Nussmeier shines as Daniels' successor, No. 13 LSU rallies to nip Wisconsin 35-31 in ReliaQuest Bowl

TAMPA, Fla. — Garrett Nussmeier threw for 395 yards and three touchdowns, helping 13th-ranked LSU launch its post-Jayden Daniels era with a come-from-behind 35-31 victory over Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Monday.

Stepping in to make his first college start after Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, opted out to begin preparing for the NFL Draft, Nussmeier completed 31 of 45 passes. He tossed TD passes of 14 yards to Chris Hilton Jr. and 38 and 4 yards to Brian Thomas Jr., whose second touchdown put LSU ahead with 3 minutes, 8 seconds remaining.

Nussmeier rallied the Tigers (10-3) from a 14-point second-half deficit to overshadow a stellar performance by Wisconsin’s Tanner Mordecai, who threw for a season-high 378 yards and three TDs for the Badgers (7-6), who played without star running back Braelon Allen.

Nussmeier, who turns 22 in February, had appeared in 17 games over three years at LSU, including five this season while Daniels was compiling dazzling statistics — 3,812 yards and 40 TDs passing, 1,134 yards and 10 TDs rushing — on the way to winning the Heisman.

The Tigers trailed 14-0 after one quarter, 21-14 at halftime and 31-28 heading into the fourth quarter.

Nussmeier set up the winning touchdown with completions of 37 yards to Kyren Lacy and 43 yards to Hilton. Thomas finished with eight catches for 98 yards, and Lacy had six receptions for 97 yards for the Tigers.

Mordecai, a sixth-year senior playing his final college game, completed 27 of 40 passes without an interception for the Badgers, who rolled up more than 500 yards of total offense despite playing without Allen, who opted out of the bowl game because he’s declaring for the draft.

Mordecai threw for 7,152 yards and 72 touchdowns in two seasons at SMU before transferring to Wisconsin, where his arrival — along with the addition of multiple transfer receiver and Air Raid disciple Phil Longo as offensive coordinator — created expectations that the Badgers were on the verge of abandoning their traditional staid run-oriented offense and would throw the ball more.

But Mordecai, who missed three games with a broken throwing hand, threw for just six touchdowns during the regular season.