By james art BATON ROUGE — LSU football looks set to bounce back, and visiting FCS foe Nicholls State should be just what the doctor ordered.
The No. 19 Tigers (0-1) host the Colonels (0-1) at Tiger Stadium for the 2024 season home opener Saturday night (6:30 p.m., ESPN+). Despite being separated by only 69 miles, LSU and Nicholls have never played.
Brian Kelly and his team lost their season opener 27-20 to No. 12 USC on Sunday in Las Vegas, a game in which the Trojans pulled ahead in the final seconds. The loss made it five straight in a season opener for LSU, which last won a season opener in 2019.
Nicholls State lost 25-17 to Louisiana Tech last week, but had an early lead and was within striking distance of the Bulldogs throughout the game.
WATCH LSU vs. Nicholls State football live on ESPN+
Live updates from today’s game are below:
LSU FRESHMAN JU’JUAN JOHNSON Freshman Ju’Juan Johnson has returned to LSU football
WHAT LSU PAID NICHOLLS TO PLAY How much money is LSU football paying Nicholls to open the game in 2024? Find out here.
END OF 3 | LSU football 44, Nichols 21
Garrett Nussmeier throws 5th TD pass
Another connection between Nussmeier and Lacy leads to another score, this 7-yard TD pass.
Nusmeier now has five TDs tonight.
With 6:43 left in the third, the Tigers start to stretch things out, now up 37-21 to the Colonels.
Garrett Nussmeier throws 4th touchdown pass of the night
Nussmeier has a career high in touchdown passes in a game with four. His fourth TD of the night went to Lacy, who caught his second TD of the night, on a 6-yard pitch-and-catch in the third quarter.
Nussmeier threw for three touchdowns against Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl in January, his first career start.
LSU leads Nicholls, 30-21, 9:03 into the third.
Nicholls opened the scoring in the second half
On the second play of the half, Guggenheim broke through the heart of the LSU defense for a 66-yard touchdown, his second of the night.
LSU’s lead is now back to 2, 23-21. The beginning of the third quarter.
LSU football 23, Nichols 14: HALF TIME
LSU freshman Ju’Juan Johnson catches first career TD
The freshman from Lafayette Christian extended the Tigers’ lead over Nichols back to 9 after he scored on a feed from Nussmeier from the 3-pointer.
LSU leads the Colonels, 23-14, with 1:53 left in the first half.
Nicholls scores another touchdown against LSU
Jet’s pass rush catches LSU napping. The Colonels win and score on an 18-yard touchdown.
The Colonels pull back within 2. 4:18 left in the half, the Tigers lead 16-14.
Kyren Lacy hurdles a Nicholls defender in the end zone
The junior receiver catches the slide route the wrong way, turns and accelerates to the end zone. As he approached, a Nicholls defender did as well and Lacey decided to jump over, but he caught the brunt of the blow as he was clipped and fell flat on his back. It was slow.
With 12:17 left in the first half, LSU leads Nicholls 16-7.
END OF 1 | LSU football 9, Nichols 7
Nichols touchdown
The Colonels marched right down the field, 13 plays, 84 yards and ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Colin Guggenheim.
With 30 seconds left in the first quarter, LSU’s lead was down to 9-7.
Garrett Nussmeier to Trey’Dez Green, touchdown pass
From the 1-yard line, junior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier hit freshman tight end Tre’Dez Green for a touchdown. LSU capped a 7-play, 27-yard drive with a touchdown pass.
With 7:51 left in the first, the Tigers lead the Colonels 9-0.
LSU football safety
A bad snap by Nicholls on the punt attempt forces kicker Kylan Dupre to kick him out of the back of the end zone. Tigers draw first blood via safety, up 2-0, 11:15 first quarter.
LSU vs Nicholls time today
What channel is the LSU vs Nicholls game on today?
LSU football vs Nicholls score prediction
LSU 49, Nicholls 9: The Tigers sweep the Colonels to get into the win column for the first time this season. Offensive balance leads the way, while the defense causes a few turnovers.
2024 LSU football schedule
Here’s a look at the Tigers’ full 2024 schedule, including available kickoff times and TV channel information:
All times Central.
-
Sunday, September 1: vs. No. 14 USC (L, 27-20)
-
Saturday, September 7: vs. Nichols | 6:30 p.m. | SEC Network+ (ESPN+)
-
Saturday, September 14: in South Carolina * | 11 am | ABC (Fubo) and ESPN+
-
Saturday, September 21: against UCLA
-
Saturday, September 28: vs. South Alabama | 18:45 | SEC Network (Fubo)
-
Saturday, October 5: BYE
-
Saturday, October 12: vs. No. 6 Ole Miss *
-
Saturday, October 19: in Arkansas *
-
Saturday, October 26: at No. 20 Texas A&M *
-
Saturday, November 2: BYE
-
Saturday, November 9: vs. No. 5 Alabama *
-
Saturday, November 16: in Florida*
-
Saturday, November 23: vs. Vanderbilt *
-
Friday, November 29: vs. Oklahoma *
TIGER STADIUM RENOVATION What LSU football fans can expect from the in-game experience at LSU games after upgrades
LSU-NICHOLLS SCORE PREDICTION LSU football vs. Nicholls: Score prediction, Tigers home game scouting report
Corey Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his coverage of the Tigers on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Have questions about LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on the Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU football vs Nicholls live updates: Tigers face Colonels in Week 2