NEW ORLEANS (AP) From small-town Ohio kid to Louisiana legend, Joe Burrow capped his record-breaking, Heisman-winning season by bringing a national championship to LSU.
Burrow threw five touchdown passes, ran for another score and finished off one of the most accomplished seasons in college football history by leading the top-ranked Tigers to a 42-25 victory against No. 3 Clemson on Monday night in the playoff final.
Hes one of the greatest players in LSU history, Tigers coach Ed Orgeron said. Hes done so much for the state of Louisiana and LSU. We are so grateful to Joe Burrow.
The senior quarterback from The Plains, Ohio, delivered the Tigers (15-0) their first national title since 2007 and fourth overall, breaking a few more records along the way in what was already an historic season. His five TD passes and 463 yards passing are the most for a BCS or College Football Playoff title game. So were his six total touchdowns.
This is what I wanted to do from the time I was 5 years old, was hoist this trophy. And bringing it back to Louisiana, Burrow said, then caught himself. I guess were in Louisiana, but staying in Louisiana, we werent going to let someone come in here and steal this from us in our home state.
We have a great fan base that came out and supported us. We were going to keep this thing right here.
Under a shower of sparkling white, gold and purple confetti, Burrow raised the CFP championship trophy toward the Superdome roof. The party was on no doubt already raging on nearby Bourbon Street.
Burrow became the first major college quarterback to throw 60 touchdown passes in a season and LSU snapped defending national champion Clemsons 29-game winning streak. For the first time in his college career, Clemson star quarterback Trevor Lawrence was on the losing team.
I hate how it finished, the sophomore said. But man, we did some really amazing things.
The Tigers (14-1) had won Lawrences first 25 starts.
Its been a long time since Ive stood in front of a team after a loss, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.
On this night, Lawrence (18 for 37 for 234 yards) was no match for Burrow the Ohio State transfer who threw all of 16 TD passes last season with LSU.
His ascent has been dizzying and unprecedented. Running a version of the New Orleans Saints offense brought to LSU by 30-year-old assistant coach Joe Brady, Burrow and an array of talented receivers transformed these Tigers into one of the most prolific offenses college football has ever seen.
The Saints Drew Brees, Burrows idol growing up, could not have done it better.
This was Orgerons vision for LSU when he was promoted from interim coach in 2016. There was plenty of skepticism about the Cajun who had failed in his first crack as a head coach with Mississippi.
Orgeron has proved to be the perfect fit for LSU. Just like Burrow.
