Tag: Tigers

Conner Weigman (4 TDs), No. 21 Houston top LSU in Texas Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Conner Weigman set a program bowl record with four touchdown passes, leading No. 21 Houston to a 38-35 victory over LSU in the Texas Bowl in Houston on Saturday evening.

After Houston took the lead on a 25-yard Ethan Sanchez field goal with 7:42 left, the Cougars (10-3) extended the margin to 38-28 on Dean Connors’ 20-yard touchdown run with 2:23 left.

LSU (7-6) responded with a 3-yard scoring run by Zavion Thomas but failed to recover the onside kick, allowing Houston to run out the clock.

Weigman, who earned MVP honors, completed 27 of 36 passes for 236 yards in his first game without an interception since Oct. 25 for Houston, which won its third straight bowl game since the 2021 season.

“We wanted to end the season the right way, send the seniors off right,” Weigman said. “The brotherhood we’ve built over these past seven, eight months, it means the world to me, I know it means the world to my teammates. I’m so proud of these guys. I love this team.”

Amare Thomas caught the Cougars’ first two touchdowns, finishing with seven catches for 66 yards. Tanner Koziol racked up a game-high nine catches for 76 yards and a TD, and Dean Connors had 126 rushing yards and a score on 16 carries.

Michael Van Buren Jr. was 16-of-26 passing with a season-high 267 yards and three touchdowns for the Tigers, who had their three-game bowl winning streak snapped (2022-24).

Trey’Dez Green finished with four catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns — his second career multi-TD game, both of which have come in the Texas Bowl — and Kyle Parker had seven catches for 68 yards and a score.

LSU jumped out to a 14-0 lead 4:12 into the game on just four offensive plays. Barion Brown returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, extending his SEC record with his sixth career kick-return score. It was the first time LSU returned an opening kickoff for a touchdown since 1978.

After a Houston punt, the Tigers quickly added their lead with a 23-yard pass from Van Buren to Green.

The Cougars responded with a 14-0 run of their own behind two Thomas touchdown catches. Weigman found the junior receiver on an 8-yard score midway through the first and a 4-yard TD early in the second.

Houston took a 21-14 lead into halftime after an 11-play, 90-yard two-minute drill ended with Weigman’s third TD pass of the first half to Koziol with 4 seconds left.

Green leveled the score on LSU’s first second-half drive with a leaping one-handed grab in the end zone with 9:31 left in the third.

Houston took the lead on its ensuing drive with a 2-yard touchdown grab by Traville Frederick Jr. with 4:42 left in the third. The lead again didn’t last, with Van Buren finding Parker for a 6-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 28.

“We just kept fighting and persevering,” Cougars coach Willie Fritz said. “I thought we played in all three phases at times. The offense controlled the ball for the most part, and when we needed big plays, the defense did it. Total team effort.”

–Field Level Media

No. 10 Alabama blows lead but beats Auburn to play for SEC title

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Tyler Horton caught three touchdown passes from Ty Simpson to help visiting No. 10 Alabama survive blowing a 17-point lead to escape with a 27-20 win over rival Auburn in the Iron Bowl on Saturday night.

The Crimson Tide (10-2, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) clinched a spot in the SEC conference game vs. Georgia with the dramatic victory, also likely locking up a spot in the College Football Playoff.

“These guys are unbelievable,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said of his team in the ESPN postgame interview. “They’ve had their backs to the wall and been competing for a long time. These guys, they give you everything they’ve got every single day. It’s been a long road, but we get to continue on. I can’t wait to go do more with them next weekend.”

After the Tigers tied the game with 11:43 left, Alabama responded with a 15-play, 75-yard drive which took nearly eight minutes off the clock. It ended with a fourth-and-2 conversion when Simpson found Horton once again for what became the game-winning 6-yard touchdown catch.

Auburn’s ensuing drive moved well across midfield before Cam Coleman fumbled at the Crimson Tide 20 and Alabama’s Deontae Lawson recovered.

Horton had just five catches for 35 yards, but three of them were touchdowns. Simpson had a season-low 122 yards, completing 19 of 35 passes. Jam Miller had 83 rushing yards on 15 carries before leaving the game with a leg injury.

Ashton Daniels was 18-of-39 passing for 259 yards, a touchdown and an interception for Auburn (5-7, 1-7), which finishes a win shy of bowl eligibility. He also ran for 108 of the Tigers’ 152 rushing yards. Malcolm Simmons had three catches for 143 yards.

