LSU Football Notes: Tigers host Top 10 showdown against Gators

LSU vs. Florida – Front Page
*LSU hosts Florida on Saturday night in a sold out Tiger Stadium in a matchup featuring a pair of undefeated Top 10 teams. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN.
*LSU is ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll and No. 6 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll and brings a 5-0 overall mark and a 1-0 league record into the contest. The Tigers are coming off a 42-6 win over Utah State last week.
*Florida is ranked No. 7 in both polls and is 6-0 overall and 3-0 in league play. The Gators are coming off a 24-13 win over Auburn last week.
*Saturday’s Top 10 LSU-Florida matchup marks the first time both teams come into the game ranked in the Top 10 since 2015 when the No. 6 Tigers beat the No. 8 Gators, 35-28, in Tiger Stadium on ESPN.
*LSU is off to a 5-0 start for the second straight year and the ninth time since 2003 (17 years).
*The Tigers have won five of their last six games when facing a Top 10 opponent. Last year, LSU set a school record with four Top 10 wins. Earlier this year, LSU beat then-No. 9 Texas, 45-38, in Austin.
*ESPN’s College GameDay will broadcast from the Quad in the center of the LSU campus on Saturday, the second time this year the Tigers have been the featured game for the broadcast (at Texas was first time). College GameDay will be making its 13th appearance on the LSU campus.
* LSU head coach Ed Orgeron brings a 30-9 mark in 39 games as the Tiger coach into the contest. Of his 30 wins with the Tigers, 23 have come by double-figures.

* Five of Orgeron’s 30 victories have come against teams ranked in the Top 10 in the nation. The five Top 10 wins rank as the fourth-most in school history, trailing only Les Miles (16 in 12 years), Charles McClendon (10 in 18 years) and Paul Dietzel (6 in 7 years).

*LSU has scored more points (273) through the first five games of the season than any SEC team during the SEC era.
*LSU has scored 40 or more points in the first five games of a season for the first time in school history.
*LSU leads the nation in scoring offense at 54.8 points per game. The Tigers are first in the SEC and No. 2 in the nation in total offense (571.0) and passing offense (416.0).
*QB Joe Burrow leads the SEC in total offense (385.2), passing yards per game (372.8) and passing yards (1,864) and he’s second in the league in passing TDs (22) and pass efficiency (216.2 rating). He’s completed 127 of 162 passes for 1,864 yards and 22 touchdowns. It’s the most completions, passing yards, and TDs through five games than any player in LSU history.
*WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson rank Nos.1-2 in the SEC in receiving yards per game with 112.8 and 109.4 respectively. The duo has combined for 53 receptions for 998 yards and 13 touchdowns. WR Terrace Marshall is No. 7 in the league with 76.0 yards per game (20 rec., 304 yards, 6TDs).
*CB Derek Stingley leads the SEC and ranks No. 3 nationally in passes defended with 10 (2.0 per game). Stingley leads the Tigers with a pair of interceptions.
*LB Jacob Phillips ranks No. 4 in the SEC in tackles per game (7.8).
*PK Cade York ranks No.2 in the SEC in total points (55) and points per game (11.0), while RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire is No. 2 in the league in kickoff returns with a 27.2 average (5 ret., 136 yards).

13 – Number of players that have scored at least one touchdown for LSU this year.

26 – Number of touchdown drives this year for LSU that have taken under three minutes. In 13 games last year, LSU had only 23 TD drives of under three minutes for the entire season.

32 – LSU has scored in 32 consecutive quarters dating back to the Rice game last year. It’s the longest such streak in school history, bettering the previous mark of 24 set in 2011.
Another Top-10 Matchup Inside Tiger Stadium
*When LSU and Florida meet on Saturday, it will be the 18th top-10 matchup inside Tiger Stadium.
*LSU is 11-6 in these top-10 games since 1958.
*It’s the fourth, top-10 meeting between LSU and Florida with the Tigers winning those games in 2007 and 2015.
*The following is a look at the highest-ranked matchups in Tiger Stadium history:
Date Matchup Result
1958 No. 1 LSU vs. No. 6 Ole Miss LSU 14, Ole Miss 0
1959 No. 1 LSU vs. No. 9 TCU LSU 10, TCU 0
1959 No.1 LSU vs. No. 3 Ole Miss LSU 7, Ole Miss 3
1961 No.6 LSU vs. No. 2 Ole Miss LSU 10, Ole Miss 7
1962 No.4 LSU vs. No. 6 Ole Miss Ole Miss 15, LSU 7
1972 No.8 LSU vs. No. 9 Auburn LSU 35, Auburn 7
1973 No.7 LSU vs. No. 2 Alabama Alabama 21, LSU 7
1987 No.4 LSU vs. No. 7 Ohio State LSU 13, Ohio State 13 (tie)
2005 No.4 LSU vs. No. 10 Tennessee Tennessee 30, LSU 27 (OT)
2007 No.2 LSU vs. No. 9 Virginia Tech LSU 48, Virginia Tech 7
2007 No.1 LSU vs. No. 9 Florida LSU 28, Florida 24
2009 No.4 LSU vs. No. 1 Florida Florida 13, LSU 3
2011 No. 1 LSU vs. No. 3 Arkansas LSU 41, Arkansas 17
2012 No. 9 LSU vs. No. 3 South Carolina LSU 23, South Carolina 21
2012 No. 5 LSU vs. No. 1 Alabama Alabama 21, LSU 17
2015 No. 6 LSU vs. No. 8 Florida LSU 35, Florida 28
2018 No. 3 LSU vs. No. 1 Alabama Alabama 29, LSU 0
2019 No. 5 LSU vs. No. 7 Florida —

