No. 16 LSU, Purdue to meet for the first time in Citrus Bowl
By The Associated Press - Dec. 04, 2022 06:27 PM EST
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) throws under pressure from Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. (2) in the second half of the Southeastern Conference Championship football game Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) throws under pressure from Georgia linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. (2) in the second half of the Southeastern Conference Championship football game Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Purdue running back Dylan Downing runs with the ball past Michigan defensive back Makari Paige (7) during the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) drops back to pass in the second half of the Southeastern Conference Championship football game against Georgia Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell (16) runs with the ball as Michigan linebacker Eyabi Okie (18) defends during the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Michigan, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell throws during the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Michigan, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell throws during the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game against Michigan, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
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No. 16 LSU (9-4, SEC) vs. Purdue (8-5, Big Ten), Jan. 2, 1 p.m. ET, ABC

LOCATION: Orlando, Florida

TOP PLAYERS

LSU: WR Malik Nabers has 854 yards receiving on 63 catches, including a team-high 128 on five receptions in the SEC title game.

Purdue: QB Aiden O’Connell, a sixth-year senior, is one of nine signal-callers to pass for at least 6,500 yards and 50 touchdowns since the start of 2021. That included 366 yards against Michigan in the Big Ten title game loss.

NOTABLE

LSU: Initially picked to finish fifth in the SEC West, the Tigers instead won the division, reached No. 6 in the AP Top 25 and topped favorite Alabama 32-31 in overtime along the way. They lost 50-30 to top-ranked Georgia in the Southeastern Conference Championship game but gained 529 yards and hung the most points this season against the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense.

Purdue: The Boilermakers won their first Big Ten West title before losing to No. 2 Michigan 43-22 in the championship game.

LAST TIME

First meeting.

BOWL HISTORY

LSU: The Tigers are 29-24-1 in bowls and 2-3 in the Citrus.

Purdue: The Boilermakers are making their first appearance in the Citrus Bowl since falling 34-27 in overtime to Georgia in 2004, then known as the Capital One Bowl. They are 11-9 overall, including last season’s 48-45 OT win over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl.

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