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Several news sources expected the game to be high-scoring with a predicted combined score of around 60 points. On the day of the game, ESPN's Football Power Index gave Alabama a 71.8 percent chance of winning. Dan Mullen solidified his spot as one of college football's best after taking a downtrodden Gators team that went 4-7 the year before and turning them into a 10-win team that dominated Michigan in the Peach Bowl. Is it too early to pronounce Florida back among the elite in college football?
DeVonta Smith was his top receiver, making 7 receptions for 213 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Najee Harris was the top rusher, recording 19 carries for 146 yards and 1 touchdown. On defense, Xavier McKinney led the team in tackles with 13 total, including 9 solo and 2.5 tackles for loss. For the Tigers, Joe Burrow completed 31 of 39 attempted passes for 393 yards, with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Ja'Marr Chase was his top receiver, making 6 receptions for 140 yards and 1 touchdown, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire was the top rusher, recording 20 carries for 103 yards and 3 touchdowns. On defense, K'Lavon Chaisson led the team in tackles with 10, including 5 solo and 3.5 tackles for loss. Following the game, the Tigers won all of their remaining regular season games and defeated the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2019 SEC Championship Game en route to a number-1 berth in the College Football Playoff.
First quarter
The Tigers finished the 2018 season 10–3, 5–3 in SEC play to finish in a tie for second place in the West division. They received an invitation to the Fiesta Bowl where they defeated UCF. After the first of two open dates for LSU on Sept. 28, the Tigers host Utah State on Oct. 5 in the first of three home games in the month of October. Florida comes to Baton Rouge on Oct. 12 and Auburn visits Tiger Stadium on Oct. 26.
In the third quarter, LSU's Cade York converted a 50-yard field goal, and then Texas A&M scored their only points of the day with a one-yard run by Isaiah Spiller. Late in the fourth quarter, the Tigers pinned the Aggies at their own 1-yard line with a punt, and then Neil Farrell Jr. sacked James Foster in the endzone for a safety to end the scoring on the day at 50–7. In the preseason, Alabama was ranked No. 2 in both the AP and Coaches Poll, second only to the Clemson Tigers, who had beat Alabama in last season's National Championship game.
Arkansas
After a second bye week, LSU traveled to Tuscaloosa to play rival Alabama. Heading into the game, LSU was ranked No. 1 and Alabama No. 2 in the AP Poll. The season's first College Football Playoff rankings were released on the Tuesday prior to the game, with LSU ranked No. 2 and Alabama ranked No. 3. Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was only 20 days removed from a minor ankle surgery, was making his return, and the battle between him and Joe Burrow was expected to play a major role in the Heisman Trophy race.
With the way Texas is playing this season, it’s not far-fetched to say those driving routes will be used quite frequently by fans sporting burnt orange next year. The Longhorns won’t be doing a lot of traveling in those nonconference games as they open the season with a home game against Louisiana Tech on Aug. 31 and remain in Austin the next week when the LSU Tigers come to town. As usual, the Longhorns open their season with three non-conference games before heading into Big 12 play. The dates for the 2019 Texas football schedule were announced Thursday, per Texas Athletics. Stay tuned to Geaux247 for more on LSU's 2019 football schedule.
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With the win, LSU finished as undefeated College Football Playoff champions, and were later crowned unanimous national champions by the polls. This was LSU's fourth national title in school history, and first since the 2007 season. It was their first undefeated season since 1958, and the second ever 15–0 season by any FBS team in the modern era . Joe Burrow had 463 passing yards and five touchdowns in the game, and was named Offensive MVP. Linebacker Patrick Queen had eight total tackles, including 0.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss and was named Defensive MVP. LSU's opening possession of the second half ended with a 28-yard field goal by York, and Georgia's ensuing possession resulted in a 37-yard miss by Blankenship.
Statistically, Texas was middle of the road on offense and defense but showed signs of improvement. In Tom Herman's third year in Austin, big expectations are laid upon his shoulders to not only knock off LSU but to unseat rival Oklahoma in the Big 12. With five starters back on offense and just two on defense, another turn in the recruiting cycle might be needed before Texas is officially back. This was a good ol' fashion slugfest in Baton Rouge last season with the Tigers coming out on top 19-3.