After a slow start, Auburn outgained Alabama 411-280.

The Tigers appeared destined for an uncompetitive loss when they dug themselves a 17-0 hole early in the second quarter with just 1 net yard on their first three offensive possessions.

Alabama opened the scoring on a 45-yard field goal by Conor Talty and made it 10-0 on Simpson’s first connection with Horton, a 6-yard completion with 1:14 left in the first quarter.

The pair connected again for a 3-yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Crimson Tide less than five minutes later.

However, Auburn came through with a pair of Alex McPherson field goals in the final 4:06 of the first half to cut the halftime deficit to 17-6. Then, the Tigers finally found the end zone on the third play of the third quarter when Daniels found Simmons wide open for a 64-yard touchdown.

After an Alabama 29-yard field goal that made it 20-13, Auburn again hit an explosive pass to Simmons, this one a 66-yard gain down to the Alabama 4. Two plays later, Jeremiah Cobb punched in a 2-yard touchdown to level the game at 20 with 11:43 left.

–Field Level Media

Clemson receiver Tyler Brown (6) celebrates his touchdown catch from senior quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) playing Furman during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, S.C. Saturday, November 22, 2025.

Clemson cruises past Furman to clinch bowl eligibility

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Cade Klubnik threw two touchdown passes and backups Christopher Vizzina and Chris Denson each completed another to lead host Clemson to its 27th consecutive year of bowl eligibility with a 45-10 nonconference victory over Furman on Saturday.

Clemson (6-5) took a 24-0 lead with 14:15 remaining in the first half after Klubnik’s second touchdown pass to Antonio Williams. They hooked up for 22 and 35 yards for Williams’ only catches of the game.

Klubnik, honored as part of Clemson’s Senior Day, and Vizzina each completed 9 of 15 passes. Klubnik passed for 159 yards and Vizzina for 52 yards as the Tigers finished with 456 total yards and no turnovers.

Vizzina replaced Klubnik in the second quarter and threw his touchdown pass, a 6-yard connection to Christian Bentancur, to give Clemson a 31-0 lead with 6:48 left until halftime.

Furman (6-6) cut the lead to 31-10 following a 49-yard field goal by Ian Williams with 30 seconds left in the second quarter and a 19-yard touchdown pass from Trey Hedden to Evan James with 1:53 remaining in the third.

Hedden completed 22 of 38 for 179 yards with a touchdown and interception.

Clemson punted three straight times in the second half before Denson, a true freshman, entered the game in the fourth quarter.

He led the Tigers on a 75-yard touchdown drive in five plays highlighted by his 50-yard run — the longest from scrimmage this season for Clemson.

The possession was capped by Denson’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Logan Brooking with 7:48 remaining. Denson completed all four of his passes for 22 yards.

Denson engineered another scoring drive that ended with his 10-yard run with nine seconds remaining. His 106 yards rushing on six carries within a quarter were more than what Furman produced as a team.

Clemson’s defense limited Furman to 66 yards on 28 carries as the Paladins finished with 271 yards.

–Field Level Media

Nov 14, 2025; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) throws a pass against the Louisville Cardinals during the first half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Clemson takes advantage of missed kicks to top No. 20 Louisville

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Adam Randall ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 7:16 remaining, to give visiting Clemson a 20-19 upset victory over No. 20 Louisville on Friday night.

The Tigers (5-5, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) survived a bad punt snap with 2:31 remaining as Nick Keller missed a 46-yard field goal try with 1:33 left.

Earlier in the quarter, Cooper Ranvier missed a 50-yard field goal that would have given the Cardinals the lead. Ranvier also doinked an extra-point attempt in the second quarter that led to Clemson’s margin of victory.

Louisville’s Keyjuan Brown eclipsed the century mark for the second straight game with 135 yards on 15 carries.

The two teams traded field goals in the first quarter as neither amounted much on offense. Both team’s touchdowns came on short fields.

Neither team played especially well. Clemson converted just one of its 13 third downs. Louisville (7-3, 4-3) outgained its guests 385-308 but the Cardinals committed 10 penalties for 84 yards. They racked up 20 yards in flags on the drive that resulted in Keller’s miss.

