Rapid Reaction: LSU drops Texas Bowl to Houston as Tigers move on to Lane Kiffin era
By Andrew Olson
Published:
The 2025 LSU football team ended its season on a down note. Tiger fans won’t lose sleep, though, over a 38-35 loss to No. 21 Houston in the Texas Bowl, as it’s on to the Lane Kiffin team.
Kiffin was on hand at NRG Stadium in Houston, but he wasn’t coaching the Tigers. Interim coach Frank Wilson was coaching the Tigers one last time before, awkwardly enough, heading to Ole Miss to join Pete Golding’s staff, according to reports.
As for the ’25 Tigers, things started out as well as possible. Barion Brown took the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Roughly 4 minutes into the game, LSU had its second TD of the game when Michael Van Buren Jr. connected with Trey’Dez Green to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead.
LSU’s hot start, though, didn’t faze Houston. Once the Cougar offense got going, the Tiger defense didn’t have an answer.
Houston scored the next 21 points, taking a 21-14 lead into the locker room at halftime. Each team added a TD in the 3rd quarter.
LSU tied it up 28-28 early in the 4th quarter with 14:54 left, but Houston managed to play keep away and secure the victory. The Cougars retook the lead 31-28 at the 7:42 mark after a 13-play, 72-yard drive. LSU went 3-and-out, punting the ball back after taking only 52 seconds off the clock. Houston then went on an 8-play, 81-yard scoring drive that took 4:27 off the clock. When Houston went up 38-28, there was only 2:23 remaining in the game.
LSU managed a quick 8-play, 63-yard scoring drive to make it 38-35 with 1:15 left. The Tigers even had a prime chance at an onside kick recovery, but it wasn’t meant to be. The 2025 season ends in frustrating disappointment, and it’s time to turn the page to Kiffin.
LSU Onside Kick Sooo Close pic.twitter.com/zgN6HSrwHH
— Surf TrekTonics (@trektonics) December 28, 2025
Conner Weigman set a Houston bowl record with 4 passing touchdowns in the win. The former Texas A&M quarterback was 27-of-36 for 236 passing yards. Van Buren threw for more yards, completing 16-of-26 for 267 yards and 3 scores. A common theme all season, LSU was outrushed significantly. The Cougars ran for 201 yards, while LSU finished with 24 carries for 77 yards.
Houston 38, LSU 35
Here’s the Texas Bowl box score (use the dropdown menu to select team or player stats), followed by the complete play-by-play:
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