LSU's offense struggled against Auburn's defense, putting up a season-low 23 points, but pulled out the win, 23–20. Following the marquee matchup with LSU, Texas will make the three-hour drive to NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, to take on Rice. Texas currently has a 15-game winning streak over the Owls which dates back to 1995. LSU will open the season at home against Georgia Southern on August 31. The annual "Purple Game" will be held on Sep. 14 for the game against Northwestern State. Oct. 5 will bring Utah State to Tiger Stadium, which will be the weekend the Alumni Band is recognized.
The Tigers welcome Northwestern State to Tiger Stadium on Sept. 14 followed by the conference opener against Vanderbilt in Nashville on Sept. 21. It’s the first meeting between LSU and Vanderbilt since 2010 when the Tigers recorded a 27-3 win over the Commodores in Nashville. LSU opens the 2019 campaign in Tiger Stadium against Georgia Southern on Aug. 31 before traveling to face Texas on Sept. 7. The LSU-Texas contest will be the first regular-season meeting between the teams since 1954 when the Longhorns and Tigers squared off in Austin. Texas returns home from Dallas to host Kansas the following week, before heading back north to Fort Worth for a meeting with Gary Patterson and the TCU Horned Frogs. This will be the first meeting in Fort Worth for athletic director Chris Del Conte since leaving TCU for the Texas.
He completed 25 of 34 passes for 398 yards, becoming the first player in school history to throw for 350 or more yards in three consecutive games. He was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time of the season. Ja'Marr Chase had 10 receptions for 229 yards and four touchdowns. In the second half, LSU removed all doubt by scoring touchdowns on each of their first four possessions and holding Northwestern State scoreless for the remainder of the game.
The Commodores hung tough against ranked teams in Notre Dame, Florida, and Kentucky but dropped end-of-season contests to Missouri and Baylor in the Texas Bowl. Vanderbilt may not be ready to turn that proverbial corner just yet. While the team has seven starters back on offense the line will have some new faces and must play better. "LSU's Joe Brady wins Broyles Award, given to college football's top assistant coach". In the final College Football Playoff rankings of the year, LSU moved from second to first, passing Ohio State, who had beaten Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, 34–21. LSU's opponent in the CFP semi-final, the Peach Bowl, was fourth-ranked Oklahoma, champions of the Big 12 Conference at 12–1.
The Tigers prevailed in a close game with a score of 45–38, as Burrow threw four touchdown passes and placekicker Cade York scored three field goals. Following the win, LSU moved up to No. 4 in the AP Poll before a September 14 home win against the Northwestern State Demons of the Football Championship Subdivision. LSU opened the scoring on their opening drive with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Joe Burrow to Ja'Marr Chase. After each team traded missed field goal attempts, LSU scored again with a four-yard run by Tyrion Davis-Price. Two more second quarter scores by LSU, the first a 51-yard pass from Burrow to Chase, and the second a 12-yard pass from Burrow to Justin Jefferson, made the score 28–0. Ole Miss got on the board in the second quarter with a five-yard touchdown run by John Rhys Plumlee, and LSU converted a 33-yard field goal in the final seconds of the half to make the score 31–7 at half-time.
A holding penalty against LSU gave Alabama another 10 yards, and a 32-yard pass to Smith put them solidly in LSU's territory. The Crimson Tide ended the third quarter on 3rd & 2 at LSU's 14. LSU began the year ranked sixth in the preseason AP Poll, and were projected to finish second in the SEC West behind Alabama. The Tigers secured an undefeated regular season that included wins over top-ten-ranked teams Texas, Florida, Auburn, and Alabama. In the SEC Championship Game, LSU defeated Georgia to win their first conference title since 2011.
Atkins then kicked a touchback and Alabama started their next drive at their 25-yard line. A 15-yard pass from Tagovailoa to Jeudy, as well as a horse-collar tackle penalty against LSU, moved them to the LSU 45-yard line. However, two incomplete passes and a 4-yard run from Harris put them at fourth down when Ty Perine fumbled and recovered for a loss of 19 yards, giving LSU possession at the Alabama 40-yard line.
LSU's defense held Clemson scoreless throughout the fourth quarter to help seal the victory. LSU, as undefeated champions of the SEC West Division, faced off against 11–1 East Division champion Georgia in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. Heading into the game, LSU was ranked second and Georgia fourth in the College Football Playoff rankings. There was widespread speculation that both teams could possibly make it into the playoff, depending on the outcome of the game. LSU removed all doubt about its resume by winning comfortably, 37–10.
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