The Joe Burrow Touchdown Bracket: Day 22

Tonight Joe Burrow, the reigning Heisman trophy winner and best player in LSU history, will be selected, almost definitely, first overall by the Bengals. Like a child packing up and moving away from home, we’ll be forced to say goodbye and good luck as Burrow and several other Tigers leave the LSU program for good.

But we’ll always have the memories of 2019 and we still have plenty of touchdowns to look back on. What’s that saying? Don’t cry because its over, smile because your team just had the best season in college football history and scored a million touchdowns along the way.

No. 5: Terrace Marshall’s 29-yard crossing route vs. Alabama

The context:

Say what you will about Nick Saban, but his teams don’t normally beat themselves. When a team has gone into Bryant-Denney Stadium and beaten Alabama, usually a weird play or two happened. Think the 2015 Ole Miss game when Chad Kelly caught a high snap threw up a prayer that was bobbled right into the hands of Quincy Adeboyejo who took it 65 yards to the house. Or Johnny Manziel having his Heisman moment in 2012 when he ran into his own lineman, caught the ball as it popped out of his hands and found Ryan Swope all by his lonesome in the end zone.

So when Alabama’s defense fails to cover not one but two Tiger receivers, that’s the kind of stuff you don’t associate with a Nick Saban coached team. But I’m sure nobody on this here site is complaining about the Tide’s screw up.

It’s 3rd and 2 and LSU’s holding a 10-7 lead. Jaylin Waddle returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown in the flukiest way possible and the momentum seems to have swung back in Alabama’s direction.

Nope. LSU drives down the field in a hurry. Clyde Edwards-Helaire gets his number called three plays in a row and picks up 15 yards, Burrow then finds Justin Jefferson for 17; but then two running plays aren’t quite enough to get a first down. With LSU facing an early but critical 3rd and 2 Alabama just...……..doesn’t cover Terrace Marshall Jr. or Thaddeus Moss. Burrow hits Marshall and LSU took the momentum right back.

No. 12: Ja’Marr Chase’s 25-yard seam route vs. Vanderbilt

The context:

Again, I remind you that Vanderbilt had a brief 7-0 lead. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you remember that Alabama NEVER led in the LSU game suddenly it’s worth asking: is Derrick Mason a better coach than Nick Saban?

Now comes the part where I remind you that while Vanderbilt got off to a 7-0 lead, LSU scored touchdowns on all four of its first quarter possessions. Efficient! This one, the fourth and final touchdown of the quarter, was Ja’Marr Chase’s second. It’s just a simple go route but Chase beats his man off the line and reels in the second of four touchdowns he would score that afternoon in Nashville.