When it comes to stopping Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow and LSU, no one has been able to do it. A couple of teams have slowed them down, but they did not stop them.
The SEC’s Tigers, who will play Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship a week from Monday, are averaging a national best 48.9 points per game, while also leading the country in total offense at 564.1 yards per game.
The only team to slow down the Bayou Bengals to this point has been the Auburn Tigers. Auburn held LSU to 23 points at Tiger Field in Baton Rouge, though LSU still totaled 508 yards of offense and was 4-5 in the red zone, including three touchdowns.
So, what did Auburn do exactly. Well, they forced two turnovers, including one in the red zone. Auburn also stopped LSU twice on fourth down and sacked Burrow three times.
Auburn finished the season 17th nationally in scoring defense (19.5 pts/game) and 28th in total defense (337.0 yds./game).
LSU also played a top 5 Georgia defense and a top 10 Florida defense, but neither of those teams could slow the LSU offense down. The Bulldogs might have been more affective had it had any help at all from its offense. But they were so beat up on offense and lost more players as the game went along that their defense spent the entire game on the field.
The Bulldogs still held LSU under 500 yards of total offense, but they wore down and could not get off the field when it mattered most. LSU was 9 of 16 on third down and was 4-4 in the red zone, including three touchdowns.
Florida came close to beating LSU in Baton Rouge and actually had a 28-21 lead midway through the third quarter before LSU scored 21 unanswered points.
The Gators gave them fits because they could match their offense for much of the game and they controlled the tempo. Florida ran 84 plays to LSU’s 48. LSU had just four third downs the entire night, while Florida was 9-17.
So, Florida’s only defense was ball control and kept Burrow on the sideline. By the way, all six of LSU’s touchdowns came outside the red zone that evening.
Florida proved the best defense for LSU is a good offense. Alabama, who finished No. 13 in scoring defense and 21st in total defense this year, proved that as well in its 46-41 loss to the Bayou Bengals. However, two crucial turnovers in the first half did the Crimson Tide in. One on the game’s opening possession and then a second right before halftime. LSU scored touchdowns on both and it allowed them to build a 33-13 lead at the break.
Bama rallied and got within a score twice in the second half, but Burrow converted on key third downs and scored 13 fourth quarter points to seal the victory. Alabama did sack Burrow five times, but LSU converted 8 of 15 third downs, which aided in their victory.
Against top 20 scoring defenses—Florida, Auburn, Alabama and Georgia—LSU averaged 37 points in those four games and only once was held under 500 total yards.
Will Clemson be able to stop LSU? I don’t think so, no other elite defense has been able to.
However, Clemson’s best defense will have to be Trevor Lawrence and the offense, which they are more than capable of doing. The key, the ACC’s Tigers have to take care of the football and control the clock. They have to put pressure on Burrow to keep up with Clemson instead of the other way around.
That is the Clemson Tigers best chance to win.
Clemson is going back to the national championship game after once again winning the Fiesta Bowl over Ohio State. Get your official national championship and Fiesta Bowl champs gear right here!
