KINDER’S TEXAS BOWL IS SET
What another wild and wonderful ride the 2025 CFB season has been and we’ve reached the final stopping point: The 2025 Kinder’s Texas Bowl - Houston v. LSU. Let’s dive into a preview for this matchup.
LSU (7-5)
W @ Clemson 17-10
W La. Tech 23-7
W Florida 20-10
W SELA 56-10
L @ #6 Ole Miss 24-19
W South Carolina 20-10
L @ #13 Vanderbilt 31-24
L #7 Texas A&M 49-24
L @ #11 Alabama 20-9
W Arkansas 23-22
W Western Kentucky 13-10
L @ #8 Oklahoma 17-13
Kinder’s Texas Bowl v. Houston at NRG Stadium
Offense
Passing
Garrett Nussmeier (nine games) - 194 of 288 (67.4%), 1.927 yards, 12 TD & five INT
Michael Van Buren Jr. (six games) - 78 of 125 (62.4%), 743 yards, five TD & two INT
Rushing
Caden Durham (11 games) - 106 att for 505 yards and three TD
Harlem Berry (12 games) - 101 att for 446 yards and two TD
Ju’Juan Johnson (12 games) - 38 att for 151 yards and two TD
Michael Van Buren Jr (12 games) - 37 att for 105 yards and one TD
Receiving
Barion Brown (12 games) - 52 receptions for 495 yards and one TD
Zavion Thomas (12 games) - 40 receptions for 473 yards and four TD
Aaron Anderson (nine games) - 33 receptions for 398 yards
Trey’Dez Green (TE - ten games) - 29 receptions for 353 yards and five TD
The offense has struggled all season long. Even though All-SEC QB Garrett Nussmeier returned after a productive 2024 season, the Tigers didn’t score more than 25 points on offense against an FBS opponent all season long. Even with the explosive perimeter players on the roster, the Tigers just couldn’t move the ball effectively throughout the season.
Late in the season, a combination of injury and inconsistent play moved Nussmeier out of the starting lineup for the Mississippi State transfer Van Buren Jr. He didn’t produce a ton, but he engineered a couple of wins down the stretch. He can make plays happen out of structure and that’s certainly needed behind an OL that struggled to replace four NFL players from 2024’s starting lineup.
Green has the makings of a star at TE and Anderson is one of the best slot receivers in the nation. But, Anderson missed the last two games and only played nine games in 2024. His availability in this game is up in the air at this point. But, I would love to see his explosiveness in Houston once again.
Defense
Tackles
S A.J. Haulcy (Houston transfer - 12 games) - 88 total
LB Davhon Keys (12 games) - 78 total
LB West Weeks (11 games) - 74 total
S Tamarcus Cooley (12 games) - 60 total
LB Harold Perkins Jr (12 games) - 56 total
TFL
LB Harold Perkins Jr - 8.0
LB West Weeks - 8.0
DE Jack Pyburn (12 games) - 5.5
DL Bernard Gooden (11 games) - 4.0
Sacks
LB Harold Perkins Jr - 4.0
LB West Weeks - 2.5
CB DJ Pickett (12 games) - 2.0
DE Dylan Carpenter (nine games) - 2.0
Interceptions
S A.J. Haulcy - three
LB Harold Perkins Jr - three
CB DJ Pickett - three
CB Mansoor Delane (11 games) - two
S Dashawn Spears (12 games) - two
CB PJ Woodland (12 games) - two
S Tamarcus Cooley - two
This LSU defense played with a point to prove all season long and it was a nasty unit, led by DC Blake Baker. Early in the season, this unit had Florida QB D.J. Lagway so completely turned upside down after five picks that he nearly never rebounded.
The leader MLB Whit Weeks missed four games and yet that never slowed this group. Harold Perkins Jr. found his playmaking skills again. The secondary was a ball hawking unit, led by S A.J Haulcy who will face his former team in his final college game.
