Joe Burrow: The Greatest Quarterback In College Football History

Joe Burrow spent only two seasons at LSU, but that was enough time to change the direction of the program and produce one of the greatest individual seasons in college football history.

When Burrow arrived in Baton Rouge in 2018, he was a graduate transfer looking for an opportunity to start. When he left after the 2019 season, he was a Heisman Trophy winner, national champion, unanimous All American and the leader of a 15 and 0 LSU team that defeated seven Top 10 opponents.

His final season remains the standard against which LSU quarterbacks are measured. Burrow did not simply put up extraordinary statistics. He led the Tigers through one of the most difficult schedules in the country, broke an eight game losing streak against Alabama, won the SEC championship and finished the season by defeating defending national champion Clemson in New Orleans.

An Ohio Football Star

Burrow grew up in a football family. His father, Jimmy Burrow, played college football at Nebraska and later spent decades coaching, including serving as defensive coordinator at Ohio University. Joe grew up in The Plains, Ohio, and became a star at nearby Athens High School.

As a senior in 2014, Burrow threw for nearly 4,500 yards with 63 touchdown passes and only two interceptions while leading Athens to the state championship game. He was named Ohio Mr. Football and the Division III Co Offensive Player of the Year.

Burrow finished his high school career with more than 11,400 passing yards and 157 touchdown passes. He also rushed for more than 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns.

Football was not his only sport. Burrow was also an accomplished basketball player who earned First Team All State recognition as a senior. Several smaller college programs showed interest in him as a basketball prospect, but quarterback was clearly where his future was headed.

Waiting for His Opportunity at Ohio State

Burrow signed with Ohio State and redshirted during the 2015 season. He spent the next two years behind J.T. Barrett and appeared in 10 games as a reserve.

In limited action, Burrow completed 29 of 39 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 53 yards and one touchdown.

With Barrett’s career finished, Burrow competed with Dwayne Haskins during the spring of 2018. Burrow decided to transfer after spring practice, and Haskins went on to become Ohio State’s starter.

Burrow had already graduated from Ohio State with a degree in consumer and family financial services, which allowed him to transfer and play immediately.

LSU needed a quarterback. Burrow needed an opportunity.

The match changed both.

A New Beginning at LSU

Burrow transferred to LSU in May 2018 after visiting Baton Rouge and meeting with Ed Orgeron and the Tigers’ coaching staff.

There was no guarantee that the move would work. Burrow had never started a college game, and LSU had struggled for years to develop a consistently dangerous passing attack. The Tigers also faced another difficult SEC schedule and opened the season against Miami.

Burrow won the starting job and immediately provided stability.

He started all 13 games in 2018 and led LSU to a 10 and 3 record. The Tigers finished the season ranked No. 6 in the final AP poll after defeating UCF in the Fiesta Bowl.

Burrow completed 219 of 379 passes for 2,894 yards, 16 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He also rushed for 399 yards and seven touchdowns.

Those numbers were solid, but they gave little indication of what was coming one year later. What Burrow did show immediately was toughness, poise and an ability to lead LSU in close games.

The First Signs of Something Special

Burrow’s first LSU season included several moments that helped establish his reputation with Tiger fans.

At Auburn, he directed a late drive that ended with Cole Tracy’s game winning field goal. Against No. 2 Georgia in Tiger Stadium, Burrow rushed for two touchdowns as LSU defeated the Bulldogs 36 to 16.

Then came the seven overtime game against Texas A&M.

Burrow threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 100 yards and three more scores. LSU eventually lost 74 to 72, but Burrow’s six touchdowns responsible for showed the type of competitor the Tigers had at quarterback.

The season ended against undefeated UCF in the Fiesta Bowl. Burrow threw an interception early and then absorbed a hard hit during the return. Instead of allowing the play to shake him, he responded by leading LSU to touchdowns on its next three possessions.

Burrow finished the game with 394 passing yards and four touchdowns as LSU won 40 to 32.

That afternoon in Arizona became a preview of the quarterback LSU would see in 2019.

LSU Changes the Offense

LSU entered the 2019 offseason knowing it needed to become more dangerous on offense.

