LSU 42, Clemson 25
LSU knocks off Clemson 42-25, completes one of the most historic seasons in college football history
Jan 13, 2020, 11:14 pm
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Jamar Chase
The LSU Tigers are national champions. And their season is one that might not be topped for a long time.
The Bayou Bengals knocked off the defending champion Clemson Tigers 42-25 on Monday night, and the celebration in Louisiana is likely to last a while.
While LSU fans revel, they should also recognize what might have been the greatest single-season run in college football history.
While any list is subjective, many consider what the 1971 Nebraska Cornhuskers did to be one of the most impressive single seasons in college football history before this year. That team finished No. 1, and beat Oklahoma, Colorado and Alabama, the teams that finished 2-3-4.
Realistically, however, the modern era (post 2000), the teams that are most impressive start with 2004 USC. The 13-0 Trojans featured Heisman winner Matt Leinart, and destroyed Adrian Peterson and Oklahoma in the championship game 55-19. That group would lose the next season to another team worth considering, the 2005 Vince Young-led Texas Longhorns. The Horns averaged 50.2 points per game that season. Of course, the 2001 Miami Hurricanes had perhaps the greatest collection of talent on one team, with stars like Andre Johnson, Willis McGahee, Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, Vince Wilfork, Ed Reed...They were simply loaded.
But this LSU team takes a back seat to no one. Of the Tigers 15 wins, SEVEN were against teams ranked in the Top 10 when they played - Texas, Florida, Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma and Clemson. Four of those teams were in the top 5 at the time they played. They faced 11 teams that played in a bowl or the playoff.
Heading into the championship game, the Tigers averaged 48.9 points per game, most in the nation. Quarterback Joe Burrow had a historic season, throwing for over 5,000 yards, completing nearly 80 percent of his passes and winning the Heisman Trophy. He set an NCAA single season record for touchdown passes.
LSU had two 1,000-yard receivers (Ja'Mar Chase and Justin Jefferson) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Clyde Edwards-Helaire) to go with their 5,000-yard passer. They scored 726 points, most in FBS history. They have four projected first-round picks in the NFL Draft this year alone and several others over the next two years. With all that, they deserve to be in the talk for best single season team ever.
When it counted most, they finished it by beating a near dynasty - a team that had not lost in 29 games - for a national championship.
With a season for the ages.
The Houston Astros will go for the sweep Wednesday afternoon in Phoenix as they wrap up a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. With wins in the first two games of the series and three straight overall, the AL West-leading Astros are starting to find their rhythm again, and they’ll look to keep it going behind left-hander Brandon Walter.
Walter (1-3, 3.66 ERA) has been steady since joining the rotation, and he'll be tasked with keeping Arizona’s contact-heavy lineup in check. The Diamondbacks, sitting fourth in the NL West at 50-52, are hitting .253 as a team, fifth-best in the National League, but have struggled to string together wins at home, where they’re just 26-27.
Opposing Walter is right-hander Brandon Pfaadt, who enters with a 10-6 record and 4.74 ERA. He’s capable of missing bats but can be vulnerable to power, something the Astros lineup will try to exploit as they look to post at least eight hits for the fourth straight game. A mark that has typically led to success this season (39-19 when they reach it).
Houston will again lean on veterans like Jose Altuve and the red-hot Victor Caratini, who’s 13-for-36 over his last 10 games. Brice Matthews and Christian Walker have also sparked the offense in recent days, while the bullpen continues to deliver under pressure.
For Arizona, Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez have been the primary power threats of late, with Suárez clubbing eight home runs in his last 10 games. If the Diamondbacks want to avoid the sweep, they’ll need to capitalize on any early chances against Walter and match Houston’s timely hitting.
First pitch is set for 3:40 p.m. EDT.
Lineup takeaways
For the finale, you'll notice Cam Smith is not in the leadoff spot and playing right field. Smith gets the day off with Taylor Trammell hitting first and playing center field, followed by Victor Caratini, who is playing first base. Christian Walker is the DH and hitting third, followed by Yainer Diaz (C), Brice Matthews (2B), Mauricio Dubon (SS), Cooper Hummel (LF), Chas McCormick (RF), and Shay Whitcomb (3B). Jose Altuve's name is nowhere to be found. It seems like manager Joe Espada is happy with the series win based on this lineup.
Last one on the road.
⚾️: 2:40 PM CDT | 12:40 PM MST
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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -116, Diamondbacks -104; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
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