Louisville got its first lead after Clemson’s thanks Jack Smith’s 31-yard punt that gave the Cardinals the ball at the Tigers’ 38. The drive started with Miller Moss finding Bell for a 37-yard pass. Two plays later, Moss plunged in from the 1 to make it 9-3 with 8:47 remaining in the half, but Ranvier’s PAT attempt bounced off the left upright and was no good.

Clemson got its short field five minutes later after Avieon Terrell stripped Duke Watson of the ball and recovered the fumble at the Louisville 25. The Tigers needed only one play, a Randall draw, to score and take a 10-9 with 3:17 to go in the second quarter.

With the win, the Tigers are now one win away from extending their bowl streak to 21 seasons.

The defeat, the Cardinals’ second straight, ends any chance the team had for an ACC title-game appearance. All of Louisville’s losses have come by three points or less this season.

–Field Level Media

LSU plans to stick with two-QB system vs. Arkansas

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Skidding LSU plans to play two quarterbacks — senior starter Garrett Nussmeier and sophomore backup Michael Van Buren Jr. — in Saturday’s home game against Arkansas.

Nussmeier will continue to take the first practice reps despite being replaced by Van Buren in the third quarter of the Tigers’ 20-9 loss to No. 4 Alabama, interim coach Frank Wilson said Monday.

Nussmeier completed 18 of 21 passes for 121 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions before ceding way to Van Buren, a Mississippi State transfer who threw for 52 yards on 5-for-11 passing.

Van Buren was sacked and lost a fumble on LSU’s final offensive snap. The Tigers made four red-zone trips yet failed to record a touchdown for the first time since Alabama blanked them in 2018.

“(Both quarterbacks) brought something to the table that helped this team go up and down the field,” Wilson told reporters Monday. “They both have things that they need to continue to work on as well. I don’t think it’s a clear separation where one is beyond the other. We’ll need both of them, and I know we’ll use both of them in this game.”

LSU (5-4, 2-4 SEC) opened the season with four consecutive wins before dropping four of five ensuing games. The Alabama matchup was Wilson’s first at the helm after the firing of Brian Kelly on Oct. 26.

Wilson, who had been Kelly’s associate head coach and running backs coach, hopes the quarterback rotation will jolt an offense that ranks 14th in the SEC in points and yards (23.7, 341.8 per game) but is about to face the conference’s leakiest defense.

Arkansas (2-7, 0-5 SEC) is winless since Sept. 6 and has surrendered 33.3 points and 430.6 yards per game.

“We’ll continue to do whatever it is to benefit Garrett, to benefit Michael, to play to their strengths,” Wilson said. “We’re going to use everything we have.”

–Field Level Media

Clemson shuts down high-scoring Florida State to snap skid

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Cade Klubnik threw for 221 yards with a passing and a rushing touchdown, leading Clemson to a bounceback 24-10 win over visiting Florida State Saturday evening.

A week after Clemson’s defense was tagged for 46 points, the Tigers (4-5, 3-4 ACC) largely stifled a Florida State offense that led the nation in yards per game (510.5) and ranked seventh in scoring offense (40.0 points per game) as they snapped their two-game losing streak.

Antonio Williams led Clemson with 62 yards receiving and a leaping touchdown catch that extended the team’s lead to 15-0 in the second quarter. Cornerback Avieon Terrell had a pair of sacks as the Tigers racked up six in the win.

Tommy Castellanos completed 23 of 43 passes for 250 yards, a touchdown and an interception, also leading the Seminoles with 31 rushing yards. Duce Robinson had a game-high 124 yards on nine catches for Florida State, which has lost four of its last five games.

The Seminoles (4-5, 1-5) had more yards than the Tigers (360-319) and had twice as many red-zone trips (4-2). But the Seminoles struggled to finish off scoring opportunities throughout Saturday’s loss.

After Clemson opened the scoring with Klubnik’s 4-yard touchdown run, the Seminoles marched into the red zone before Castellanos fumbled a handoff, which Jeremiah Alexander recovered at the Clemson 11.

Florida State squandered another potential scoring chance when a wide-open Randy Pittman dropped a fourth-and-2 pass that would have gone for a huge gain.

Two plays later, Clemson extended the lead on Klubnik’s flea-flicker touchdown pass to Williams to make it 15-0 with 12:01 left in the first half.

