This week, LSU beat writer Jace LeJeune ranks his top five moments of the 2022 season. He will post a moment each day this week from number five all the way to the number one moment of the season, which will be on Friday.
Today, we take a look back at the number five moment of the 2022 season, which was the Tigers’ most recent game: The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl. LSU saved its best moment for last to cap off Brian Kelly’s first year as the Tigers head coach.
It was LSU’s most dominant performance of the season as the Tigers crushed a Purdue team that was without its head coach and starting quarterback. The Tigers outgained the Boilermakers 594 yards to 263 in a crushing 63-7 win that was the second most lopsided bowl game of the year behind only the CFP National Championship Game.
Offensively, both Jayden Daniels and Garrett Nussmeier shared reps, and both played exceptionally well. Daniels, who has been QB1 all year long, had a great ending to his first full year as the starting quarterback by completing 12 of 17 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown while also adding a receiving touchdown. Nussmeier continued to show off what he can do under center by completing 11 of 15 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns.
The Citrus Bowl MVP was Malik Nabers, who displayed his versatility with nine catches for 163 yards and a 75-yard touchdown plus completing two passes including a touchdown pass to Jayden Daniels.
Also, offensively, freshman standout Mason Taylor had five catches for 88 yards and a touchdown while Brian Thomas Jr. added a touchdown catch too. Finally, Noah Cain and John Emery Jr. accounted for three more touchdowns in the game.
Defensively, the Tigers forced three interceptions coming from Greg Brooks, Jarrick Bernard-Converse, and Quad Wilson, who put the icing on the cake with a 99 yard kick return for a touchdown.
What made this victory even sweeter was that the bowl game win marked the tenth win of the season for the Tigers, which is the 17th time in the program’s history that the football team won ten games or more.
It was a great sign of things to come for the future of the LSU Tigers football program and this Tigers moment kicks off the list of Top Five Moments of the 2022 season.
Come back tomorrow as Jace reveals the number four moment of the 2022 LSU season.
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