LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier kept the focus on football Saturday night, just not on his health. After No. 4 LSU fell 24–19 to the No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford, Nussmeier declined to answer questions about how he felt physically, a notable postgame choice after weeks of whispers about his condition.
“I’m not going to answer any questions about my health right now,” Nussmeier told reporters after the game via On3.
The decision landed because context matters. Head coach Brian Kelly acknowledged earlier this month that Nussmeier has been battling a torso issue, though he emphasized the expectation that the quarterback would keep playing through it. That disclosure put a brighter light on every hit, scramble, and throw, and on any postgame update. Nussmeier chose none, steering clear of the health conversation entirely after LSU’s first loss of the season.
On the field, Ole Miss made life difficult. The Rebels outgained LSU 480–254 and held the Tigers to 57 rushing yards, forcing Nussmeier to win from the pocket against a steady rush. He finished 21-of-34 for 197 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while LSU managed just 2-of-11 on third down. Those numbers tell the story of a choppy night for an offense that never found its usual rhythm.
Credit Ole Miss for dictating the terms. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss threw for 314 yards and a score as the Rebels controlled tempo and field position, then iced the game with a fourth-down completion that bled the clock. For LSU, the absence of top running back Caden Durham (ankle) squeezed the margins even more, placing added weight on Nussmeier’s arm in a one-score game.
Kelly has been clear that the Tigers need a cleaner early-down offense and better balance. Those fixes matter more than medical disclosure when the SEC schedule tightens.
Nussmeier’s posture also carried a message to his locker room. LSU did not lose because of a quote; it lost because Ole Miss won the trenches and key downs. If the Tigers correct that, the path forward remains wide open. If not, the questions will keep coming, health-related or otherwise. For now, Nussmeier kept his answers brief and his focus narrow, and LSU heads home with corrections to make after a long night in Oxford.