CB Mansoor Delane is a future first round pick, so it’s not ultimately clear whether he’ll play in the game, but the Tigers do have depth behind him if he chooses to start preparing for the NFL Draft.
This defensive unit has saved the offense’s bacon throughout the season and it might have to do so one more time against Conner Weigman and company.
Houston (9-3)
W Stephen F. Austin 27-0
W @ Rice 35-9
W Colorado 36-20
W @ Oregon State 27-24
L #4 Texas Tech 35-11
W @ Oklahoma State 39-17
W #21 Arizona 31-28
W @ Arizona State 24-16
L West Virginia 45-35
W @ UCF 30-27
L TCU 17-14
W @ Baylor 31-24
Offense
Passing
Conner Weigman (12 games) - 204 of 319 (63.9%), 2,475 yards, 21 TD & nine TD
Rushing
Dean Connors (12 games) - 184 att for 851 yards and five TD
Conner Weigman - 158 att for 644 yards and 11 TD
DJ Butler (ten games) - 60 att for 280 yards
Stacy Sneed (nine games) - 35 att for 127 yards
Receiving
Amare Thomas (12 games) - 59 receptions for 906 yards and ten TD
Tanner Koziol (TE - 12 games) - 65 receptions for 651 yards and five TD
Stephon Johnson (six games) - 13 receptions for 275 yards and two TD (out for season)
Dean Connors - 31 receptions for 242 yards and three TD
The Cougars big four of Weigman, Connors, Koziol and Thomas were outstanding and were the bulk of the offense this year. Connors, Koziol and Thomas accounted for 72.4% of the receptions on the season. Connors and Weigman accounted for 70.9% of the rushing yards on the season (68.0% of the carries on the season).
So, the offense runs through those four and will continue to do so in this bowl game, although we don’t entirely know if that quartet will be on the field in this bowl game. If they are, this Houston offense taking on the LSU defense will be an awesome matchup to watch. The Houston OL must stay latched on blocks against the front to occupy the Weeks’ brothers and Perkins if they hope to produce on the ground and protect Weigman, who needs time to throw.
Defense
Tackles
LB Jalen Garner (12 games) - 75 total
DT Carlos Allen Jr (12 games) - 75 total
S Kentrell Webb (12 games) - 69 total
DE Eddie Walls III (12 games) - 56 total
LB Sione Fotu (12 games) - 55 total
TFL
DE Eddie Walls III - 9.0
DT Carlos Allen Jr - 7.0
OLB Brandon Mack II (12 games) - 6.0
S Wrook Brown (12 games) - 6.0
LB Corey Platt Jr. (11 games) - 5.0
Sacks
DE Eddie Walls III - 5.5
OLB Brandon Mack II - 5.0
LB Corey Platt Jr. - 3.0
S Wrook Brown - 2.5
Interceptions
CB Will James (12 games) - three
LB Latreveon McCutchin (12 games) - two
S Wrook Brown - two
Nickel Marc Stampley II (12 games) - two
Watching the Houston defense over the past decade or so was a frustrating experience, but this group was incredibly disciplined, for the most part, tackled well and didn’t often beat itself. It’s not a unit led by stars and names you know, but it’s a “whole is greater than the sum of its parts” sort of a unit.
I love the interior guys - Walls and Allen Jr - they are incredibly quick, powerful and agile, creating mayhem for interior OL consistently. Given that the LSU OL never really found its footing and its level in 2025, Walls and Allen Jr could really feast in this matchup.
The secondary missed Haulcy, who they’ll see on the other sideline in this game, but the group played well throughout season, getting positive contributions from a litany of defensive backs in 2025.
It’s always hard to know in a bowl situation who is going to play, who has moved on in the transfer portal or who’s headed to the NFL Draft; however, I do know that DC Austin Armstrong will have this unit competin’ and playin’ its guts out in front of the home folks one final time in 2025.