27/2025 02:48:33 PMLSU was 0-4 on the coin toss this season. The Tigers have gotten the ball first each time, and results haven’t yielded any points. LSU is now 0-5 on the coin toss, but Lane Kiffin chose to receive. LSU’s defense goes on the field first, and the Tigers get the ball after half. The result of the first drive of the game for Ole Miss? LSU’s defense – as the Tigers have so many times this year – force the three-and-out and punt.
LSU makes a change to the starting offensive line
09/27/2025 02:53:53 PMLSU true freshman and Rivals 5-star Carius Curne had played 2 snaps before the win over Southeastern a week ago. The Tigers still made the decision to give Curne his first start. He replaces Weston Davis at right tackle, who had started LSU’s first four games.
LSU needed just 5 plays on Drive No. 2 to take a 7-0 lead
09/27/2025 03:10:52 PMLSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan dials up some big plays on the second drive for the offense, and the players delivered. Wide receiver Zavion Thomas sparked it with a 50-yard catch on the first snap. On the fifth snap of the drive, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier went to tight end Trey’Dez Green in the end zone, and the ball was tipped by former LSU safety and current Ole Miss defensive back Sage Ryan. LSU wide receiver Nic Anderson caught the tipped ball for the touchdown to give the Tigers the 7-0 lead.
Lane Kiffin’s longest drive as Ole Miss HC ends in a FG
09/27/2025 03:25:12 PMLSU defensive end Patrick Payton batted down the pass from Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss on 3rd-and-Goal to force the Rebels into a field goal, which made the score LSU 7, Ole Miss 3 as the final minute of the first quarter came to an end. The field goal after an 18-play drive – tied for longest of the Lane Kiffin era – was certainly a win for the Tigers after LSU kept the Rebels out of the end zone and held on to the lead headed into the second quarter.
Ole Miss scores before half, Tigers answer with FG to trim lead
09/27/2025 05:20:59 PMThe Ole Miss offense drove 69 yards in nine plays before halftime to grab a big touchdown before both team’s headed to the locker room. With a 17-7 lead, Ole Miss kicked the ball to the Tigers to start the second half, and after both teams traded possessions that resulted in punts, LSU drove into field goal range and Damian Ramos converted on a 39-yard kick that split the uprights to cut into the lead and make it a one-score game. The Rebels led 17-10 with 6:02 left in the third quarter.
LSU gets the interception from a Mississippi native
09/27/2025 05:28:47 PMHattiesburg’s PJ Woodland, LSU’s starter at cornerback opposite Mansoor Delane, came up with a timely interception after the Tigers kicked a field goal to cut the lead to 17-10. The pick gave the Tigers the ball near midfield as the third quarter’s final minutes ticked off the clock.
Ramos hits another FG to cut the Ole Miss lead to 4 points
09/27/2025 05:32:55 PMWith LSU set up in good field position following PJ Woodland’s interception, the Tigers were only able to manage 16 yards on six plays, but kicker Damian Ramos – even after a delay of game – stepped up again when he hit on the 48-yard attempt to cut into the Ole Miss lead, once again. With less than a minute left in the third quarter, Ole Miss led 17-13. The fourth quarter began with Ole Miss at midfield.
LSU scores late, Ole Miss leads 24-19 in final minutes
09/27/2025 06:20:35 PMLSU went on a 15-play, 80-yard drive late in the fourth quarter to erase a double-digit deficit on a series that saw the Tigers convert a fourth down on a completion to wide receiver Kyle Parker. From there, LSU relied on freshman Harlem Berry, who punched the ball in from near the goal line for the score. The 2-point conversion failed for the Tigers, which meant LSU would need a stop on defense and a touchdown to win the game.
Ole Miss converts on fourth down to get the win
09/27/2025 06:30:30 PMThe Ole Miss offense passed on the chance at a long field goal, instead choosing to go for the win on 4th-and-3. The result: a 20-yard pickup by Dae’Quan Wright on a pass from Trinidad Chambliss. With no timeouts remaining, Ole Miss kneeled the clock out to secure the 24-19 win over LSU. The loss dropped the Tigers to 4-1 on the season with seven games remaining.
