What Does LSU Look Like When It Takes On Houston?

Big.

Those are the words that coach Willie Fritz used when he spoke to the media about the Kinder’s Texas Bowl preview. With most of the team healthy and ready to give it a go on Saturday, right down the road at NRG Stadium, both sides of the ball are going to face a dominant LSU team that has seen a bunch of ups and downs just like Houston has this season.

Both programs have had roller-coaster seasons, with huge wins over teams expected to make a run down the stretch. For a team out of the SEC that is playing with an interim head coach because the school elected to go in a different direction from former head coach Brian Kelly, it is hard to say why this team has a ton to play for with a completely different coaching staff coming to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, next season.

There is more of a reason that the Cougars want to win, and that is due to a handful of seniors who have been through the thick and thin of this program and have chosen to stay to play one last game before either going to the NFL or taking their next walk of life wherever that might be. One last game for this 2025-26 campaign ends in their hometown, but to build momentum into next season, Fritz knows what’s ahead. Playing a talented squad first.

“Big team,” Fritz said. “They’re really big on the offensive line. They are a really talented squad. They got a lot of very good players.”

LSU Offensive Numbers

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Finishing the regular season with a 7-5 record, the Tigers did not do well in the SEC, where they went 3-5 against a strong conference. At the conclusion of the year, the Tigers’ offense was ranked 109th in total offense with 5.18 yards per play and 332.7 yards per game.

The running game has been one of the stronger suits that LSU has done well on offense with Caden Durham and Harlem Berry sharing carries, where Durham has registered 106 touches while Berry has gotten 101 rush attempts. As the 120th rushing offense in the nation, LSU has accumulated 1,275 rushing yards and averages 3.60 yards per game with nine rushing touchdowns, indicating how the offensive line is performing.

“They’re really big on the offensive line,” Fritz said.

As for the wide receivers, there are a handful of players who have been pivotal to the program, helping the passing offense rank 64th in the nation, averaging 6.52 yards per attempt while recording 17 pass touchdowns and 226.4 yards per game. The sophomore backup quarterback, Michael Van Buren Jr., has thrown for 743 yards with five touchdowns, so the pass game will definitely play a role, too.

Houston and LSU kick off on Saturday, December 27, at 8:15 on ESPN.