LSU Will Make Its 29th Appearance on ESPN’s College GameDay This Saturday
*ESPN College GameDay will be in Baton Rouge for the top-10 matchup between LSU and Florida.
*The show will air from the LSU quad from 8-11 a.m. CT on ESPN.
*It will be the 29th time LSU is involved in a game with ESPN College GameDay on location.
*The Tigers have now made at least one appearance on the popular show in 16 of the last 17 seasons.
*LSU is 16-12 in games in which ESPN College GameDay is on hand.
*Lee Corso has picked LSU and put on the Mike the Tiger head 19 times. The Tigers are 13-6 overall when picked by Corso to win the game.
*Corso picked LSU when the Tigers traveled to Austin earlier this season.
*LSU last appeared on ESPN College Gameday for the Tigers’ non-conference road game against Texas in Austin.
*The following is a look at visits by ESPN College GameDay that involved an LSU game:
Year Matchup, Location & Result
1996 #11 LSU vs. #10 Alabama, Baton Rouge – PMAC ramps L, 26-0
1997 #14 LSU vs. #1 Florida, Baton Rouge – PMAC ramps W, 28-21
2003 #11 LSU vs. #7 Georgia, Baton Rouge – PMAC ramps W, 17-10
2004 #2 LSU vs. #3 Oklahoma, New Orleans, La. W, 21-14
2004 #4 LSU vs. Oregon State, Baton Rouge – Parade Grounds W, 22-21 OT
2005 #5 LSU at #4 Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala. W, 16-13 OT
2006 #9 LSU at #5 Florida, Gainesville, Fla. L, 23-10
2007 #2 LSU vs. #9 Virginia Tech, Baton Rouge – Parade Grounds W, 48-7
2007 #1 LSU vs. #9 Florida, Baton Rouge – Parade Grounds W, 28-24
2007 #2 LSU vs. #1 Ohio State, New Orleans, La. W, 38-24
2008 #6 LSU at #9 Auburn, Auburn, Ala. W, 26-21
2008 #15 LSU vs. #1 Alabama, Baton Rouge – Old Front Nine L, 27-21 OT
2009 #4 LSU vs. #1 Florida, Baton Rouge – Parade Grounds L, 13-3
2010 #16 LSU vs. #18 North Carolina, Atlanta, Ga. W, 30-24
2011 #4 LSU vs. #3 Oregon, Arlington, Texas W, 40-27
2011 #2/3 LSU at #16 West Virginia, Morgantown, W.Va. W, 47-21
2011 #1 LSU vs. #2 Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala. W, 9-6 (OT)
2011 #1 LSU vs. #12 Georgia, Atlanta, Ga. W, 42-10
2011 #1 LSU vs. #2 Alabama, New Orleans, La. L, 21-0
2012 #5 LSU vs. #1 Alabama, Baton Rouge – Parade Grounds L, 21-17
2013 #6 LSU at #9 Georgia, Athens, Ga. L, 44-41
2013 #10 LSU at #1 Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala. L, 38-17
2014 #24/23 LSU vs. #3 Ole Miss, Baton Rouge – Parade Grounds W, 10-7
2015 #2 LSU at #4 Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala. L, 30-16
2016 #6 LSU vs. Wisconsin, Green Bay, Wisc L, 16-14
2016 #19 LSU vs. #1 Alabama, Baton Rouge – LSU Quad L, 10-0
2018 #4 LSU vs. #1 Alabama, Baton Rouge – LSU Quad L, 29-0
2019 #6 LSU at #10 Texas, Austin, Tex. W, 45-38
2019 #5 LSU vs. No. 7 Florida, Baton Rouge, La. – LSU Quad —

LSU’s 273 Points in Five Games Sets SEC Record
*The potent LSU offense has scored 273 points through the Tigers’ first five games of 2019 to set a new SEC record.
*LSU scored 55 against Georgia Southern, 45 at Texas, 65 against Northwestern State, 66 at Vanderbilt and 42 against Utah State.
*The 273 points broke the record originally owned by the 2018 Alabama team with 271.

LSU Offense Has Scored in 32 Straight Quarters
*Dating back to the beginning of the Rice game last season, LSU has scored in every quarter.
*The streak is the longest in school history.
*In that span of eight games, LSU is 7-1 and outscored its opponents 427-215.
Double-Digit Wins Under Coach O
*Ed Orgeron has won 30 games as head coach of the Tigers with 23 of those coming by double-digits.
*All six of LSU’s wins under Orgeron in 2016 came by double-figures and in 2017 the Tigers won six of their nine games by at least 10 points.
*A year ago, eight of LSU’s 10 wins came by double-figures, including a 20-point win over No. 2 Georgia.
*LSU won the 2019 season opener against Georgia Southern by 52 points, defeated Northwestern State by 51 points in week three, beat Vanderbilt by 28 and defeated Utah State by 35.

