Noah Cain ran for two touchdowns, Garrett Nussmeier came off the bench to throw two touchdown passes and No. 17 LSU routed Purdue 63-7 in the Citrus Bowl on Monday in Orlando, Fla.
Jayden Daniels passed for 139 yards and a touchdown in addition to catching a touchdown pass from wideout Malik Nabers, who had nine catches for 163 yards and a touchdown. John Emery Jr. and Derrick Davis Jr. each had a touchdown run and Mason Taylor and Brian Thomas Jr. each added a touchdown catch for the Tigers (10-4).
Both teams played without several key players who opted out and Purdue (8-6) was especially hampered by the absence of quarterback Aidan O’Connell, receiver Charlie Jones and tight end Payne Durham.
Austin Burton replaced O’Connell and completed 12 of 24 passes for 74 yards with an interception before being replaced by Michael Alaimo, whose 16-yard touchdown pass to TJ Sheffield in the fourth quarter produced the Boilermakers’ points.
LSU scored touchdowns on five consecutive first-half possessions and increased its lead to 42-0 on its first possession of the third quarter when Nabers threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Daniels.
Nabers grabbed a shovel pass from Nussmeier and sprinted 75 yards for a touchdown and a 49-0 lead at the end of the period.
Alaimo’s touchdown pass came on the second play of the fourth quarter and was followed by Davis’ 12-yard run and Quad Wilson’s 99-yard interception return that completed the scoring with 40 seconds remaining.
That enabled the Tigers to tie the school record for points in a postseason game, set against Oklahoma in a 2019 CFP semifinal at the Peach Bowl.
Emery ran 1 yard for a touchdown and Cain’s 9-yard run gave the Tigers a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Daniels threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Taylor early in the second quarter to produce a 21-0 lead.
Cain ran 9 yards for a score and LSU made it five consecutive possessions that produced TDs when Nussmeier threw a 10-yard pass to Thomas for a 35-0 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media