ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
The LSU and Clemson Tigers don’t have the most history, but when the two teams have faced off, it was often must-see, most significant football.
LSU leads the series 3-1 going into Saturday’s prime time, top 10 pairing between the No. 9 Tigers and No. 4 Clemson at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.
Here is what happened in the previus four games with videos:
1. No. 1 LSU 7, No. 10 Clemson 0 … Jan. 1, 1959, New Orleans, Sugar Bowl
– LSU and Clemson met for the first time in the 25th annual Sugar Bowl at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. LSU had already been named national champions by the Associated Press, which did its final poll at the time before the bowls. The Tigers finished the regular season at 10-0 while outscoring opponents, 268-53.
– Both teams struggled to score as each suffered costly fumbles in the red zone and at the goal line. LSU quarterback Warren Rabb broke his hand shortly before halftime after hitting it on a player’s helmet. The Tigers got to halftime with the game scoreless.
– “I was glad, in a way, the first half ended the way it did. I felt certain they thought they had us,” LSU coach Paul Dietzel said.
– The Tigers recovered a Clemson botched punt at the Clemson 11 in the third quarter. On 3rd-and-9, tailback Billy Cannon took a pitch and rolled to his right, throwing up a prayer to Mickey Mangham, who was wide open in the end zone. It was the only score of the game. Cannon said that he did not plan on throwing it, but saw Mangham and decided to go for it.
“I didn’t throw it. The Lord did,” Cannon said.
– LSU’s defense would come up with multiple stops down the stretch and win 7-0.
STATISTICS: LSU – Billy Cannon, 13 carries for 51 yards, 1-of-1 passing for 9 yards, 1 TD; Mickey Mangham, 2 catches for 33 yards, 1 TD. CLEMSON – Rudy Hayes, 17 carrries for 55 yards.
2. No. 17 LSU 10, Clemson 7 … Dec. 28, 1996, Atlanta, Peach Bowl
– LSU went 9-2 in the regular season under coach Gerry DiNardo, and the Tigers had a run-heavy offense with tailback Kevin Faulk at the helm.
– Clemson jumped out early after LSU turned the ball over in Clemson territory. Quarterback Nealon Greene scored on a 5-yard run for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Faulk scored on a 3-yard run to tie it after an 80-yard drive. LSU kicker Wade Richey added a 22-yard field goal right before halftime, and that was it.
– LSU linebacker Aaron Adams would stop a potential tie by blocking a 52-yard field goal attempt with just under two minutes to play.
STATISTICS: LSU – Herb Tyler: 14-of-21 passing for 163 yards, 12 carries for 48 yards; Kevin Faulk: 23 carries for 64 yards, 1 TD. CLEMSON – Raymond Priester, 25 carries for 151 yards.
3. No. 14 Clemson 25, No. 8 LSU 24 … Dec. 31, 2012, Atlanta, Peach Bowl
– The third matchup between Clemson and LSU ended in heartbreak for the Tigers. LSU went 10-2 in the regular season under coach Les Miles the year after being defeated by Alabama, 21-0, in the national championship game.
– LSU was dominated in total offense, 445 yards to 219. But Clemson had to come back from 10 down to cut the score to 24-22 late. Clemson won it on a 37-yard field goal by Chandler Catanzaro as time expired.
STATISTICS: LSU – Zach Mettenberger, 14-of-23 passing for 120 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; Jeremy Hill, 12 carries for 124 yards, 2 TDs. CLEMSON – Tajh Boyd, 36-of-50 passing for 346 yds, 2 TDs; DeAndre Hopkins: 13 catches for 191 yards, 2 TDs.
4. No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25 … Jan. 13, 2020, New Orleans, National Championship, Sugar Bowl
– Everyone can recall the last time Clemson and LSU played. It ended in jubilation for the state of Louisiana as Joe Burrow capped off an amazing season to lead LSU to its fourth national championship title.
– Burrow capped off a brilliant first half by connecting with tight end Thaddeus Moss for a 1-yard touchdown with 10 seconds for a commanding, 28-17 lead.
– Clemson did not go away that easily, though. Running back Travis Etienne of Lafayette would pull Clemson within three on a 3-yard touchdown run. But LSU punched right back with Burrow hitting Moss for a 4-yard touchdown, and it was over.
STATISTICS: LSU – Joe Burrow, 31-of-49 passing for 463 yards, 5 TDs; Ja’Marr Chase, 9 catches for 221 yards, 2 TDs; Justin Jefferson, 9 catches for 104 yards; Thaddeus Moss, 5 catches for 36 yards, 2 TDs. CLEMSON – Trevor Lawrence, 18-of-37 passing for 234 yards, 10 carries for 49 yards, 1 TD; Travis Etienne, 15 carries for 78 yards, 1 TD.
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