BATON ROUGE — In its last game of the regular season against Texas A&M, LSU honored 12 seniors, acknowledging the impact that each player has had on the program. 

Quarterback Jayden Daniels was met with a roar of cheers as he ran onto the field. He was the last senior to be recognized, but arguably the most loved.

In just two short years at LSU, Daniels has played a crucial role in the Tigers’ success. He’s been etching his name into records held previously by the greats, and has solidified himself as one of the best college football quarterbacks across the nation. 

LSU’s 42-30 win against Texas A&M was yet another showcase of this Tiger offense’s resilience, all glued together by an elite quarterback that has made a name for himself wearing purple and gold. 

“It has meant a lot to me,” Daniels said, reflecting on his time at LSU. “Being able to come here last year and really believe in myself and trust in the unknown. I did not know what I was going to get myself into, and now I just went through it in my last game here. I have not really sat down and embraced what I went through, but I was just trying to enjoy every little moment.” 

LSU walked away with its sixth conference win of the season, but this didn’t come with ease.

The No. 1 nationally-ranked offense that the Tigers have contained all season had to work in overdrive, quickly attempting to repair what their counterparts struggled to do throughout the entire game.

LSU’s defense has been the weakest component of the program, ranking consistently near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference throughout the entire season. Up against an Aggie offense that is average at best, the many faults contained within the Tiger defense was unbearably apparent.

The defense did start tightening up, however, right in time for the offense to catch fire. 

“Especially on the defensive side of the ball — we’re not perfect,” head coach Brian Kelly said. “We have to grind, but I’m proud of their resolve. I think that showed, especially in the second half.”

Texas A&M left Baton Rouge with 390 total yards. The Tigers finished the day with 389 total yards. 

The Aggies truly capitalized on each of their 10 drives, especially in the first half of the game. They ran the clock, moving down the field with just enough yards to keep the drive going. Texas A&M ran a total of 76 plays. LSU totaled 52 plays.

“I think they were 2-9 in the second half in third-down conversions,” Kelly said. “We couldn’t stop them; we couldn’t get off of the field in the first half.” 

The offensive performance wasn’t as stat heavy as LSU fans are used to, especially in the first half of the game. LSU defense worked slowly to get its offense back on the field. The ball spent the majority of the game in the hands of Texas A&M quarterback Jaylen Henderson. 

Henderson finished the game with 294 passing yards, throwing to seven different Aggie receivers.  

What mattered for this Tiger offense, however, is that in the big moments, they made the crucial plays happen. This was especially evident in the fourth quarter. 

“In the second half, they really made some plays,” Kelly said about LSU’s defense. “We got the pick, which was huge, converted that offensively, and then our playmakers made plays. Big-time players make big-time plays in games like this.” 

Texas A&M held a lead for the majority of the game. The Tigers went into halftime down by three and didn’t reclaim the lead until four minutes into the fourth quarter. 

The momentum shift in LSU’s eighth drive of the game ignited a spark in the offense that many opponents’ defenses have failed to stop. 

“We came out slow in the first quarter when we got the ball,” wide receiver Malik Nabers said. “…we never lost at home. We knew they were going to come in here and try to beat us at home, so we had to come out in the second half and prove that we’re still the best offense in college football.” 

Daniels ended the day with 235 passing yards and 120 rushing yards. 

The receiving room was once again capitalized by the unstoppable duo of Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. The two led the stat sheet with each player having over 50 yards and at least one touchdown. Running backs Logan Diggs and Josh Williams and wide receiver Kyren Lacey each contributed a touchdown as well. 

Nabers is undoubtedly one of the best receivers to move through LSU’s program. 

This was incredibly apparent when, on his fourth catch of the game, he broke alum Wendell Davis’ record for most receptions in LSU history with 184. 

“It means everything,” Nabers said about breaking the record. “I really never paid attention to the receptions; I was really working on the receiving yard. But, it’s one record down, one more to chase. I’m still going to break it.” 

Just minutes later, Nabers capped off his performance with yet another touchdown, further widening the Tigers’ lead. He was nearly unstoppable. He ultimately finished the game with 122 receiving yards and two touchdowns. His longest reception was 45 yards. 

After such a shaky start, the Tigers were able to solidify a win in their last game of the regular season. 

The Tigers’ offense worked explosively in that fourth quarter, highlighting the ability of a Heisman-worthy quarterback and a pair of Biletnikoff Award semifinalists. 

They played for the three letters across their chests, for the seniors who would touch the field of Death Valley just one last time. 

The Tigers played for each other, and the emotional rawness of the team built upon throughout the season seeped into their win against Texas A&M. 

“I knew what I needed to come in here and do in my last game in Tiger Stadium,” Nabers said. “It’s been a dream come true for sure.”