Clemson extended its lead to 18-0 with 2:31 left on Nolan Hauser’s 40-yard field goal. But the Seminoles prevented being shut out in a half for the first time this season with a 10-play, 75-yard drive capped off by a 7-yard touchdown catch by Lawayne McCoy with 33 seconds left.

Florida State had a chance to cut into that deficit when it got the ball out of halftime, but a 10-play, 53-yard drive came up empty on a missed 40-yard field goal by Jake Weinberg.

The Tigers padded their lead with a pair of field goals from Hauser, extending their lead to 24-7 with 14:18 left.

The Seminoles cut into the deficit with a 46-yard Weinberg field goal. Their promising fourth-quarter drive that could have cut the deficit to one score stalled out due to a pair of penalties, ending in a turnover on downs.

–Field Level Media

Oct 31, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Rice Owls quarterback Chase Jenkins (4) is sacked by Memphis Tigers defensive lineman Pooda Walker (99) in the first quarter at Rice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

No. 25 Memphis runs all over Rice in road rout

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Frank Peasant tallied three of Memphis’ five rushing scores, the defense held Rice to 212 yards, and the No. 25 Tigers kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive Friday with a 38-14 Halloween night rout of the Owls in Houston.

Peasant, who entered with three total touchdowns on the year, found paydirt three times in the first half as two-TD favorite Memphis (8-1, 4-1 American) led by 24 at halftime and was never challenged by the Owls (4-5, 1-4).

The second-place Tigers still have matchups against Tulane next Friday, at East Carolina and versus conference-leading Navy on Nov. 27 in their chase for the CFP, which releases its first rankings on Tuesday night.

Quarterback Brendon Lewis went 18 of 22 for 225 yards. He carried the ball 12 times for a game-high 87 yards and a score but left with an injury in the fourth quarter. Cortez Braham Jr. had three receptions for 66 yards.

Defensive back Omarion Cooper grabbed an interception, his first in three seasons.

Memphis’ defense held Rice to seven drives of three plays or less, had 11 tackles for loss and limited the Owls to 3-of-15 on third-down conversions.

Rice quarterback Chase Jenkins was 11 of 16 for 100 yards, a TD and a pick. Aaron Turner caught the lone score as part of his 29-yard showing.

After producing a three-and-out on Rice’s first series, the visitors took over, and Lewis had a big third-down conversion with a 30-yard pass to Braham. Lewis broke three tackles on an 18-yard rambling TD.

Defensive back Kamari Wilson forced and recovered a fumble on a backwards pass that was originally called incomplete but overturned on review. Memphis soon made it 14-0 on Frank Peasant’s 2-yard run at 2:34 of the first quarter.

Peasant added a second short score at 12:25 of the second quarter before notching another with 7:54 left in the half to make it 28-0.

Turner put Rice on the board with a 12-yard catch from Jenkins, but Gianni Spetic’s 37-yard field goal left Memphis with a commanding 31-7 edge at the break.

Greg Desrosiers Jr. had Memphis’ fifth score in the third, and Rice’s Tyvonn Byars (43 receiving yards) notched his first career TD on a short run with 3:28 left.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of the LSU Tigers helmet against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

LSU parts ways with embattled AD Scott Woodward

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LSU and athletic director Scott Woodward mutually agreed to part ways, the university announced Thursday night, in the wake of the high-profile firing of football coach Brian Kelly.

After LSU dismissed Kelly over the weekend, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said during a press conference at the state capitol that Woodward would not be involved in hiring the Tigers’ next coach.

LSU and Woodward are finalizing an exit agreement that will see the athletic director receive more than $6 million as per the terms of his buyout, Yahoo Sports and The Athletic reported.

Verge Ausberry, a former Tigers football player and longtime LSU athletic department executive, was named the interim athletic director. Ausberry “will lead all facets of the athletic department, including the search for the next head football coach,” the school said in a news release.

“We thank Scott for the last six years of service as athletic director,” LSU Board of Supervisors chair Scott Ballard said in a statement. “He had a lot of success at LSU, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future. Our focus now is on moving the athletic department forward and best positioning LSU to achieve its full potential.”

An LSU alumnus and Baton Rouge native, Woodward had been the school’s athletic director since 2019, when he arrived after a three-year stay in the same position at Texas A&M.

At Texas A&M, Woodward hired Jimbo Fisher as the Aggies’ head football coach. After a 45-25 run over five-plus seasons, Fisher was fired and his contract bought out for $77 million, the largest in college football history.

