Anniversaries LSU football will celebrate this year
We’ll have real football soon enough, but for now, it’s time for another look at some LSU history.
We’ll be looking at anniversaries. The benchmarks of this program which were set years ago. From LSU’s win over Georgia in 2018, to whatever happened 100 years ago when LSU was still a young team in the Southern Conference.
As a program, LSU will be enjoying its 130th anniversary this fall. A lot has happened since this program’s inception in the 19th century. So hopefully, this serves as a refresher.
Let’s jump right in, starting with Joe Burrow’s first year in 2018.
5 years
Fiesta Bowl
This marks the five-year anniversary of LSU’s 2018 Fiesta Bowl win over UCF. Burrow and the LSU offense put on a show and the Tigers began a winning streak that would catapult them to a national title a year later.
Win and field storm over No. 2 Georgia
LSU got that NY6 invite thanks to some strong regular season wins. The most impressive of which was over the No. 2 Bulldogs. LSU beat Georgia by 20 points and the Orgeron/Burrow era entered the national spotlight.
10 years
Mettenberger, Beckham, Landry, Hill
Only the 2007 national title team averaged more points per game under Les Miles than the 2013 team. LSU wasn’t known for offensive excitement during this period, but the 2013 group was an exception.
Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, and Jeremy Hill all went on to have good rookie years in the NFL in 2014. That left a lot of people looking back at that LSU team and asking: Why wasn’t it even better?
Anthony Jennings leads Arkansas comeback
Jennings had his struggles at LSU, but his debut was the stuff of magic.
He entered in the final moments against Arkansas. LSU was at its own one and needed a touchdown to win. Jennings was perfect and completed the drive with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Travin Dural.
15 years
Comeback against Troy
This is the largest known comeback in LSU history.
LSU was down 31-3 at one point. At the end of the third quarter, it was still 31-10.
But in the final quarter, LSU put it together. Jarrett Lee and Brandon LaFell both had big games. So did the LSU rushing attack, with RB Charles Scott scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 4:50 to go in the fourth.
Chick-Fil-A Bowl blowout
LSU only won seven games in the regular season, but brought its best to the bowl game. The Tigers laid it on Georgia Tech for a 38-3 victory. It was the 700th program win for LSU.
20 years
LSU and Nick Saban win national title
LSU’s return to national relevance culminated with a national championship in 2003. LSU went 13-1 and won the SEC title before beating Oklahoma in the BCS Championship.
LSU’s lone loss was to Florida. Ironically, the 2003 team will be honored when Florida comes to Baton Rouge this year.
20 Year Celebration
The 2003 National Championship team, the group that returned LSU to glory for the first time in 45 years, will be honored at the Florida game on November 11. pic.twitter.com/IuHVXfgG1l
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) July 26, 2023
Justin Vincent rushes for 201 yards in SEC title
Vincent’s performance against Georgia in the SEC title is one of the more impressive ones from the title run. Against the No. 5 Bulldogs, Vincent scored twice and needed just 18 carries to hit his 201 yards.
25 years
Herb Tyler sets single-game total touchdown record
Tyler’s five touchdowns against Kentucky were a program record at the time. It’s been broken quite a few times since, but offense wasn’t as easy back then.
It was a shootout that LSU lost 39-36 in a year full of struggles.
Kevin Faulk has one of the best offensive seasons in LSU history
RB Kevin Faulk was the biggest bright spot on that team.
His 191.7 all-purpose yards per game remain an LSU record. His 1,279 rushing yards that year puts him seventh on LSU’s all-time single-season yards rushing list.
50 years
LSU starts 9-0
LSU got off to a 9-0 start in 1973 under Charlie McClendon. The stretch was highlighted by wins over a ranked Colorado team and a 51-point outburst at Ole Miss.
But it came to an end against Alabama. It was a familiar story with the Crimson Tide proving to be a thorn in McClendon’s side more often than not.
LSU goes to Orange Bowl
The 9-0 start was good enough to earn LSU a Orange Bowl invite.
However, the Tigers dropped the game to Joe Paterno’s Penn State squad. LSU finished the year on a three-game losing streak and finished 13th in the final poll.
Warren Capone and Tyler LaFauci are All-Americans
LSU was led by Capone and LaFauci. Both earned All-American honors.
Capone is one of the hardest-hitting linebackers in LSU history while LaFauci helped pave the way for LSU’s ground attack.
75 years
Gaynell Tinsley takes over as head coach
The sport was in a weird place 75 years ago.
The dust and ripple effects from World War II were still settling and LSU turned to former star player Gaynell Tinsley to lead the program. He was tasked with living up to Bernie Moore’s legacy — LSU’s first great coach.
Tinsley went 3-7 as his offense struggled to score against good teams. LSU was shut out by Tulane, Mississippi State, Georgia and Texas.
100 years
Mike Donahue takes over LSU
As LSU was still just getting its feet wet as a program, Mike Donahue took over as head coach.
LSU went 3-5-1 in its second year in the Southern Conference. The Tigers began the year 3-0 but struggled as the schedule got tougher down the stretch.
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