2020 LSU Tigers football team
2020 LSU Tigers football | |
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Conference | Southeastern Conference |
West Division | |
2020 record | 5–5 (5–5 SEC) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Steve Ensminger (3rd season) |
Offensive scheme | Spread |
Defensive coordinator | Bo Pelini (4th overall; 1st since 2007 season) |
Home stadium | Tiger Stadium (Capacity: 102,321) |
2020 Southeastern Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 13 Florida x | 8 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 7 Georgia | 7 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Missouri | 5 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kentucky | 4 | – | 6 | 5 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tennessee | 3 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Carolina | 2 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vanderbilt | 0 | – | 9 | 0 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 1 Alabama x$#^ | 10 | – | 0 | 13 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 4 Texas A&M | 8 | – | 1 | 9 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Auburn | 6 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
LSU* | 5 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ole Miss | 4 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arkansas | 3 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mississippi State | 3 | – | 7 | 4 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship: Alabama 52, Florida 46 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2020 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and competed in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by fourth year head coach Ed Orgeron.
The season was not an easy one for LSU, who were the defending national champions. After starting the year with a stunning home loss to Mississippi State, the Tigers were only able to string together five wins. In addition to losing a record 14 players to the NFL draft the year before, All-American wide receiver, Ja'Marr Chase, opted out of play before the season. The Tigers also lost their starting quarterback, Myles Brennan, three games in and had to rely on true freshmen, TJ Finley and Max Johnson, for the remainder of the year. In spite of these obstacles, the Tigers managed to end the season on a positive note with wins over sixth-ranked Florida and Ole Miss, the former as a 24-point underdog. By comparison, LSU had already eclipsed more losses by their seventh game of the season than they had in all of 2018 and 2019 combined. Still, the victories over Florida and Ole Miss allowed LSU to avert its first losing season since 1999, when the Tigers went 3–8. The .500 season is the first for LSU since a 5–5–1 ledger in 1974.
On December 9, LSU announced a self-imposed bowl ban for the 2020 season. Although the Tigers did not finish the season with six wins, the NCAA removed bowl eligibility requirements for the 2020 bowl season.[1] This self-imposed bowl ban was enacted due to the ongoing NCAA investigation at LSU.[2]
Previous season[]
LSU began the year ranked sixth in the preseason AP Poll, and were projected to finish in second in the SEC West behind Alabama. In 2019, 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. LSU was ranked No. 1 in the final College Football Playoff rankings of the season, earning them a spot in the national semi-final game to be played at the Peach Bowl. They dominated fourth-ranked Oklahoma in that game, 63–28, to advance to the CFP Championship Game. There, they defeated the defending national champions Clemson, 42–25, to secure LSU's fourth claimed national title in school history, the second undefeated champion in the CFP era, and the second 15–0 season among any team in the modern era.
LSU's record-setting offense was led by senior quarterback Joe Burrow, who won the Heisman Trophy by the largest margin in the history of the award, and broke several NCAA FBS records, including most touchdown passes (60), and highest passer rating (202.0). Burrow was drafted first overall in the 2020 NFL draft. He was accompanied on offense by 1,400-yard running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and two 1,500-yard receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, the former winning the Biletnikoff Award as the best wide receiver in the country. LSU's defense was anchored by two All-American defensive backs in Jim Thorpe Award winner Grant Delpit and true freshman Derek Stingley Jr., while Linebacker Jacob Phillips led the SEC in tackles. Burrow, Edwards-Helaire, and Jefferson were drafted in the first round of the 2020 draft, Delpit was drafted in the second round, while Phillips went in the third. Both Chase and Stingley were not yet eligible to declare for the 2020 draft. Head coach Ed Orgeron was awarded several national Coach of the Year honors.
Preseason[]
SEC Media Days[]
In the preseason media poll, LSU was predicted to finish in second in the West Division behind Alabama. LSU received the second-most votes (tied with Georgia) to win the SEC Championship Game.[3]
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Schedule[]
LSU Tigers announced its 2020 football schedule on August 7, 2019. The 2020 schedule consists of 7 home, 4 away, and 1 neutral site game in the regular season.