LSU faces a similar quagmire with Kelly, whom Woodward hired from Notre Dame before the 2022 season. Kelly was owed a $54 million buyout, according to contract details obtained by USA Today, but LSU was reportedly working to reduce that total.

The Athletic reported Sunday that Woodward told Kelly to fire offensive coordinator and play-caller Joe Sloan after LSU’s 49-25 loss to Texas A&M, and Kelly refused in an argument that “escalated.”

LSU is currently without a president, as William F. Tate IV left to become the president of Rutgers earlier this year, leaving a leadership void that Landry appeared to fill Wednesday.

“We are not going down a failed path. And I want to tell you something: This is a pattern,” Landry said of Woodward. “The guy that’s here now that wrote that contract cost Texas A&M 70-some million dollars. Right now, we’ve got a $53 million liability. We are not doing that again. And you know what? I believe that we’re gonna find a great coach.”

Woodward also oversaw the hiring of women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey from Baylor and baseball coach Jay Johnson from Arizona. Both have coached their LSU teams to national championships.

–Field Level Media

Oct 11, 2025; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) throws a pass against the Boston College Eagles during the second half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Clemson, Duke seek to keep hopes alive in late-season matchup

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A November game for Clemson doesn’t have the heightened meaning in the national picture that might often have been the case, but the Tigers are going into Saturday afternoon’s game against visiting Duke determined to make something of the season.

“We’re ready to get back into the fight,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.

Both teams were off last week after suffering losses in their previous games. Clemson (3-4, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) dropped a home game to SMU, while Duke (4-3, 3-1) fell at home to undefeated Georgia Tech.

The Blue Devils want to remain in the ACC title chase.

“We have a chance to do what you want to do – play great in November,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said, pointing to last November’s results proving critical to the team’s success. “With all we have to play for, we know the same will be true.”

Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who missed the SMU game because of an ankle injury, was back at practice Monday.

Diaz said he’s anticipating seeing Klubnik in Saturday’s game.

“We always prepare for teams to be at full strength, especially coming off the bye,” Diaz said. “It’s the people around the quarterback that make the big difference. Their weaponry on the outside will be as good as anybody we’ve seen so far this year.”

Clemson lists Tristan Smith and Cole Turner as co-starters at receiver this week.

Duke relies heavily on quarterback Darian Mensah, who has thrown for 17 touchdowns with two interceptions.

There’s still a level of mystique involving the Clemson team, Diaz said.

“You’re going to have to have some real belief to go in there and knock that team off,” he said. “I think we’ve got the right leadership to set the tone for our guys and how they work this week.”

Swinney said the time off since the last game has put the Tigers in a better position in terms of injuries. He continues to put a positive light on the team.

“There’s been some disappointment this season, but there’s been a lot of good,” Swinney said.

While a healthier team should help, Swinney pointed to a couple of areas that need upgrades.

“If we’re going to win in November, we have to run the ball better, be better on pass defense,” he said.

Klubnik has thrown for 1,530 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.

-Field Level Media

Tigers Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier 18 is sacked as LSU Tigers take on the Texas A&M Aggies. October 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; at Tiger Stadium. Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.

LSU fires OC Joe Sloan, elevates Alex Atkins to interim role

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Run game coordinator and tight ends coach Alex Atkins has a new title at LSU: interim offensive coordinator.

Atkins, who spent the previous three seasons as offensive coordinator at Florida State, was elevated on Monday when the Tigers continued cleaning house after firing head coach Brian Kelly. Offensive coordinator Joe Sloan was let go 24 hours after official word of Kelly’s ouster broke on Sunday.

Sloan spent four years on the LSU coaching staff and was in his second season calling plays for the Tigers. He’s heavily credited for helping spark Jayden Daniels’ meteoric rise and the 2024 production from quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns)

The Tigers (5-3, 2-3 SEC) have lost three of their last four games and are last in the conference in rushing and 96th in the FBS in total offense (355.5 yards per game), one spot ahead of Penn State.

During a 10-win 2022 season with Atkins as the play-caller, Florida State averaged 36.1 points per game.

He was fired in November 2024 after the Seminoles’ 1-9 start and hired by Kelly in the offseason. Prior to his time in Tallahassee, Atkins was offensive line coach at Tulane for three seasons (2016-18) and offensive coordinator at Charlotte (2019).

–Field Level Media