Hours before kickoff on Saturday, LSU announced a massive change under center: sophomore transfer Michael Van Buren Jr. will get his first start of the season against Arkansas, replacing senior Garrett Nussmeier, per On3’s Pete Nakos.
Nussmeier was first listed as questionable after a string of restricted practice sessions due to an abdominal issue, before being downgraded on Friday night.
Van Buren has appeared in three games this year, completing 66.7% of his passes for 224 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions, along with 24 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
LSU has alternated looks in recent weeks, and with the season already off course, the staff appears willing to pivot.
The move hands the Tigers’ offense to a young, dual-threat QB who has shown flashes in relief but not yet been tested as LSU’s full-time starter.
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Since arriving in 2021, Nussmeier has completed 64% of his passes for 7,699 yards and 52 touchdowns across his career, including a breakout 2024 campaign in which he threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns with a 142.7 passer rating.
Through Week 12 of this season, however, he has just 1,927 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions with a 67.4% completion rate — efficient overall but inconsistent in key moments.
Van Buren transferred to LSU after starting eight games as a true freshman at Mississippi State in the 2024 college football season, when he threw for 1,886 yards and 11 TDs and added five rushing TDs.
A polished four-star high-school recruit from St. Frances Academy, Van Buren shows added explosiveness outside of the pocket. He has also already logged two 300-yard outings in his college career, including a 309-yard effort versus Arkansas on Oct. 26, 2024, with two scores, two picks, and a 71% completion rate.
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Arkansas arrives in Baton Rouge with a 2-7 record but an offense capable of bursts; dropped 35 points on Ole Miss on Sept. 13, 31 points versus Tennessee on Oct. 11, and 42 points against Texas A&M on Oct. 18.
The Razorbacks also have undergone coaching upheaval this season, and their defense has shown soft spots that a quicker, more improvisational quarterback could exploit.
If Van Buren can protect the football and sustain drives, the Tigers could stabilize offensively and claw back momentum in a season most fans would prefer to put behind them.
