Vanderbilt Football heads into Week 8 of the 2025 season ranked No.17 in the country with a 5-1 record (1-1 SEC). After falling to Alabama, the Commodores had a bye week to recover and prepare for a home game against the No. 10-ranked LSU Tigers (5-1, 2-1) on Saturday, Oct. 18. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CDT at FirstBank Stadium.
Prior to this weekend’s game, the Hustler caught up with Chloe Richmond, Sports Editor for The Reveille, to preview the matchup.
Vanderbilt Hustler: LSU only has one loss to a very good Ole Miss team. What were the problems LSU faced with Ole Miss, and have you noticed any improvements since then?
Chloe Richmond: I would say the biggest issue for LSU Football right now is that it’s still looking for that complete game. Brian Kelly has been talking all season long about how the defense has really stood out this season, but the offense has yet to get over that hump and click. A lot of that has to do with Garrett Nussmeier. He’s been up and down with injuries throughout this whole season. He had an abdominal strain, a torso injury and he’s dealing with something with his ankle now after the South Carolina game. Nussmeier, honestly, just isn’t the quarterback he used to be, so that’s definitely been an issue for LSU. That showed in South Carolina, too; he threw two picks against South Carolina, and one of them was literally on the 1-yard line. So, he’s cost LSU a lot in terms of scoring opportunities, and it’s disappointing, but that’s definitely the biggest issue LSU has right now. It’s been pretty consistent even through the last game.
VH: Vanderbilt is favored by 2.5 points right now. What aspects of the game does LSU have to succeed in to win?
CR: Stopping Vanderbilt’s quarterback is a really big emphasis. I think that Diego Pavia is a true dual-threat quarterback, and that’s something that LSU has been lacking on offense this season. Nussmeier got a little bit more mobile against South Carolina. I know he picked up a few yards of his own rushing down the middle, but other than against South Carolina, we haven’t seen Nussmeier deal with that pressure in the pocket. Whereas Pavia is more comfortable getting out of those pressure situations or creating an opportunity for himself to pick up a few yards if necessary. So, I think that’s an issue that LSU will probably have to look out for a little bit more, because LSU doesn’t really get to train against a mobile quarterback, because LSU’s quarterback isn’t mobile himself. With that being said, LSU’s secondary is really strong, and LSU has one of the strongest defenses it has had in recent years. I know that defensive coordinator Blake Baker has been really focused on the pass rush, and he trained it a lot in the offseason and really preached pressuring the quarterback. I think LSU is going to struggle against a mobile, dual-threat quarterback in Pavia, but I also think the defense is up for the challenge, and that might be one of the team’s brighter spots against Vanderbilt.
VH: What are your thoughts on Nussmeier’s abdominal strain and other injuries? What are your thoughts on Michael Van Buren taking over the offense?
CR: When it comes to Nussmeier and getting some rest, everyone thought the bye week before playing South Carolina was the perfect time for him to recover. People were saying, ‘This is great, Nussmeier can rest and maybe we’ll even get to see Michael Van Buren, the transfer from Mississippi State, get a few reps. Maybe Van Buren will play against South Carolina.’ As I was getting ready to watch the South Carolina game, I expected Nussmeier to have taken that week to relax, recover and prepare with a little extra time. I thought we’d see that reflected on the field, but it still feels like he’s playing conservatively and very reserved. He doesn’t look like the same gunslinger we saw last year, when he was throwing the ball deep down the field. Now, he’s leaning heavily on the run game. That’s great, but LSU hasn’t really established dominance on the ground yet. Those two issues go hand in hand.
VH: Poor quarterback play was a big reason Vanderbilt lost to Alabama. Pavia uncharacteristically turned the ball over twice in the red zone. Who needs to have a big day on LSU’s defense to win this game?
CR: Without question, it’s always going to be up to the Weeks brothers. Whit Weeks and Wes Weeks have been a really prominent factor of LSU’s defense — not only just as physical leaders, but Whit is such a vocal leader for LSU and he really leads this defense. I think Tamarcus Cooley is, too. He was on the other end of an interception this past weekend against South Carolina, but I feel like the defense has really picked up on that side of the ball in terms of going after opportunities to get those interceptions. LSU caught five interceptions against Florida, and that’s not really something you see out of DJ Lagway, either. And then Harold Perkins, of course. You can’t talk about LSU without talking about Perkins. So, I feel like those four people specifically need to step up and have a good game. But overall, LSU’s defense does really well with playing as a cohesive unit, and I feel like everybody can balance each other out with some good spots in one area of the game while someone else does better elsewhere.
VH: What is your final score prediction?
CR: I was disappointed with LSU’s performance against South Carolina, so I’m going to give Vanderbilt the win, 21-13.
