Honestly, if you look at the LSU football 2024 schedule on paper, it looks like a standard SEC gauntlet. But stats don't tell the whole story of what actually happened in Death Valley last year.
It was a rollercoaster.
We saw the "Nuss Bus" era officially begin, a defense trying to find its soul under Blake Baker, and a season that felt like it was constantly on the verge of either greatness or total collapse. Brian Kelly entered his third year with a massive hole left by Heisman winner Jayden Daniels. Most people figured there would be a drop-off. There was, but maybe not in the ways we expected.
The Tigers finished 9-4. They went 5-3 in the SEC.
They won the Texas Bowl.
But man, the path to get there was messy.
Breaking down the LSU football 2024 schedule and the Vegas heartbreak
The season didn't start in Louisiana. It started in the neon glow of Las Vegas against USC. This was supposed to be the statement game. Instead, it became a 27-20 loss that felt like a punch to the gut. Garrett Nussmeier threw for over 300 yards, but the Tigers couldn't close. It was the same old story: Week 1 woes.
LSU hasn't won a season opener since 2019. Think about that.
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After Vegas, the Tigers came home to handle business against Nicholls (44-21), but it wasn't exactly a dominant showing that calmed anyone's nerves. The real test came in Columbia.
The South Carolina game was probably the most "LSU" game of the year. They trailed 17-0. The crowd was deafening. But somehow, Nussmeier and a gritty run game led by freshman Caden Durham clawed back for a 36-33 win. It was ugly. It was stressful. It was a classic.
The mid-season peak and the Magnolia Bowl
By the time mid-October rolled around, the LSU football 2024 schedule started looking a lot friendlier. After beating UCLA (34-17) and South Alabama (42-10), the Tigers welcomed Ole Miss to Tiger Stadium for the 100th anniversary of the venue.
This was the peak.
A 29-26 overtime thriller. The stadium literally shook. When Nussmeier found Kyren Lacy in the end zone to seal it, people started whispering about the College Football Playoff. LSU moved up to No. 8 in the country. They followed it up by crushing Arkansas 34-10 in Fayetteville to reclaim the Golden Boot. Everything felt right.
Then, the wheels fell off.
The November collapse that changed everything
If you want to know what most people get wrong about the 2024 season, it's the idea that the defense was the only problem. While Blake Baker's unit struggled at times, the offense went through a bizarre identity crisis during a three-game losing streak that killed their playoff hopes.
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- Texas A&M: A 38-23 loss in College Station where the Tigers led at halftime but got shredded by a backup quarterback's legs in the second half.
- Alabama: A 42-13 blowout at home. It was embarrassing. Jalen Milroe ran all over the Tigers, and the offense couldn't find the end zone until it was way too late.
- Florida: A 27-16 loss in the Swamp that felt like the low point of the Brian Kelly era.
Three weeks. Three losses. From No. 8 in the world to unranked.
The LSU football 2024 schedule didn't get easier, the team just seemed to lose its edge. Nussmeier was asked to do way too much. The run game disappeared. The offensive line, led by All-American Will Campbell, was great at pass blocking but couldn't move people off the ball when it mattered most in short-yardage situations.
Finding some late-season redemption
Kelly didn't let the ship sink completely. The Tigers finished the regular season with wins over Vanderbilt (24-17) and a solid 37-17 thumping of Oklahoma. It wasn't the playoff run fans craved, but it stabilized the program.
They ended the year in Houston for the Texas Bowl.
LSU beat Baylor 44-31. Nussmeier looked like a superstar again, throwing for 304 yards and three scores. Caden Durham showed everyone why he’s the future of the backfield. It was a high note to end on, even if it wasn't the bowl game they imagined back in August.
Why 2024 was actually a bridge year
Looking back at the LSU football 2024 schedule and the results, it’s clear this was a transition. You don't just lose a Heisman QB and two first-round wide receivers (Nabers and Thomas) and stay at the same level.
Nussmeier finished with over 4,000 passing yards. That's elite.
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Whit Weeks emerged as a tackling machine at linebacker.
The defense started 20 true freshmen at various points.
The real value of the 2024 season wasn't the trophy in the Texas Bowl; it was the "forced" growth of the younger roster. Guys like Gabe Reliford and Zavion Thomas got meaningful snaps that will pay off in 2025.
Brian Kelly has been criticized for not hitting the portal hard enough on the defensive interior, and honestly, that’s fair. The lack of a dominant defensive tackle was the Achilles' heel against Alabama and A&M. But the 2024 schedule proved that LSU has the skill talent to beat anyone—they just lacked the depth in the trenches to survive a 12-game SEC schedule.
Actionable insights for Tigers fans
If you're looking ahead based on how the LSU football 2024 schedule played out, here is what you need to watch for:
- Monitor the Defensive Interior: LSU has already been aggressive in the portal for 2025. They need "big humans" to stop the run, or the Alabama result will keep happening.
- Caden Durham's Usage: He was the spark plug in 2024. Expect him to be the featured back from Day 1 next season to take the pressure off Nussmeier.
- The Secondary Evolution: LSU played a lot of young corners late in the year. Watch for PJ Woodland and the incoming transfers to see if they can finally fix the "explosive play" problem that haunted them in 2024.
The 2024 season was a "kinda" year. Kinda great, kinda frustrating, and definitely a wild ride for anyone following the Tigers.