The 2019 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium (nicknamed Death Valley) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and competed in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) where they were led by their third-year head coach Ed Orgeron. Many experts and fans have claimed that the 2019 LSU Tigers were the greatest college football team of the modern era. The team recorded seven wins over top-10 opponents (with an average margin of victory of 20 points against four top-5 teams) and benefited from the later NFL success of Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, and Ja'Marr Chase (Burrow finished 1st in NFL passing yards in 2024, and Chase finished 1st in WR reception yards while Jefferson finished 2nd in WR reception yards).
LSU began the year ranked sixth in the preseason AP Poll, and were projected to finish second in the SEC West behind Alabama. The Tigers secured an undefeated regular season that included wins over top-ten-ranked teams Texas, Florida, Auburn, and Alabama. In the SEC Championship Game, LSU defeated Georgia to win their first conference title since 2011. LSU was ranked No. 1 in the final College Football Playoff rankings of the season, earning them a spot in the national semi-final game to be played at the Peach Bowl. They dominated fourth-ranked Oklahoma in that game, 63–28, to advance to the CFP Championship Game. There, they defeated the defending national champions Clemson, 42–25, to secure LSU's fourth national title in school history, the second undefeated champion in the CFP era, and the second 15–0 season among any team in the modern era.
LSU's record-setting offense was led by senior quarterback Joe Burrow, who won the Heisman Trophy by the largest margin in the history of the award, and broke several NCAA FBS records, including most touchdown passes (60), and highest quarterback rating (202.0). He was accompanied on offense by 1,400-yard running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and two 1,500-yard receivers and future multi-time NFL Pro Bowlers, Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, with the former winning the Biletnikoff Award as the best wide receiver in the country. The Tigers' offensive line won the Joe Moore Award as the nation's best offensive line unit. LSU's defense was anchored by two All-American defensive backs in Jim Thorpe Award winner Grant Delpit and true freshman Derek Stingley Jr. Linebacker Jacob Phillips led the SEC in tackles. Head coach Ed Orgeron was awarded several national Coach of the Year honors.
On the season, the Tigers outscored their opponents by a combined total of 726 to 328. Owing to their dominant performance against a historically difficult schedule, several pundits have called the team one of the greatest in college football history.
Preseason
SEC media poll The SEC media poll was released on July 19, 2019, with the Tigers predicted to finish in second place in the West Division.
Schedule LSU announced its 2019 football schedule on September 18, 2018. The 2019 schedule consisted of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season.
Schedule source:
Roster
Depth chart
Coaching staff Current staff as of August 17, 2019
Ed Orgeron Head coach Steve Ensminger Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Dave Aranda Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach/associate head coach Joe Brady Passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach James Cregg Offensive line coach/running game coordinator Mickey Joseph Wide receivers coach Tommie Robinson Running backs coach/assistant head coach/recruiting coordinator Bill Johnson Defensive line coach Corey Raymond Cornerbacks coach Bill Busch Safeties coach Greg McMahon Special teams coordinator Tommy Moffitt Strength and conditioning coordinator John Robinson Senior consultant
Game summaries
Georgia Southern
LSU opened the 2019 season with a home non-conference game against Georgia Southern of the Sun Belt Conference. LSU won in a rout, 55–3.
LSU received the opening kick-off, and scored touchdowns on each of their first five possessions. In the first quarter, the Tigers scored via a 13-yard pass from Joe Burrow to Ja'Marr Chase, a one-yard run by Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and a nine-yard pass from Burrow to Justin Jefferson. To start the second quarter, they scored with two touchdown passes from Burrow to Terrace Marshall Jr., first from eight yards out and then from three yards out. Georgia Southern converted a 47-yard field goal with 5:13 left in the second quarter for their only points of the day. In the final minute of the first half, Burrow threw his fifth touchdown pass of the day, and third to Marshall Jr., from 11 yards out. This tied the LSU school record for single-game touchdown passes. Burrow was given one possession at the start of the second half to try and break the record, but the drive ended in a 39-yard field goal, and Burrow sat the remainder of the game. Backup quarterback Myles Brennan led another touchdown drive in the third quarter, ending in a two-yard touchdown run by Lanard Fournette. In the fourth quarter, kicker Cade York converted a 48-yard field goal to end the scoring for the day.
Joe Burrow, who completed 23 of 27 passes for 278 yards and five touchdowns in just over one half of play, was later named SEC Co-offensive Player of the Week (with Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa). Regarding LSU's upgraded offense, Burrow said after the game, "I wanted 60 tonight. We’ve definitely come out of the stone age."
At No. 9 Texas
LSU's next game was a non-conference road game against ninth-ranked Texas of the Big 12 Conference. The Tigers won in a shootout, 45–38.
After forcing a Texas three-and-out to open the game, LSU scored on its first offensive possession via a 36-yard field goal by Cade York. In the second quarter, Texas took the lead with a 55-yard touchdown pass from Sam Ehlinger to Brennan Eagles. LSU responded with a six-yard touchdown pass from Joe Burrow to Justin Jefferson. With 1:41 left in the half, LSU added three points with a 33-yard field goal. Texas was forced to punt on its next possession, and LSU scored another touchdown in the final minute of the half with a 21-yard pass from Burrow to Jefferson. The score was 20–7 LSU at half-time.