Orgeron hired Joe Brady from the New Orleans Saints as passing game coordinator. Brady joined offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger in modernizing LSU’s passing attack through spread formations, run pass options and concepts designed to create favorable matchups for LSU’s receivers.

Burrow was the perfect quarterback for the system.

He had enough experience to understand what defenses were trying to do, the accuracy to attack every area of the field and the confidence to give his receivers opportunities to make plays.

Those receivers were exceptional. Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Terrace Marshall Jr. formed one of the best receiving groups in college football. Clyde Edwards Helaire provided another dangerous option out of the backfield, while tight end Thaddeus Moss became a dependable target over the middle.

The result was an offense unlike anything LSU fans had seen before.

The 2019 Season Begins

The difference was obvious almost immediately.

Burrow threw five touchdown passes in LSU’s season opening victory over Georgia Southern. One week later, the Tigers traveled to Austin for an early season showdown against Texas.

Burrow delivered one of the first great performances of his senior season. He completed 31 of 39 passes for 471 yards and four touchdowns as LSU won 45 to 38.

The defining play came late in the fourth quarter.

Facing third and 17 from the LSU 39 yard line, Burrow avoided pressure and found Jefferson over the middle. Jefferson turned the completion into a 61 yard touchdown that gave LSU breathing room with 2:27 remaining.

For years, LSU had often relied on defense, field position and a powerful running game to survive major games.

Now the Tigers had a quarterback who could finish them with his arm.

Taking Down Florida and Auburn

Burrow continued producing enormous numbers as LSU moved through the schedule.

Against No. 7 Florida in Tiger Stadium, he completed 21 of 24 passes for 293 yards and three touchdowns. LSU won 42 to 28 and remained undefeated.

Two weeks later, No. 9 Auburn brought one of the nation’s best defenses into Death Valley. The game was more difficult, but Burrow still completed 32 passes for 321 yards and one touchdown while adding a rushing score.

LSU won 23 to 20.

The Tigers were 8 and 0.

Next came the game everyone had been waiting for.

Ending the Alabama Streak

LSU entered its 2019 trip to Tuscaloosa carrying an eight game losing streak against Alabama.

Burrow had experienced the frustration himself. Alabama had shut out LSU 29 to 0 in Tiger Stadium during his first season.

One year later, everything had changed.

Burrow completed 31 of 39 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns as LSU defeated No. 2 Alabama 46 to 41.

He repeatedly made difficult throws against a defense filled with future NFL players. LSU scored 33 points before halftime and continued answering every time Alabama threatened to take control in the second half.

The victory did much more than keep LSU undefeated. It ended years of frustration against Alabama and established the Tigers as the leading national championship contender.

Burrow had become the face of LSU’s transformation.

Winning the SEC

LSU completed the regular season undefeated and met No. 4 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.

Once again, Burrow controlled the game.

He completed 28 of 38 passes for 349 yards and four touchdowns as LSU defeated Georgia 37 to 10.

One play captured the creativity and confidence that had come to define Burrow’s season. He escaped pressure, rolled toward the sideline, reversed direction and found Jefferson downfield for a long completion after the play appeared to have broken down.

Burrow was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.

LSU was 13 and 0 and SEC champion. By then, there was little doubt about who would win the Heisman Trophy.

A Historic Heisman Victory

Burrow became the second LSU player to win the Heisman Trophy, joining Billy Cannon, who won the award in 1959.

The vote was one of the most overwhelming in the history of the award.

Burrow received 841 first place votes and 2,608 total points. Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts finished second with 762 points.

Burrow’s margin of victory was 1,846 points, the largest in Heisman Trophy history.

His acceptance speech became part of his story as well. Burrow thanked Orgeron for giving him an opportunity after he had spent years waiting for one. He also spoke about poverty and hunger in southeast Ohio, comments that inspired a wave of donations to the Athens County Food Pantry.

By that point, Burrow was no longer simply LSU’s quarterback. He had become one of the biggest names in college sports.

A Historic Night Against Oklahoma

Winning the Heisman did nothing to slow him down.

LSU faced Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl.

Burrow produced one of the most dominant performances in postseason history.