Burrow’s Streak of 20+ Completions Up to School Record Eight Games
*LSU quarterback Joe Burrow has completed 20 or more passes in his last eight games dating back to the 2018 season.
*Burrow became the first quarterback in school history to complete 20 or more passes in four-straight games in the season opener against Georgia Southern.
*Tommy Hodson finished with 20 or more completions in three straight-games during the 1987 season.
*LSU as a team has only totaled 20 or more completions in three-straight games four times including Burrow’s current streak (1985, 1986, 1987, 2019).
*Burrow’s current streak is 20 vs. Rice, 25 vs. Texas A&M, 21 vs. UCF, 23 vs. Georgia Southern, 31 vs. Texas, 21 vs. Northwestern State, 25 at Vanderbilt and 27 vs. Utah State.

LSU Is 10-1 In October Under Orgeron
*LSU goes into the Florida game with a 10-1 overall mark during the month of October under Ed Orgeron.
*Five of LSU’s 10 October wins under Orgeron have come against Top 25 teams, which includes a 36-16 win over No. 2 Georgia and No. 22 Mississippi State last year.
*LSU’s only October loss under Orgeron came at Florida last year by a 27-19 count.

LSU vs. SEC Eastern Division
*LSU has won 10 of its last 12 games against SEC Eastern Division foes.
*Florida is the only team from the eastern division to defeat the Tigers during that stretch as they did it in the first week of October in 2018 as well as in November 2016.
*Prior to the Florida loss in 2016, LSU hadn’t dropped a game to a SEC East team since a 44-41 setback at No. 9 Georgia in 2013.

LSU’s Scored 30 Or More Points in Record Eight Straight Games
*For the first time in school history, LSU has scored 30 or more points in eight straight games.
*LSU’s 30-point streak started last year when the Tigers scored 42 points against Rice, followed by 72 against Texas A&M and 40 vs. Central Florida.
*The Tigers followed that by scoring at least 40 points in their first five games in 2019. The seven straight games bettered the previous mark of six, which was set on three other occasions – 2002, 2013, and 2015.

LSU’s 17-1 Under Orgeron When Having A 100-Yard Rusher
*In 39 games under Ed Orgeron, LSU has posted a 17-1 mark when having a 100-yard rusher.
*The Tigers are 1-0 in 2019 when a player reaches the 100-yard mark. Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 106 yards in LSU’s win over Vanderbilt on Sept. 21.
*The only game that LSU lost when having a 100-yard rusher came in the 7OT loss to Texas A&M last year when QB Joe Burrow accounted for 100 rushing yards.
*LSU was 5-1 in 2018 when having a 100-yard rusher, 5-0 in 2017 and 6-0 under Orgeron in 2016 when a player reaches the milestone.

LSU Is 28-2 Under Orgeron When Reaching the 20-Point Mark
*LSU has a 28-2 mark in 39 games under Ed Orgeron when scoring at least 20 points in a game.
*The Tigers are 5-0 in 2019 when scoring at least 20 points. In games decided in regulation, LSU is 28-1 when scoring at least 20 points.
*LSU’s only two losses during the Orgeron era when scoring 20 points came in 2017 against Troy (lost, 24-21) and in 2018 in a 7OT loss to Texas A&M by a 74-72 count.
*LSU was 6-0 in 2016 under Orgeron when scoring at least 20 points, followed by an 8-1 mark in 2017 and a 9-1 record in 2018.

Burrow-to-Jefferson TD Tandem Ranks No. 9 in LSU History
*LSU quarterback Joe Burrow has connected with WR Justin Jefferson for 13 touchdowns during their career, which ties the duo for the eighth-best QB-to-WR touchdown combinations in school history.
*Burrow and Jefferson connected for six touchdowns in 2018 and have followed that up with seven scores already in 2019.
*The 13 TD passes between Burrow and Jefferson tie them the duos of Tommy Hodson and Eddie Fuller and Rohan Davey and Josh Reed for sixth.
*The school record for QB-to-WR TD combinations is held by JaMarcus Russell-Dwayne Bowe, who did it 23 times.

Burrow on Pace to Smash Season Passing Touchdown Record
*LSU quarterback Joe Burrow has thrown 22 touchdown passes in 2019, which is tied with Zach Mettenberger and Tommy Hodson for the third most in school.
*Burrow needs just seven touchdown passes this season to break the LSU record of 28 set by Matt Mauck in 2003 and tied by JaMarcus Russell in 2006.
*In five games this season, Burrow has thrown for four or more touchdowns four times. He tied the school record for touchdown passes in a game with five int he season opener and went on to break the record with six at Vanderbilt.
*Burrow has thrown 38 touchdown passes in his career. That number is good for fourth in school history. He trails Herb Tyler with 40, JaMarcus Russell with 52 and Hodson who holds the record with 69.

