Garrett Nussmeier Intrigues CFB Fans as LSU's QB1 for 2024 After Win vs. Wisconsin

With Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels moving on, LSU might already have its starting quarterback for 2024.

The No. 13 Tigers earned a 35-31 win over Wisconsin in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Saturday, with Garrett Nussmeier playing a starring role in place of Daniels.

The redshirt sophomore finished 31-of-45 for 395 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He out-dueled Badgers signal-caller Tanner Mordecai, who had 370 passing yards and three scores through the air.

Nussmeier's four-yard touchdown pass to Brian Thomas Jr. put LSU ahead with 3:08 on the clock.

That was a lot of time for Wisconsin to find the game-winning score, especially since the Badgers had encountered little trouble moving up the field all day, going for 506 total yards.

But three straight sacks forced a turnover on downs inside the final minute and allowed the Tigers to run out the clock.

The potential remains for LSU head coach Brian Kelly to add a quarterback through the transfer portal. After Monday, though, he might feel good heading into the offseason with Nussmeier as the QB1.

Tigers fans are bound to believe anything is possible after Daniels and Joe Burrow before him went on to win a Heisman in Baton Rouge.

Daniels was a solid, if occasionally frustrating, starter prior the 2023 campaign, but nobody predicted the breakout he enjoyed. Burrow's rise was even more improbable after what had been a nondescript college career.

LSU might benefit from Nussmeier's patience in backing up Daniels for the past two years. Putting him atop the early 2024 Heisman ballot is obviously a stretch. An All-SEC nod could be a reasonable target, and that might be enough for the program to achieve its aims.

Assuming Kelly and his staff make the necessary improvements on defense, the 2024 season could be when the program gets into the College Football Playoff for the first time since he arrived.