On Texas's first drive of the second half, they scored on a 19-play, 86-yard drive that ended with a two-yard run by Sam Ehlinger. This was the first of nine consecutive scoring possessions by the two teams. LSU scored next with a 40-yard field goal by York. Texas responded with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Ehlinger to Jake Smith to bring the score to 23–21 LSU. On the first play of the fourth quarter, LSU's Joe Burrow completed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Terrace Marshall Jr. Texas pulled within two points again when Ehlinger completed a 44-yard touchdown pass to Devin Duvernay. LSU extended the lead with a 12-yard touchdown run by Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and then held Texas to a field goal on their next possession. With 2:27 remaining in the game, LSU scored the game-sealing touchdown on 3rd and 17 from their own 39 yard line with a 61-yard pass from Burrow to Justin Jefferson, and converted a two-point try with a pass from Burrow to Ja'Marr Chase to make the score 45–31. Texas drove 75 yards in just over two minutes and pulled within a touchdown with a 15-yard pass from Ehlinger to Duvernay with 22 seconds remaining. Their ensuing onside kick attempt failed, and LSU kneeled out the remainder of the clock to win the game.
Joe Burrow completed 471 passing yards and four touchdowns in the game, and was named Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week and SEC Offensive Player of the Week. His 471 yards were the second most in school history and most since Rohan Davey threw for 528 against Alabama in 2001. Three Tiger players finished with more than 100 yards receiving, a school first: Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, and Terrace Marshall Jr. Kicker Cade York, who was 3/3 on field goal attempts, was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Northwestern State
For its third non-conference game of the season, LSU returned home to play in-state FCS foe Northwestern State of the Southland Conference. After a closer-than-expected first half, LSU pulled away for a decisive 65–14 victory. It was the 800th win in LSU program history.
Northwestern State received the opening kickoff, and their first drive ended with a failed fourth-and-seven attempt from the LSU 35 yard line. LSU's opening drive advanced to the Northwestern State eight yard line, but they settled for a 26-yard Cade York field goal. Northwestern State took the lead on the next drive with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Shelton Eppler to Quan Shorts. LSU responded with their own touchdown drive to reclaim the lead early in the second quarter via a four-yard run from Clyde Edwards-Helaire. LSU scored again shortly thereafter with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Joe Burrow to Terrace Marshall Jr. Northwestern State responded with another touchdown drive, ending with a 26-yard pass from Eppler to David Fitzwater to bring the score to 17–14 LSU. LSU's Edwards-Helaire scored again, this time from three yards out, with 3:27 remaining in the half. LSU's first play of its next possession ended with a Joe Burrow interception that was returned to their own 17 yard line, but Northwestern State missed a 35-yard field goal attempt to end the half. Some boos were heard as the home team headed to the locker room, with the score 24–14 at the half.
In the second half, LSU removed all doubt by scoring touchdowns on each of their first four possessions and holding Northwestern State scoreless for the remainder of the game. The Tigers scored first with a five-yard touchdown run from Joe Burrow, then a six-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Marshall Jr., then a four-yard touchdown run from John Emery Jr., after which Burrow was pulled from the game. Backup Myles Brennan led another touchdown drive, ending with a one-yard score by Tyrion Davis-Price, making the score 51–14 at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Tigers scored on a 54-yard punt return touchdown by Trey Palmer, and a two-yard touchdown run by Davis-Price.
Joe Burrow completed 21 of 24 passes for 373 yards, two passing touchdowns, one interception, and a rushing touchdown. He became the sixth LSU quarterback to ever throw for 300-plus yards in consecutive games.
At Vanderbilt
To open the conference schedule, LSU traveled to face cross-divisional foe Vanderbilt for the first time since 2010. LSU won comfortably, 66–38, scoring the most points in regulation against an SEC opponent in school history.
Vanderbilt received the opening kickoff and capitalized with a five-yard touchdown run by Ke'Shawn Vaughn to open the scoring. LSU responded with their own touchdown drive, ending with a four-yard pass from Joe Burrow to Justin Jefferson. On their next drive, LSU needed just one play, which was a 64-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Ja'Marr Chase. The Tigers scored twice more in the first quarter to make the score 28–7, first with a nine-yard run by Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and then with a 25-yard pass from Burrow to Chase. In the second quarter, the teams traded field goals, first with a 41-yarder by Vanderbilt's Ryley Guay, and then with a 25-yarder by LSU's Cade York. With 1:56 left in the half, Burrow and Chase connected for a touchdown once again, this time from 51 yards out. In the final minute of the half, LSU received the ball pinned at their own five yard line, and Vanderbilt's Elijah McAllister recovered a Clyde Edwards-Halaire fumble in the endzone for a score, making the score 38–17 at the half. Joe Burrow had 357 passing yards at half-time, a school record.