Burrow Over 4,000 Career, 1,500 Season Passing Yards
*LSU quarterback Joe Burrow has thrown for 1,864 yards in 2019 and 4,758 yards in his career.
*Burrow is the 10th quarterback in school history to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a career and ranks seventh in school history.
*Burrow passed LSU quarterbacks Matt Mauck, Jarrett Lee and Josh Booty on the program’s career passing yards list.
Career Passing Yards Gained
1. 9,115 Tommy Hodson (674-1,163) 1986-89
2. 6,921 Jeff Wickersham (587-1,005) 1982-85
3. 6,625 JaMarcus Russell (493-797) 2004-06
4. 6,158 Jamie Howard (459-934) 1992-95
5. 5,876 Herb Tyler (434-715) 1995-98
6. 5,783 Zach Mettenberger (407-659) 2011-13
7. 4,758 Joe Burrow (346-541) 2018-Present

Edwards-Helaire Becomes 50th Tiger with 1,000 Career Rushing Yards
*Junior RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for 72 yards against Utah State, becoming the 50th player in school history to reach the 1,000-yard mark for his career.
*Edwards-Helaire currently has rushed for 1,049 yards in 31 games with the Tigers. He rushed for 31 yards as a true freshman in 2017, followed by 658 in 2018. He has rushed for 360 yards on 65 attempts in five games this year.
*Kevin Faulk, who is the director of player development for LSU football, holds the school record for rushing yards with 4,557.

This Isn’t The Old LSU Offense
*LSU offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger and passing game coordinator Joe Brady promised a spread attack and they’ve delivered in 2019.
*LSU has scored 273 points this season, the most in SEC history in the first five games of a season.
*LSU is 31-for-31 in the red zone this year with 26 of the trips resulting in touchdowns.
*The Tigers are one off four teams in the nation with perfect scoring percentage in the red zone. The 31 scores are the most in the nation.
*LSU has a combined 2,080 yards passing in 2019. As a team, LSU has passed for 300-plus yards in six straight games dating back to 2018 for the first time in school history.

Offense Tops Multiple SEC Offensive Categories, Among Best in the Nation
*The LSU offense leads the SEC in scoring offense, total offense, third down conversion percentage and passing offense after six weeks of the season.
*LSU is first in the nation in red zone offense and scoring offense and second in passing offense and total offense.
*Joe Burrow is No. 1 in the nation in completion percentage (78.4 percent), second in passing touchdowns (22), and second in passing yards (1,864).
*LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson amongst the best in the nation. Jefferson is seventh in the nation in receiving touchdowns and receiving yards with seven and 547 respectively.

Chase, Burrow Shine in Nashville
*Quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase connected on four touchdowns to lead LSU to the win over Vanderbilt in Nashville.
*Burrow threw six touchdowns on the day to set the school record for touchdown passes in a game. Burrow beat the previous record he shared with Zach Mettenberger.
*Burrow finished the day with 398 passing yards. His 357 yards in the air in the first half marked the most in school history.
*Chase led LSU with 229 yards and four touchdowns on 10 catches.
*The sophomore’s 229 yards are fourth in school history. Chase became the first LSU player since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2013 with 200-plus receiving yards.
*Chase became the third player in school history with four-plus receiving touchdowns, joining Carlos Carson (1977 vs. Rice) and Tony Moss (1989 vs. Ohio).

LSU Under Louisiana’s Own Ed Orgeron
*In his third full season as head coach of the Tigers, Orgeron continues to gain momentum on the field and on the recruiting trail.
*Orgeron has guided the Tigers to a 30-9 overall mark in his 39 games. Of his 30 victories, 12 have come against Top 25 teams, including six over top-10 opponents. Of Coach O’s 29 wins, 15 have come against SEC foes and 23 have come by double-digits.
*Under Orgeron, the Tigers have played 34-of-40 games ranked in the Top 25.

York Delivers as LSU’s Field Goal Kicker
*Placekicker Cade York is 7-for-8 on field goals and 34-for-35 on PATs thru four games of 2019.
*The true freshman was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after a perfect night in Texas. He connected on field goals of 33, 36 and 40 yards as well as all four PATs.
*York was 2-for-2 from field goals and 7-of-7 on PATs in the season opener against Georgia Southern.
*York became the first true freshman in the modern era to make a field goal for the Tigers.
*The McKinney, Texas native became the first true freshman to make his first two field goal attempts since David Browndyke made his first in 1986.

Phillips Amongst Best in the SEC
*Junior linebacker Jacob Phillips is among the best linebackers in the league with 40 total tackles in 2019.
*Phillips’ average of eight tackles per game ranks fourth in the league this season.
*Phillips owns two games with double-digit tackles.

Consecutive Starts of 10 or More
*Six LSU players are riding a consecutive start streak of at least 10 games.
*S Grant Delpit leads the way with 19 consecutive starts. C Lloyd Cushenberry III, OG Damien Lewis and QB Joe Burrow have each started 18 straight games, RT Austin Deculus also owns a 17-game starting streak and WR Justin Jefferson has started 10 straight games.

Tigers Honored in 2019
*Through two weeks of the 2019 season, QB Joe Burrow, PK Cade York and head coach Ed Orgeron have been recognized by the Southeastern Conference office and nationally.
*Burrow was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week following the season opener against Georgia Southern when he went 23-for-27 with 278 yards and five touchdowns.
*Burrow added another SEC Offensive Player of the Week honor and was recognized nationally as the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Week and Maxwell Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Tigers to a top-10 win at Texas. Burrow was 31-for-39 with four touchdowns and 471 yards, the second most in school history.
*Orgeron was named the Dodd Trophy National Coach of the Week after leading LSU to its first top-10 non-conference road win in school history.
*Burrow was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week for a third time after setting the school record for touchdowns with six and throwing for 398 yards.

