The LSU Tigers close the 2025 season Saturday against the Houston Cougars in the Kinder’s Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Kickoff is 8:15 p.m. (ESPN).
LSU is 7-5. Houston is 9-3 and ranked No. 24 in the AFCA Coaches’ poll. The Cougars were No. 21 in the final College Football Playoff rankings.
LSU fell to Oklahoma 17-13 in its last game on Nov. 29. Houston defeated Baylor 31-24 the same day.
According to multiple media reports, several LSU players have opted out of the game or aren’t playing because of an injury..
They include consensus All-America defensive back Mansoor Delane, linebacker Harold Perkins Jr., quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, wide receiver Aaron Anderson, safety AJ Haulcy, linebackers Whit and West Weeks, and defensive end Jack Pyburn.
Delane, Anderson and Haulcy have declared for the NFL Draft.
Houston is expected to have most of its regular-season roster intact.
The game is the last one at LSU for interim Head Coach Frank Wilson, who has accepted a position as running backs coach at Ole Miss.
LSU’s offense will be led by sophomore quarterback Michael Van Buren. Van Buren has completed 78-of-125 passes for 753 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions in six games.
Van Buren replaced Nussmeier against Alabama in Week 9 then became the starter against Arkansas the next week.
Running backs Caden Durham and Harlem Berry are also expected to be available, per media reports.
Durham has rushed for 505 yards on 106 carries and scored three touchdowns. Berry has rushed for 446 on 101 carries and scored two TDs.
Willie Fritz is in his second year as Houston’s head coach. The Cougars went 4-8 in his first year. Fritz was the head coach at Tulane from 2016-23.
Houston finished tied for fourth in the Big 12 at 6-3 with Arizona and Arizona State.
The Cougars’ losses were to Texas Tech 35-11, West Virginia 45-35 and TCU 17-14.
Houston is led by quarterback Conner Weigman, who has completed 204-of-319 passes for 2,745 yards and 21 touchdowns with nine interceptions.
He has also rushed for 644 yards on 158 carries and 11 touchdowns. Dean Connors leads the Cougars with 851 yards on 184 carries.
Receiver Amare Thomas, who has caught 59 passes for 906 yards and 10 touchdowns, was a first-team All-Big 12 selection. Tanner Koziol, a second-team All-Big 12 selection at tight end, has caught 65 passes for 651 yards and five touchdowns.
Other second-team All-Big 12 selections were defensive lineman Carlos Allen Jr. and defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr.