Three Observations From LSU Football's Week 4 Victory Over Southeastern Louisiana

Brian Kelly and Co. take down the Lions in Baton Rouge, advance to 4-0 on the season.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

No. 3 LSU (4-0, 1-0 SEC) cruised to a 56-10 Week 4 win over the Southeastern Louisiana Lions to remain unbeaten to open the 2025 season.

Brian Kelly and Co. received a significant contribution from Garrett Nussmeier and the offense with the Tigers' QB1 getting back on track.

Along with Nussmeier getting a groove, the Bayou Bengals saw running back Ju'Juan Johnson give the Tigers a boost on the ground.

"Tonight, I think we focused on preparation," LSU running back Ju'Juan Johnson said. "Just going through it at practice and just keeping on working at it. It was a big step for us - I think - on the offensive side of the ball."

LSU is 4-0 for the first time since the 2019 season with the Bayou Bengals playing complementary football in Baton Rouge on Saturday night.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

Three Observations: Week 4 Edition

No. 1: Garrett Nussmeier Bounces Back

Across the first three weeks of the season, LSU's starting signal-caller struggled to get in a groove while dealing with a nagging torso injury.

Leading into Week 4 against Southeastern Louisiana, Nussmeier was 69-for-106 on passing attempts with 689 yards to go with three touchdowns and two interceptions. The 689 passing yards placed him at No. 9 in the SEC.

Fast forward to Saturday night in Baton Rouge and it was a different story.

Nussmeier led the Bayou Bengals to six consecutive touchdown drives with the Tigers taking a 35-0 lead at halftime while keeping a foot on the gas through the first possession of the second half.

Courtesy of LSU Football.

LSU's QB1 ended the night going 25-for-31 through the air with 273 passing yards and four total touchdowns. Of the six incompletions, four were drops by the receivers. Nussmeier was nearly flawless.

The Tigers had three pass-catchers total over 40 yards with Bauer Sharp leading the way with five receptions for 73 yards and a score. Barion Brown totaled 54 yards on five receptions with a touchdown of his own.

No. 2: Efficient Contributions From the Backups

After going up 42-0 on Saturday night in Death Valley, Kelly and the LSU coaching staff pulled the starters to give the reserves an opportunity to see game action.

Nussmeier's night ended after eclipsing nearly 300 yards of total offense with backup quarterback Michael Van Buren stepping in against Southeastern Louisiana where he looked the part in his role.

Sure, it was a short stint on the field against an inferior opponent, but Saturday night against the Lions provided Van Buren with an opportunity to get on the field in Tiger Stadium and see a boost of confidence.

Sep 20, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (11) reacts to scoring a touchdown against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Mississippi State transfer ended the night going 9-of-11 through the air with 120 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns - one on the ground along with one passing.

LSU also saw production from Damien Shanklin, Harlem Berry, Jaiden Braker, and Dylan Carpenter, among others, on Saturday night with Shanklin tallying a pair of sacks.

No. 3: A Few "Concerns" Remain on Offense

The Bayou Bengals saw it come together against an inferior opponent on Saturday night with the program getting in the end-zone on eight straight possessions - spearheaded by Nussmeier.

LSU punted the ball on the first and last possessions of the game with the Tigers piecing together a strong run in the program's annual FCS matchup.

But there remain a few concerns for the offense moving into the heart of Southeastern Conference play and it starts with the offensive line - specifically at right tackle.

LSU has rolled with Weston Davis as the program's starting right tackle in 2025 with the former five-star earning the spot during the offseason, but the redshirt-freshman has struggled in all four games.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Football.

Yes, there will be growing pains for a youngster thrust into a starting role for the LSU Tigers, but it's certainly become a spot to watch moving forward. Whether it's DJ Chester, Carius Curne, or another player that makes it a position battle, this will be something to keep an eye on.

Aside from the offensive line, drops were a "concern" on Saturday night. It's uncharacteristic for LSU to have drops, but after seeing Barion Brown, Aaron Anderson and Nic Anderson drop routine balls, it'll be a small piece to cleanup ahead of SEC play.

Brown and [Aaron] Anderson were once again leaders for the Tigers on offense, but heading into Ole Miss next Saturday, it's imperative the leading wideouts handle business at Vaught Hemingway Stadium.

No. 3 LSU will square off against Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels in Week 5 with all eyes on what will be a Top-15 matchup.

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