He completed 29 of 39 passes for 493 yards and seven touchdowns. All seven touchdown passes came before halftime. He also rushed for another score, giving him eight touchdowns responsible for in the game.

LSU won 63 to 28.

The victory sent the Tigers to the national championship game.

The location could not have been more fitting.

Burrow would play his final college game in New Orleans.

Finishing the Job Against Clemson

LSU faced defending national champion Clemson on January 13, 2020, inside the Superdome.

Clemson entered the game riding a 29 game winning streak and leading the nation in scoring defense at 11.5 points allowed per game.

The Tigers from South Carolina took an early 17 to 7 lead.

Burrow never panicked.

He completed 31 of 49 passes for 463 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for 58 yards and another score.

LSU scored 21 unanswered points before halftime and eventually pulled away for a 42 to 25 victory.

Burrow accounted for six touchdowns against the nation’s top scoring defense.

LSU finished 15 and 0.

Burrow walked off the field in New Orleans as a national champion.

A Season for the Record Books

Burrow’s final statistics from 2019 remain some of the greatest ever produced by a college quarterback.

He completed 402 of 527 passes for 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns and only six interceptions. His completion percentage was 76.3 percent.

His 5,671 passing yards set the SEC single season record. His 60 touchdown passes established the NCAA FBS single season record at the time. Bailey Zappe later threw 62 touchdown passes for Western Kentucky in 2021, moving Burrow to second on the FBS single season list.

Burrow also rushed for 368 yards and five touchdowns, giving him 65 touchdowns responsible for during the season.

He threw for at least 300 yards in 13 of LSU’s 15 games.

The awards were nearly as impressive as the statistics. Burrow won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. He was named the AP National Player of the Year and SEC Offensive Player of the Year and earned unanimous First Team All America recognition.

No LSU quarterback had ever produced a season like it.

Few quarterbacks anywhere ever have.

Two Years That Changed LSU History

Burrow finished his LSU career with a 25 and 3 record as the starting quarterback.

He completed 621 of 906 passes for 8,565 yards and 76 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions. He also rushed for 767 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Burrow’s LSU career lasted only 28 games, but his impact was much larger than the time he spent in Baton Rouge.

LSU credits Burrow with quarterbacking the Tigers to 11 victories over Top 10 opponents during his two seasons. Seven of those Top 10 wins came during the 2019 championship season.

Perhaps more importantly, Burrow changed what LSU believed its offense could become.

The Tigers had always been capable of recruiting elite receivers and running backs. Burrow showed what could happen when LSU combined that talent with an aggressive passing attack and an elite quarterback who could command it.

The result was one of the greatest seasons in college football history.

Burrow in the NFL

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Burrow with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. A serious knee injury ended his rookie season, but he returned in 2021 and led Cincinnati to the AFC championship and Super Bowl LVI. Burrow was named AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year for that season.

He won the award again following the 2024 season after leading the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdown passes. Injuries limited him to eight games in 2025, but he still entered the 2026 season with 20,810 career passing yards and 157 touchdown passes.

Burrow has developed into one of the NFL’s premier quarterbacks. For LSU fans, however, his professional success has only strengthened a legacy that was already secure when he left Baton Rouge.

The Legacy of Joe Burrow at LSU

LSU has produced great quarterbacks before Joe Burrow and great quarterbacks after him, but no Tiger has produced a season quite like what Burrow accomplished in 2019.

He arrived in Baton Rouge because he needed an opportunity. LSU needed someone who could take its offense somewhere it had rarely been.

Both sides received much more than they expected.

In two seasons, Burrow went from a former backup quarterback searching for a starting job to a Heisman Trophy winner, unanimous All American and national champion. He helped end LSU’s losing streak against Alabama, won the SEC championship, overwhelmed Oklahoma in the playoff and finished the season by beating defending national champion Clemson in New Orleans.

The statistics are extraordinary. The awards fill an entire résumé. The national championship banner will hang forever.

Burrow’s greatest contribution to LSU may be even bigger than all of that. He changed what LSU football believed was possible at quarterback and helped produce a season that Tiger fans will spend generations trying to explain to anyone who did not get to watch it happen.