Welcome to the Caden Durham Show
Caden Durham.
Those are the only two words needed to summarize LSU’s 42 to 10 win over South Alabama. The track star from Duncanville had 200 yards of offense and two touchdowns…on his first seven touches of the game. He finished the night with 217 total yards of offense: 128 on seven carries, and 89 on three receptions.
On the first play from scrimmage Durham housed a Garrett Nussmeier dump off for a 71-yard touchdown.
A new meaning to start fast. @CadenDurham29 TOUCHDOWN.
SEC Network pic.twitter.com/bB9gzip7bK
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) September 29, 2024
Then, on LSU’s second play from scrimmage, Durham broke free for an 86-yard carry up the middle but came about half a yard shy of his second touchdown in as many touches.
Second carry of the game. 86 yards for @cadendurham29.
SEC Network pic.twitter.com/774nlIeoKq
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) September 29, 2024
Instead known dual threat Garrett Nussmeier (????) did this thing where he took the ball from under center and, get this, he ran it in himself! Apparently you can do that! He even ran in a second touchdown tonight! I didn’t know Jayden Daniels was back in town!
Durham would score his second touchdown of the first quarter on LSU’s third possession of the game by way of an 8-yard run. It was the exclamation mark on a beautiful 11-play, 79-yard drive where LSU even overcame a dead ball,, 15-yard penalty by Will Campbell. Some would say that Campbell’s penalty was chess, not checkers, because that foul just gave Durham more yards!
Garrett Nussmeier was once again sharp operating inside the pocket and made some NFL-caliber throws on a touchdown scoring drive right before halftime. First it was this throw to Mason Taylor.
Look at this throw from Nuss to Mason Taylor pic.twitter.com/fzsDBUMRU4
— Matthew Brune (@MatthewBrune_) September 29, 2024
Then he hit Aaron Anderson for a touchdown.
Nuss Connects With Anderson
TOUCHDOWN TIGERS
SEC Network pic.twitter.com/MjjPRShrZi
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) September 29, 2024
LSU’s first half was by far and away the best football they’ve played to date this season. The only negatives from the first half was a Nussmeier interception on LSU’s final possession of the first half, and Durham going to the locker room. The Tigers went into the break leading 35-3, and if you want to go back to the second half of last week’s UCLA game, the Tiger defense allowed three points over its last four quarters of action.
South Alabama only had 124 yards of offense in the first half and six first downs. The Jags were 1-8 on third down in the first half and that havoc causing LSU front was credited with two sacks and eight TFLs.
South Alabama got the ball to start the second half and all that praise I heaped on the LSU defense went out the window as the Jaguars scored on its opening possession. South quarterback Gio Lopez hit Anthony Eager for a 27-yard touchdown on a cool slot fade play. Gotta tip my cap on that one, it was a good throw.
On LSU’s ensuing offensive possession, things continued to dip a bit for the Tigers as Nussmeier threw his second interception of the night. South Alabama had a chance to make things interesting on a 4th and goal gamble, but Major Burns and Whit Weeks combined to stuff a scrambling Lopez right at the goal line and stonewalled him.
BOOM
4th Down Stop @WeeksWhit @majorburns6 pic.twitter.com/m97aBnz868
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) September 29, 2024
Taking the ball at the one yard line, Nuss was able to lead LSU all the way down the field for a 99-yard touchdown drive that was capped off by Josh Williams. It’s the third 90+ yard drive Nuss has engineered in the past two weeks.
LSU emptied the bench midway through the fourth quarter and Rickie Collins got some reps at quarterback. He was 3/3 passing and scrambled twice for 14 yards.
Football is a week-to-week sport and we’re all guilty of being a little too high or too low on our team’s futures depending on the game. That said this is the best LSU’s looked all year and after Ole Miss lost at home against Kentucky and Alabama is currently beating Georgia in Tuscaloosa…I don’t know, maybe LSU’s not as out of it as we thought.