LSU Tops Clemson To Capture National Championship & Undefeated Season
A record-setting Heisman trophy winning quarterback. A Cajun head coach from LaRose, Louisiana. An undefeated 15-0 season. A National Championship captured in New Orleans.
Dreams of LSU Tiger football fans came to fruition Monday night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
LSU defeated Clemson 42-25 to win the College Football Playoff National Championship, their 4th in school history (1958, 2003, 2007, 2019).
"I grew up wanting to be the head coach of LSU," said coach Ed Orgeron after the win. "I'm so proud to be from the great state of Louisiana."
In his final game in a Tiger uniform, quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 463 yards and 5 touchdowns, rushing for another score and setting more records in the process.
Burrow's 5 passing touchdowns gave him 60 for the season, as well as 65 TDs responsible for, surpassing Colt Brennan of Hawaii (58 passing TDs, 63 TDs account for in 2006) for the most in FBS single-season history. The 5 passing scores are also a new CFB Playoff National Championship game record.
"This is an incredible moment for our program," said Burrow. "I'm kind of speechless."
Clemson, who lost for the first time in over two calendar years, jumped out to a 7-0 lead early, and led 17-7 in the 2nd quarter. It was the first double-digit deficit LSU faced all season. It didn't matter.
LSU scored 21 under answered, capped off with a touchdown pass from Burrow to Thaddeus Moss with 10 seconds left before halftime.
"We got down 17-7, but we never flinched," explained Burrow. "Once we figured out what they were trying to do, our coaches put together a great game plan at halftime and we were able to execute."
While Clemson scored the first 8 points of the second half, LSU scored the next 17, running away with the National Title in front of thousands of screaming Tiger fans in New Orleans.
All-American wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase led the way with 9 receptions for 221 yards and 2 touchdowns, as Justin Jefferson had 9 catches for 106 yards and a score.
Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire led all rushers with 110 yards on the ground, adding 5 receptions for 54 yards.
LSU's offense finished with 628 total yards against one of the best defenses in the country.
Burrow was the game's offensive MVP, while linebacker Patrick Queen was defensive MVP (8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks).
The Bayou Bengals defense held Clemson to 394 total yards, and 1-11 on 3rd downs.
"It's about our team, our coaching staff, everyone in our program and in the great state of Louisiana," explained Orgeron. "I'm happy for everybody."
The victory marked the 4th National Championship in school history, the 2nd undefeated season, the 7th win over a Top 10 team, and one giant party in the French Quarter.