December 27, 2024
CFB InsiderIt's Time to Rock
When potential Kinder’s Texas Bowl matchups were released throughout the national media landscape during the last month of the CFB season, I remembered thinking that Baylor and LSU would be a ROCK STAR event. Both teams won eight games. Baylor was hotter than fish grease. LSU had moments in the top ten during the 2024 season. Both are local teams with strong fan/alumni bases in Houston.
Quite frankly, it seemed almost too good to be true. As a result, I started looking at alternate potential matchups of Big 12 and SEC teams. But, in the end, Baylor v. LSU won out and that was about as awesome as it could be for the New Year’s Day Kinder’s Texas Bowl.
Midway through the season it appeared as if the Bears would be home for the holidays but then a decent offense turned on the juice and became one for the best in the Big 12. The Bears, following the lead of its offense, won six in a row, scoring 37 or more points in five of the six wins. LSU wasn’t quite as hot, but finished with strong all-around performances against bowl teams Vandy and Oklahoma to get to 8-4 on the season.
These two programs love being here in Houston, love the stage of New Year’s Day and will show up to COMPETE. That can’t always be said about bowl teams at any level or game so it’s time to rock. It’s Big 12 vs. SEC, it’s Baylor v. LSU. Dadgum…LET’S GO!
Baylor Offense v. LSU Defense
Baylor Offense
Offensive coordinator - Jake Spavital
Passing Offense - 246.0 ypg (42nd in the nation)
Rushing Offense - 188.5 ypg (33rd)
Total Offense - 434.5 ypg (T24th)
Scoring Offense - 34.7 ppg (T19th)
Key Players to Watch
QB #13 Sawyer Robertson - The Bears offense took off like a rocketship in the middle of the 2024 season as Robertson established himself as the Alpha leader for this offense/program.
RB #30 Bryson Washington - There are very few running backs in America as HOT as Washington was at the end of the season - four straight 110+ yard games and nine rushing TDs in those four games.
TE #1 Michael Trigg - Trigg is a weapon in the passing game as more of an F-TE/WR than he is an in-line Y-TE, finished the season third on the roster with 30 catches for 395 yards and three touchdowns.
LSU Defense
Defensive coordinator - Blake Baker
Passing Defense - 205.9 ypg (44th in the nation)
Rushing Defense - 146.6 ypg (T64th)
Total Defense - 352.5 ypg (51st)
Scoring Defense - 23.8 ppg (T57th)
Key Players to Watch
DE #35 Sai’vion Jones - Long, athletic and an edge setter, Jones can frustrate the Baylor tackles/tight ends with his length and power.
LB #18 Greg Penn III - Wears the number 18 on the defensive side of the ball, which tells you the impact that he has on this defense and it’s his last one in the purple and gold.
LB #40 Whit Weeks - One of the unsung heroes for this defense, he’s really come out of nowhere to become one of the top three defenders in purple and gold. He finished the year with 1st team All-SEC honors.
Football Takeover’s Keys to the Game - Baylor Offense v. LSU Defense
1. Washington’s Run - The Bears season took on a completely different outlook when Bears OC Jake Spavital decided to get Washington the ball more often than the first half of the year. He runs taller and bigger than his listed height and weight, but he’s got another gear that helps this explosive offense.
2. Pitch and Catch - Baylor QB Sawyer Robertson played in just six games in 2023 and it looked like he was destined to be just a backup behind Toledo transfer Dequan Finn in 2024. But, Robertson took over the offense in a 31-3 win over Air Force in week three and never looked back. He can be effective on the ground, but, outside of the Houston game, he turned the passing offense into an air juggernaut with his strong arm and downfield production.
3. Turn it into a trenches game - LSU doesn’t have quite the firepower on its defensive line as it’s been in the past, but it’ll still have an advantage in the length, size and athleticism department in this contest. It’s imperative that the LSU front dictate running lanes and funnel the ball to the Tigers’ stud linebackers, as good a group as Baylor has faced all season long.
LSU Offense v. Baylor Defense
LSU Offense
Offensive Coordinator - Joe Sloan
Passing Offense - 315.3 ypg (8th in the nation)
Rushing Offense - 116.6 ypg (107th)
Total Offense - 431.9 ypg (27th)
Scoring Offense - 29.3 ppg (T54th)
Key Players to Watch
QB #13 Garrett Nussmeier - I’m stoked to see Nussmeier who has all kinds of talent and arm acumen. The Tigers star gunslinger announced his return to LSU for 2025 back in late November.
RB #29 Caden Durham - The freshman provides nearly all of the run game production and he’s got a shot to make more noise against a solid-but-not-SEC Baylor defense.
OT #71 Tyree Adams - All-American, future 1st round pick Will Campbell opted out for the 2025 NFL Draft, so Adams has a great opportunity to get a jump on a 2025 starting position before a handful of stud transfers arrives.
Baylor Defense
Defensive coordinator - Matt Powledge
Passing Defense - 227.6 ypg (85th in the nation)
Rushing Defense - 155.2 ypg (78th)
Total Defense - 382.8 ypg (83rd)
Scoring Defense - 25.3 ppg (70th)
Key Players to Watch
LB #2 Matt Jones - The sixth year player earned 1st team All-Big 12 honors for Baylor as he was 2nd on the team with 103 tackles.
LB #11 Keaton Thomas - The young buck was a dynamic playmaker for the Bears defense, earning 1st team All-Big 12 honors as well, leading the team with 107 tackles - this is one of the best linebacker duos in the nation.
S #3 Devyn Bobby - Dudes from DeSoto can PLAY and Bobby is a playmaker in this defense - three picks and 66 tackles on the season.
Football Takeover’s Keys to the Game - LSU Offense v. Baylor Defense
1. Throw to Run - Baylor’s defense has seen some explosive offenses, but like Nuke Laloosh says in Bull Durham “They haven’t seen my heat”. Fastball throwing star QB Garrett Nussmeier can be Matt Powledge’s worst nightmare if the Baylor defense doesn’t get in the pocket to make him move off the spot. Let him throw from a clean pocket? Baylor’s defense will get massacred.
2. The stars are gone, but not forgotten - One thing that Baylor does have going for it, though, is that LSU’s starting star tackles are both moving on to the NFL. Will Campbell and Emery Jones are future top 50 picks and have locked down the edges for the past three seasons. Neither will play in this one, putting the focus on some inexperienced tackles, namely talented, but young, Tyree Adams.
3. See ball, Get ball - Watching Baylor LBs Matt Jones and Keaton Thomas is as fun as it gets. Smart. Tough. Fast. Good size. Patience. They’re extremely patient and run to the ball when they know. As such, they create all kinds of mayhem. This is a difficult test for the two 1st Team All-Big 12 honorees because of the diversity in this LSU offense with Caden Durham toting the rock and Nussmeier throwing the ball. I love watching this duo of Bears’ linebackers.