With the National Championship looming right around the
corner. Let’s take a minute to go back and look at how LSU got here. Led by
their senior transfer quarterback, Joe Burrow, was adopted by the fans and
culture of Louisiana alike. Even going so far as to change his name plate
spelling to “Burreaux” to run out of the tunnel on Senior Night against Texas
A&M.
“Don’t be surprised when we score 40, 50, or 60 points on
teams this year.” – Joe Burrow
By the numbers:
Week 1
Georgia Southern vs LSU
Georgia Southern came into the matchup with a 10-3 record
from the 2018 season, and a top 25 scoring defense. Many questions about the
revamped passing attacked were about to be answered. Joe Burrow would tie the
single game passing touchdown record with five touchdowns. Not a bad start, but
many would say ‘it’s Georgia Southern, let’s see them do that against a real
defense.’ Completed 85.2 percent of his passes. Burrow named SEC POTW
Final Score: Georgia
Southern 3 – LSU 55
Week 2
LSU vs Texas in Austin
The No. 6 Tigers travelled to Austin to take on, at the
time, the No. 9 Longhorns, in a very hostile Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial
Stadium. After seeing Texas fire a cannon through his jersey on College Game Day,
Burrow was asked about that. His response “I wasn’t really ticked off,” he
said. “I just thought it was super weird. I wanted to go out and hang 400 on
them after that.” 471 yards and four touchdowns to be exact. Both jumped him up
on the single game record holder spots for LSU. Not to mention the now famous 3rd
and 17 play to seal the victory for LSU. Burrow named SEC POTW (2)
Final Score: LSU 45 –
Texas 38
Week 4
LSU vs Vanderbilt
It is said that “Tiger fans don’t travel they take over!” Well
that statement held true when fans drank a local Nashville bar dry before 9am
and Vanderbilt Stadium dry before the end of the second quarter. The beer
delivery men did apparently receive an ovation on arrival from LSU fans. Not
sure if that is a record but it sounds like it should be. When asked about it
post-game Commodores Head Coach Derek Mason said “this is Nashville, no stadium
should run out of beer.” Joe Burrow would also have another record setting
performance with six passing touchdowns and 398 passing yards. Throwing for
over 1500 yards and 17 touchdowns through the first four games of the season.
Burrow named SEC POTW (3)
Final Score:
Vanderbilt 38 – LSU 66
Week 6
Utah St. vs LSU
Utah St. came in as one of the fastest offenses in college
football, averaging 15 seconds from the end of one play to the start of the
next. Led by pre-season Heisman candidate Jordan Love, many thought the fast
pace of the Aggies offense would overwhelm the Tigers defense. The defense
locked Love down, and forced three interceptions. Burrow completed 27 of 38 for
344 yards and tied another passing record with five touchdowns in a single
game.
Final Score: Utah St.
6 – LSU 42
Week 7
UF vs LSU
Florida came in as one of the top ranked defense in the
country. People outside of Louisiana had doubts about what the LSU offense
could do against a “legit defense” against Florida, the Tigers proved most of
their detractors wrong. Burrow completed 87.5 percent of his passes going 21 of
24, 293 yards and three touchdowns. Burrow named SEC POTW (4)
Final Score: UF 28 – LSU 42
Week 8
LSU vs Miss St.
LSU comes into the contest with one of the best offenses in
the country. After a dominant performance against Florida Joe Burrow has passed
for over 2100 yards and 25 touchdowns on the season through just six games. Leading
the SEC in touchdown passes, and setting the record books for LSU ablaze.
Final Score: LSU 36 –
Miss St. 13
Week 11
LSU vs Alabama
The Tigers traveled to Tuscaloosa
to take on the Tide. The Tide had not lost in Bryant-Denny since the 2015
season. A 31 home game winning streak, and Alabama school record. The Tigers
went into Bryant-Denny this year and ended that streak. Joe Burrow threw for
393 yards and three touchdowns against the Tide, which landed him as the ninth
all time on the single game passer list for LSU. Burrow named SEC POTW (5)
Final Score: LSU 46 – Bama 41
Week 12
LSU vs Mississippi
Fresh off their win against
Alabama, many thought that there could be a potential let-down against the
Rebels. The Tigers offense came out on fire. Joe Burrow threw for 489 yards and
five touchdowns on the day. At that time, putting him at No. 2 in the record
books for single game passing yards.
Final Score: Mississippi 37 – LSU 58
Week 15 SEC Championship
UGA vs LSU
LSU faced off against the best
defense in the country. Allowing just over 10 points a game. Again, it was how
would LSU ever score against such a potent defense? The two teams met in
Atlanta for the SEC Championship, and the Tigers absolutely mauled the
Bulldogs. Burrow tossed four touchdowns in the rout of Georgia, nearly
quadrupling their total defensive output for the season.
Final Score: UGA 10 – LSU 37
Burrow Wins the Walter Camp Award Player of the Year Award:
The award is voted on by coaches
in the FBS, as well as sports information directors. Burrow was the first player
from LSU to win the prestigious award.
Burrow Wins the Davey O’Brien Award:
The award for best quarterback in
college football
Burrow Wins the Maxwell Award:
The award for the Collegiate
Football Player of the Year
Burrow sets SEC passing records
Joe Burrow has led his team to a
13-0 record, throwing for 4,715 yards and 48 touchdowns. Both are LSU and SEC
records. He has completed nearly 78 percent of his passes.
Joe Burrow Wins the Heisman in landslide fashion
Joe Burrow won the highest with
highest percentage of first place votes won (90.7), most points as a percentage
of possible points (93.8), most ballots named as percentage of total ballots
(95.5) and had the largest margin of victory (1,846)
Burrow was the second Heisman
trophy winner in LSU history, sixty years after the historic win of LSU
halfback Billy Cannon.
Because of his Heisman speech,
the local food pantry in Athens, OH has received nearly one million dollars in
donations from LSU fans around the country.
College Football Playoffs:
OU vs LSU
Leading up to the playoffs, the
Tigers were told that their defense would not be able to hold up to the offense
of Oklahoma. That the Sooners defense was much better than people gave it
credit for. How did the Tigers respond?
Joe Burrow:
Most TDs responsible for in a
College Football Playoff game (8)
Most passing TDs in a College
Football Playoff game (7)
An LSU school-record for most
passing TDs in a game (7)
Tied the FBS record for most
passing TDs in a half (7)
Tied the record for most passing
TDs in a bowl game. (7)
Most individual touchdowns
all-time in an SEC game. (8)
Most pass yards in a half (403)
Passing Yards LSU (493)
Most receiving TDs in a College
Football Playoff game. (4)
Most receiving yardage in a
College Football Playoff game (227)
Points in a College Football
Playoff half (49)
Points in a Game (63)
Team Total Yards (692)
Final Score: OU 28 – LSU 63