LSU’s 2019 Championship Team: A Legacy of Greatness
In the storied history of college football, few teams have made as profound an impact as the 2019 LSU Tigers. Under the leadership of head coach Ed Orgeron, this remarkable team achieved perfection with a 15-0 record and claimed the national championship by defeating Clemson in the College Football Playoff title game. What makes this team’s story particularly compelling is not just their on-field dominance, but also the bittersweet aftermath—just 21 months after reaching the pinnacle of college football, LSU announced that Orgeron would depart from the program. Despite this unexpected turn, the legacy of that championship team endures as one of the most extraordinary in the sport’s history.
Reflecting on this achievement during a recent appearance on “Andy & Ari On3,” Orgeron made the bold claim that his 2019 LSU team surpassed any other college football team ever assembled. “There’s some great teams out there,” he acknowledged, “but that team that we had—I haven’t seen the talent.” This wasn’t merely coach’s hyperbole; the evidence lies in the professional careers that followed for many of the team’s stars. The roster featured quarterback Joe Burrow, who became the top overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, alongside receivers Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. Jefferson went on to become the 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year with the Minnesota Vikings, while Chase joined Burrow in Cincinnati as the fifth overall selection in the 2021 draft. The success these players have continued to enjoy at the professional level lends significant credibility to Orgeron’s assessment.
While discussing all-time great teams, Orgeron did acknowledge another legendary squad—the 2001 Miami Hurricanes, with whom he served as an assistant coach when they captured the Bowl Championship Series national title. This acknowledgment demonstrates Orgeron’s unique perspective, having been part of two historically dominant programs. However, he maintained that his LSU team possessed an unprecedented collection of talent that set them apart. “They always talk about who’s the best team? I say, ‘Hey, you got to win it on the field.’ It’s never been done, but I think those guys were tremendous,” Orgeron added, suggesting that while such debates can never truly be settled, his team’s accomplishments speak volumes.
The dominance of the 2019 LSU Tigers extended far beyond their unblemished record. Perhaps most impressively, the team never trailed in the fourth quarter of any game throughout the entire season—a testament to their consistent excellence and ability to control games from start to finish. This remarkable statistic illustrates not just their talent, but their composure and execution in critical moments. Additionally, the 2019 Tigers broke college football’s all-time scoring record, further cementing their place in the sport’s history as an offensive juggernaut that revolutionized how the game could be played at the collegiate level.
What makes the story of this team particularly poignant is how quickly fortunes changed following their moment of triumph. Despite assembling what he considers the greatest collection of talent in college football history and achieving the ultimate success, Orgeron found himself parting ways with the program less than two years later. This rapid rise and fall serves as a reminder of the volatile nature of college sports, where even historic achievement doesn’t guarantee long-term security. Nevertheless, Orgeron speaks of his championship team with unmistakable pride, focusing on their accomplishments rather than the circumstances of his departure.
The legacy of the 2019 LSU Tigers transcends the typical boundaries of college football memory. While many championship teams fade from the collective consciousness as new champions emerge, this particular squad has maintained its mystique due to both their on-field dominance and the subsequent NFL success of their key players. Their perfect season, highlighted by a national championship victory, record-breaking offensive production, and development of multiple NFL stars, presents a compelling case for Orgeron’s assertion about their historical greatness. Whether or not they truly stand alone as the best college football team ever assembled will remain a subject for debate among fans and analysts for generations to come, but there can be no question that they have earned their place in any such conversation.