LSU Scores On Special Teams In Back-to-Back Games
*LSU scored on back-to-back games against Northwestern State and Vanderbilt.
*Freshman WR Trey Palmer returned a punt 54 yards for a touchdown against Northwestern State in Week 3 and sophomore LB Micah Baskerville recovered a punt he blocked in the endzone for a TD in the win over Vanderbilt in Week 4.
*Under Orgeron, the Tigers have scored four special teams touchdowns with DJ Chark being responsible for the other two: 65-yard punt return vs. Chattanooga in 2017 and a 70-yard punt return vs. Auburn in 2017.

Trio of Wide Receivers Set Record in Win at Texas
*Wide receivers Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall Jr. each totaled 100-plus receiving yards to become the first trio to reach that milestone in a game in school history.
*There have now been 15 same-game 100-yard receiving performances in school history with the last coming from Travin Dural (6/124) and Malachi Dupre (4/120) against Mississippi State in 2014.
*Jefferson led the group with 163 yards and three touchdowns on nine receptions. His final touchdown, a 61-yard pass from Joe Burrow on third-and-16, sealed the Tigers’ Top 10 victory with 2:27 left in the game.
*Chase set career high numbers with 147 yards on eight receptions, including a long of 41 yards.
*Marshall Jr. had a career-high six receptions on six targets for 123 yards and a touchdown. Of his six receptions, five went for first downs and the other was a 26-yard touchdown.

Burrow Leads LSU to Top 10 Win with Record Performance
*Senior Quarterback Joe Burrow and the LSU offense delivered blow after blow and finished with 573 yards of total offense at Texas.
*Burrow was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week for a second-straight week after his record performance. He finished the game 31-of-39 with four touchdowns and 471 yards.
*His 471 passing yards rank second in school history, becoming the third quarterback in school history to pass for more than 400 yards in a game.
*In true-road non-conference games, Burrows’ 471 yards are the third most in SEC history behind Jake Bentley (410, South Carolina at Clemson, 2018) and Tim Couch (492, UK at Louisville, 1998).
*The 31 completions rank third in school history and mark the most in a game for an LSU quarterback since Rohan Davey set the school record against Alabama with 35 in 2001.
*Burrow now owns three, 300-yard passing games, which is second to Rohan Davey’s record seven.
*Led by Burrow, LSU finished with 573 yards of total offense for the fourth most against a top-10 opponent and sixth most against a rank opponent: 1. 622 at #22 Texas A&M 11/24/16; 2. 620 vs. #7 Florida St. 11/20/82; 3. 598 vs. #9 Virginia Tech 9/8/07; 4. 595 vs. #7 Illinois 1/1/02 (Sugar Bowl); 5. 577 vs. #11 Notre Dame 1/3/07 (Sugar Bowl); 6. 573 at #9 Texas 9/7/19

Football Program Earns Victory Number 800
*With its win over Northwestern State on September 14, 2019, the LSU football program became the 12th FBS school to reach the 800-win milestone.
*With an overall record of 802-415-47, the LSU Football program ranks 12th amongst FBS programs for all-time wins.
*The Fighting Tigers rank fourth in the Southeastern Conference in wins behind Alabama (910), Tennessee (840) and Georgia (825). Auburn is behind LSU at 13th with 772 victories.

Everybody Eats – Offense Opens 2019 Season with New-Look
*A total of 14 players caught at least one pass against Georgia Southern, topping the previous high of 12 against North Texas in 2005.
*Of the 14 players, all five running backs had at least one catch.
*The LSU offense opened the season with a resounding offensive performance, scoring 55 points and totaling 472 yards.
*The Tigers scored touchdowns on their first five drives and scored on nine of 13 drives.
*The 55 points marked the second most in a season opener in the modern era, tying The 55-3 win vs. UTEP in 1997. It marked the most points in a season opener since the 2000 team’s 58-0 victory over Western Carolina.
*The offense didn’t let up and scored 42 points in the first half for the most points in a first half by LSU since scoring 49 to lead Louisiana Tech in 2003.

Top-10 Win at Texas Makes History
*For the first time in school history, LSU defeated a Top 10 non-conference opponent in a true road game.
*The 45-38 victory marked the 14th true road win over an AP Top 10 team in school history and the second for Coach Orgeron (2018 at No. 7 Auburn)
*Coach Orgeron is now 11-6 against Top 25 teams and 6-3 against Top 10 teams.
*Orgeron’s teams are 4-2 against AP-ranked opponents on the road.

Burrow Adds to Record Book in Season Opener – Named SEC Player of the Week
*Senior quarterback Joe Burrow opened the 2019 season by going 23-for-27 for 278 yards and five touchdowns.
*Burrow was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week following the performance, the third of his career. The Ohio native is now 11-3 as LSU’s starting quarterback.
*Burrow tied Zach Mettenberger (UAB, 2014) for the most touchdowns in a game in school history with five. He became the first LSU player to throw five touchdown passes in a half.
*It marked the third consecutive game dating back to last year that Burrow either set or tied a school record. Burrow set the LSU record for touchdowns accounted for with six against Texas A&M and then tied the school bowl record with four touchdown passes in the Fiesta Bowl win over Central Florida.
*Burrow’s 85.2 completion percentage (23-of-27) against Georgia Southern ranks No. 5 in school history in a game for 20 or more attempts..

