Houston Stuns LSU! Tigers’ Defensive Meltdown Spoils Kiffin’s Pre-Era Party
LSU started with a 99-yard lightning strike, but Conner Weigman and the Cougars had other ideas. Read how Houston wiped out a 14-point deficit to sink the Tigers 38-35.
NRG Stadium Shocker: Houston Outlasts LSU in a Texas Bowl Shootout
Honestly? LSU fans probably thought this was over before they even sat down. Barion Brown took the opening kickoff 99 yards to the house in just 14 seconds. Talk about a gut punch. Michael Van Buren Jr. then tossed a 23-yard dime to Trey'Dez Green to make it 14-0. Tigers were rolling. Houston looked cooked.
But here is the kicker: Conner Weigman doesn't care about your early lead. The Houston quarterback put the team on his back, throwing four touchdown passes to claw the Cougars out of that deep hole. He exploited a Tigers defense that looked totally lost without its usual bite. To be fair, seeing LSU blow a two-touchdown lead that fast was a total shocker.
The Turning Point
Houston snatched the lead right before the break when Weigman found Tanner Koziol for a 7-yard score. LSU fought back to tie it 28-28 in the fourth quarter, but their best just wasn't enough across all three phases. Dean Connors iced the game with a 20-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth, giving the Cougars a cushion LSU couldn't quite deflate.
Match Statistics: Kinder's Texas Bowl (Dec 27, 2025)
| The Stats | LSU Tigers | Houston Cougars |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 35 | 38 |
| Total Yards | 344 | 437 |
| Passing TDs | 3 | 4 |
| Time of Possession | 21:28 | 38:32 |
What This Means for the Tigers
This loss leaves LSU with a 7-6 record to end a chaotic year. It was the last ride for interim coach Frank Wilson III before Lane Kiffin officially grabs the steering wheel. Tigers' defenders better get used to the treadmill; they surrendered 437 yards to a Houston team that just plain wanted it more. Willie Fritz, on the other hand, just secured his first 10-win season at Houston—the first time the Cougars hit that mark in a Power Four conference since 1990.
So, is Lane Kiffin enough to fix this defense, or is LSU heading for another rough fall? Let us know in the comments!