The Tigers had games scheduled against Nicholls, Rice, Texas, and UTSA, which were all canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4][5][6]
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 26 | 2:30 p.m. | Mississippi State | No. 6 |
| CBS | L 34–44 | 21,124 |
October 3 | 7:30 p.m. | at Vanderbilt | No. 20 |
| SECN | W 41–7 | 2,000 |
October 10 | 11:00 a.m. | at Missouri | No. 17 |
| SECN Alt. | L 41–45 | 10,013 |
October 24 | 6:00 p.m. | South Carolina |
| ESPN | W 52–24 | 21,855 | |
October 31 | 2:30 p.m. | at Auburn |
| CBS | L 11–48 | 17,490 | |
November 21 | 11:00 a.m. | at Arkansas |
| SECN | W 27–24 | 16,500 | |
November 28 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 5 Texas A&M |
| ESPN | L 7–20 | 23,607 | |
December 5 | 7:00 p.m. | No. 1 Alabama |
| CBS | L 17–55 | 22,349 | |
December 12[b] | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 6 Florida |
| ESPN | W 37–34 | 16,610 | |
December 19 | 2:30 p.m. | Ole Miss |
| SECN | W 53–48 | 21,905 | |
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- ^[a] The game between LSU and Missouri was originally scheduled to take place in Baton Rouge. However, in light of Hurricane Delta, the game was moved to Columbia, Missouri.
- ^[b] The game between LSU and Florida was originally scheduled to take place on October 17. However, due to COVID-19 management requirements in response to positive tests and subsequent quarantine of individuals within the Florida program, the game was rescheduled for December 12.[7]
- Schedule Source:[8]
Personnel[]
Coaching staff[]
Current staff as of February 10, 2020
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Ed_Orgeron_LSU_vs_NWLA.jpg/185px-Ed_Orgeron_LSU_vs_NWLA.jpg)
Name | Position |
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Ed Orgeron | Head coach |
Steve Ensminger | Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach |
Bo Pelini | Defensive coordinator/linebackers coach |
Scott Linehan | Passing game coordinator |
James Cregg | Offensive line coach/running game coordinator |
Mickey Joseph | Wide receivers coach/assistant head coach |
Kevin Faulk | Running backs coach |
Bill Johnson | Defensive line coach |
Corey Raymond | Cornerbacks coach/recruiting coordinator |
Bill Busch | Safeties coach |
Greg McMahon | Special teams coordinator |
Tommy Moffitt | Strength and conditioning coordinator |
Rankings[]
Week | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final | ||||||||||||||||||||
AP | 6 (1) | 6* | 6 (1) | 6 (1) | 20 | 17 | RV | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaches | 5 | 5* | 5 (3) | 5 (1) | 17 | 16 | RV | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CFP | Not released | Not released |
Players drafted into the NFL[]
Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
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1 | 5 | Ja'Marr Chase | WR | Cincinnati Bengals |
2 | 59 | Terrace Marshall Jr. | WR | Carolina Panthers |
4 | 115 | Jabril Cox | ILB | Dallas Cowboys |
4 | 122 | Tyler Shelvin | DT | Cincinnati Bengals |
6 | 205 | Racey McMath | WR | Tennessee Titans |
6 | 224 | JaCoby Stevens | S | Philadelphia Eagles |
7 | 237 | Kary Vincent Jr. | CB | Denver Broncos |
References[]
- ^ "DI Council approves football bowl eligibility requirements waiver". NCAA.org (Press release). October 14, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
- ^ Scarborough, Alex. "LSU football self-imposes one-year bowl ban for 2020 season". ESPN. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
- ^ "Preseason SEC media poll, All-SEC Team announced". SECSports.com. Southeastern Conference. September 23, 2020.
- ^ Talty, John. "SEC moves to conference-only 2020 schedule, pushes back start of season". AL.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- ^ Dellenger, Ross. "Sources: SEC Adopts Conference-Only Schedule With Sept. 26 Start". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- ^ Dellenger, Ross (7 August 2020). "SEC's New Schedule: Winners, Losers and... Mizzou". si.com. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
- ^ LSU at Florida Football Game Postponed
- ^ "2020 LSU Tigers Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
- 2020 Southeastern Conference football season
- LSU Tigers football seasons
- 2020 in sports in Louisiana