Aranda’s Defense Shuts Down Triple Option
*The LSU defense, under fourth year coordinator Dave Aranda, shut down the Georgia Southern triple option to start 2019.
*The Eagles totaled just 98 yards with 74 on the ground and 24 in the air. It marked the second time an Aranda defense has held its opponent to less than 100 yards with the other coming in the 2017 season opener against BYU when the defense held the Cougars to 97 yards.
*The three points scored marked the third fewest under head coach Ed Orgeron.

Stingley Becomes 10th Defensive True Freshman to Start a Season Opener
*Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. became the 10th true freshman on the defensive side of the ball to start a season opener in the last 33 seasons and the 17th overall.
*True freshmen make an impact at LSU as in three years with Ed Orgeron as head coach a total of 66 true freshmen have seen action during that span, including 19 in 2019.
*In 2017, 20 true freshmen saw action for the Tigers, a number that led the nation. In addition, eight true freshmen started at least one game for the Tigers that year.
*The following have started a season opener since 2000:
Marshall Jr. (WR, 2018), Charles (RG, 2017), Chaisson (LB, 2017), Delpit (S, 2017), Taylor (LB, 2017), Kevin Toliver (CB, 2015), Trey Quinn (WR, 2014), Jalen Mills (CB, 2012), Jessie Daniels (Nickel, 2003), Jerel Myers (WR, 1999), Johnny Mitchell (DT, 1996), Theo Williams (DT, 1996), Booger McFarland (DT, 1995), Robert Davis (RB, 1992), and Sheddrick Wilson (WR, 1992).
*Most True Freshmen Starters by Year Since 2005:
2017 8(Tory Carter, K’Lavon Chaisson, Saahdiq Charles, Grant Delpit, Ed Ingram, JaCoby Stevens, Tyler Taylor, Kary Vincent Jr.)
2015: 7 (Arden Key, Donte Jackson, Foster Moreau, Bry’Kiethon Mouton, Maea Teuhema, Kevin Toliver II, Toby Weathersby)
2014: 6 (Jamal Adams, Malachi Dupre, Leonard Fournette, Davon Godchaux, Brandon Harris, Trey Quinn)
2012: 6 (Kwon Alexander, Vadal Alexander, Reid Ferguson, Jeremy Hill, Lamar Louis, Jalen Mills)
2013: 5 (Rickey Jefferson, Anthony Jennings, Ethan Pocic, Rashard Robinson, Tre’Davious White)
2018 4 (Terrace Marshall Jr., Ja’Marr Chase, Micah Baskerville, Chasen Hines)
2006: 4 (Jacob Cutrera, Richard Dickson, Charles Scott, Keiland Williams)
2010: 3 (Alfred Blue, Tyrann Mathieu, Eric Reid)
2019: 2 (Derek Stingley Jr., Joseph Evans)
2011: 2 (Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry)
2007: 2 (Drake Nevis, Terrence Toliver)
2008: 2 (Jordan Jefferson, Patrick Peterson)
2009: 2 (Dominique Allen, Rueben Randle)
2016 1 (Dee Anderson)

LSU Is 79-9 vs. Non-Conference Teams Dating Back to 2001
*Dating back to the 2001 season when LSU captured its first outright SEC title since 1986, the Tigers have done quite well against non-conference opponents, going 79-9 against non-SEC foes during that span.
*Of the 79 wins, 19 have come against top-25 teams.
*Of the nine losses, only three have come during the regular season (2002 at Virginia Tech, 2016 vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field and 2017 vs. Troy).
*The other six losses came in bowl games (2003 Cotton Bowl vs. Texas; 2005 Capital One Bowl vs. Iowa; 2009 Capital One Bowl vs. Penn State; 2012 Chick-Fil-A Bowl vs. Clemson; 2014 Music City Bowl vs. Notre Dame, 2018 Citrus Bowl vs. Notre Dame).

LSU Goes Into 2019 Riding Streak of 19 Consecutive Years With At Least 8 Wins
*LSU goes into the 2019 season having won at least 8 games for 19 consecutive years, which is tied with Oklahoma for the longest current streak among Power 5 schools.
*Only Boise State has a longer active streak among FBS teams as the Broncos have won 8 games for 20 consecutive seasons.
*LSU’s current streak of seasons with at least 8 wins dates back to 2000 when the Tigers posted an 8-4 overall mark.
*LSU’s streak of seasons with at least 8 wins also ranks as the longest of its kind in the history of the SEC, bettering Tennessee 16 (1989-2004); Florida 14 (1990-2003); Georgia 13 (1997-2009); and Alabama 13 (1971-83).

LSU with One of Most Experienced Teams in 2019
*LSU will play in 2019 with 12 seniors on its roster.
*The 12 seniors ties for sixth nationally in terms of smallest senior classes in college football for 2019. *Texas A&M and Virginia Tech with six each led the way, followed by Penn State (10), Appalachian State (11) and Coastal Carolina (11).
*LSU is joined with 12 seniors by North Carolina State, Rice, and Wake Forest. All 12 of LSU’s seniors have started at least one game during their LSU career.
*Against Texas, LSU stared 18 upperclassmen for the first time since game six of 2016 when the squad faced Southern Miss. LSU hasn’t stared more than 18 upperclassmen in a game since 2012 against Washington in week two.

1,000-Yard Rushing Streak Reaches 6 Years
*LSU goes into 2019 riding a streak of six consecutive years with a 1,000-yard rusher.
*Last year, Nick Brossette, in his first season as a starter, rushed for 1,039 yards and 14 TDs in helping the Tigers to a 10-3 mark.
*Here’s a look at LSU’s 1,000-yard rushers during the 6-year streak:
2013 Jeremy Hill 1,401 yards
2014 Leonard Fournette 1,034 yards
2015 Leonard Fournette 1,953 yards (school record)
2016 Derrius Guice 1,387 yards
2017 Derrius Guice 1,153 yards
2018 Nick Brossette 1,039 yards

LSU Is 81-0 When Rushing For 100 Yards and Holding Opponents To Less Than 100 Yards
*In the last 170 games, LSU’s success is easy to predict when it comes to net rushing yards. Get to 100 yards rushing and LSU will more than likely win as the Tigers are 139-22 when that happens.
*Hold the opponent to fewer than 100 yards and the Tigers are 83-5.
*An even more telling stat is that when LSU rushes for 100-plus yards and holds the opponents to fewer than 100 yards, the Tigers are 81-0.

Chaisson, Cushenberry III Carry on No. 18 Tradition
*Two LSU standouts – both in the classroom and on the football field – have been awarded the prestigious No. 18 jersey by head coach Ed Orgeron.
*Center Lloyd Cushenberry III and linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson were presented the jerseys at the beginning of camp, marking just the second time since the tradition began in 2003 that two Tigers have been issued the No. 18 jersey in the same season.
*Cushenberry III is the first offensive lineman to be selected to wear the No. 18 jersey
*As an offensive lineman, the rules of college football prevent Cushenberry III from actually wearing the No. 18 jersey so instead his No. 79 jersey will be accompanied by a No. 18 patch. The Carville native, who played locally at Dutchtown High School, will wear the No. 18 jersey at practice.
*Jersey No. 18 was born when, in 2003, quarterback Matt Mauck guided LSU to its first national championship since 1958. His number became synonymous with success — both on and off the field — as well as a selfless attitude that has become the epitome of being an LSU football player. After his final year with the Tigers, Mauck passed the jersey number down to running back Jacob Hester, who then helped LSU to another national title in 2007.
*Here is a look at the players to wear No. 18:
Years Player Position
2003 Matt Mauck QB
2004-07 Jacob Hester RB
2008-09 Richard Dickson TE
2010 Richard Murphy RB
2011 Brandon Taylor S
2012 Bennie Logan DT
2013 Lamin Barrow LB
2014 Terrence Magee RB
2015-16 Tre’Davious White CB
2017 Christian LaCouture DL
2017 John David Moore FB/TE
2018 Foster Moreau TE
2019 Lloyd Cushenberry III C
2019 K’Lavon Chaisson LB

Day Game or Night Game Makes No Difference for LSU
*LSU’s tradition of night games in Tiger Stadium is like none other in college football.
*But, LSU’s recent success in day games in Tiger Stadium has made playing afternoon games in Death Valley more appealing.
*LSU has won 17 of its last 18 day games in Tiger Stadium, a stretch that goes back to a 16-14 victory over Tennessee on Oct. 2, 2010.

*Since 2010, LSU’s only daytime loss in Tiger Stadium came against Florida by a 16-10 count in 2016.
*Of LSU’s 17 wins during this current stretch, nine have come against Top 25 teams and all 16 were over SEC opponents.
*Since 2000, LSU is 117-19 overall at home, which includes an 89-12 mark at night in Tiger Stadium and a 28-7 record during the day. From 1960-99, LSU posted a 12-19-3 mark in day games in Tiger Stadium.
*The following is a breakdown of LSU’s night record, day record and overall record in Tiger Stadium since 1960:
Decade: Record at Night, Record during the day, Overall Tiger Stadium Record
1960-69: 49-5, 4-2-1, 53-7-1
1970-79: 51-12-1, 1-2, 52-14-1
1980-89: 38-16-1, 3-5-2, 41-21-3
1990-99: 31-19, 4-10, 35-29
2000-09: 49-5, 11-6, 60-11
2010-19: 40-7, 17-1, 54-8
Totals: 258-64-2, 40-26-3, 298-90-5

Burrow Brings Experience as Returning Starting Quarterback
*Quarterback Joe Burrow will provide valuable experience for the LSU offense in 2019 and became the fifth LSU quarterback to start in consecutive season openers since 1998.
*Only Matt Mauck in 2002 and 2003, JaMarcus Russell in 2004 and 2005, Jordan Jefferson in 2009 and 2010, Zach Mettenberger in 2012 and 2013, and Brandon Harris in 2015 and 2016 have started consecutive openers for LSU.
*A year ago, Burrow burst onto the scene with an outstanding year for the Tigers, leading the squad to a 10-3 overall mark and No. 6 national ranking.
*Burrow has set or tied nine school records in his career and became the first quarterback in LSU history to throw for 2,500 yard and rush for 350 yards or more in a season.
*With 10 wins as LSU’s starter, Burrow could join JaMarcus Russell as the only quarterbacks in school history to lead the Tigers to at least 10 wins in back-to-back seasons.

Jefferson Back After Leading LSU In Every Receiving Category
*In 2018, Justin Jefferson became the first Tiger to lead the team in every receiving category since 2011 when Rueben Randle accomplished the feat.
*Jefferson is picking up where he left off in 2019 with 30 receptions for 547yards and seven touchdowns.
*Jefferson paced the Tigers in receptions (54), receiving yards (875), yards per catch (16.2), touchdowns (6), and receiving yards per game (67.3). Jefferson did all that in what was his first year as a starter and it was also the first season in which he caught a pass.
*Randle’s numbers in 2011 were: receptions (53), yards (917), yards per catch (17.3), touchdowns (8) and yards per game (65.5).

LSU Punter Von Rosenberg One of Nation’s Oldest Players
*At 28 years old, punter Zach Von Rosenberg is the fifth-oldest player in college football in 2019.
*Rosenberg, who spent six years playing Minor League Baseball before joining the LSU program in 2016, will turn 29 in September.
*The oldest player in college football is 32-year old Colorado placekicker James Stefanou. Wade Lees (P, Maryland) is 31, Houston punter Dane Roy is 30 and West Virginia tight end Jesse Beal is 29.

We are DBU:
*Since 2007, LSU leads the nation in number of defensive backs selected in the NFL draft with 19, including six in the first round.
*LSU produced two consensus All-America DBs in 2018 in Grant Delpit and Greedy Williams.
*LSU has produced 11 first team All-American defensive backs since 2000.
*LSU has also had defensive backs claim four national awards since 2010: Patrick Peterson 2010 Bednarik Award; Patrick Peterson 2010 Thorpe Award; Tyrann Mathieu 2011 Bednarik Award; Morris Claiborne 2011 Thorpe Award.
*Since the 2007 NFL Draft, LSU has had six DBs picked in the first round.

Four Tigers Play in 2019 As a College Graduate
*During the 2019 season, four Tigers take the field as a college graduate, four of which are LSU graduates.
*LSU’s list of five college graduates includes one graduate transfers – QB Joe Burrow (Ohio State).
*In addition to the five Tigers with diplomas in hand, eleven are projected to graduate in Fall 2019 – Connor Culp, Lloyd Cushenberry III, Derrick Dillon, Michael Divinity, Kristian Fulton, Rashard Lawrence, Damien Lewis, Adrian Magee, Ray Thornton, Badara Traore and Zach Von Rosenberg.

*Here’s the list of college graduates on the LSU roster for 2019:
Name, Major (School) Graduation Date
Joe Burrow, Consumer/Family Financial Services (Ohio State) Spring, 2018
Breiden Fehoko, Communication Studies Summer, 2019
Blake Ferguson, Marketing Spring, 2018
Stephen Sullivan, Interdisciplinary Studies Summer, 2019

Second Generation Tigers
*LSU’s roster features two players who are second generation Tigers.
*True freshmen Thomas Perry and Brandon Hubicz are both following in their dads footsteps as LSU football players.
*Thomas Perry, an offensive lineman from Teurlings Catholic in Lafayette, is the son of Adam Perry, who played offensive guard for the Tigers from 1994-97
*Brandon Hubiz, a tight end from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, is the son of Jim Hubicz, who played offensive tackle and guard for the Tigers from 1986-89.

LSU Family Connections
*LSU has some unique family-football connections on this year’s team. The following is a look at those football-related connections with current Tigers:
*WR Justin Jefferson – younger brother of former LSU starting QB Justin Jefferson (2008-11) and starting DB Rickey Jefferson (2013-16). Jordan is currently on the coaching staff at Colorado State.
*TE Aaron Moffitt – son of LSU strength and conditioning coach Tommy Moffitt. Aaron’s brother Clay just completed a two-year stint on the LSU baseball team.
*SNP Blake Ferguson – younger brother of four-year LSU starting long snapper Reid Ferguson, who is currently in his third year with the Buffalo Bills.
*TE Thaddeus Moss – son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and one of arguably the greatest receiver in NFL history in Randy Moss.
*CB Derek Stingley Jr. – grandson of the late Darryl Stingley, a first round draft pick by the New England Patriots who had his NFL career tragically ended on August 12, 1978 with a spinal cord injury.

Two-Sport Tigers
*Two current LSU football players – DB Kary Vincent Jr., and DB Maurice Hampton Jr. – are two-sport athletes.
*Vincent Jr. and Jones are also members of the LSU track and field team. Vincent ran the lead leg of LSU’s 2018 SEC Championship 4×100 meter relay team.
*Hampton Jr. is a member of the LSU baseball team. The Tennessee native was drafted in the 23rd round of the 2019 Major League Draft and elected to attend LSU. Hampton Jr. was the first player in Tennessee history to earn Mr. Football and Mr. Baseball honors in the same season.