2019 SEC Championship Game

LSU finished their 2018 season with a Fiesta Bowl win over #8 UCF, marking their first New Year's Six bowl appearance since the creation of the College Football Playoff (CFP).[6] In 2019, LSU earned their spot in the SEC Championship Game by winning all twelve games of the regular season, beating nationally ranked opponents such as #7 Florida, #9 Auburn and former #3 Alabama.[7] Averaging 560.4 total offensive yards and 48.7 points per game leading up to the SEC Championship Game, LSU's offense was labeled by many outlets as the country's top offense.[8] Helping Joe Burrow on the offense was junior running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who scored 16 touchdowns and ran for 1,233 yards during the regular season. On the receiving end, Burrow's top receivers were sophomore Ja'Marr Chase, who led the nation in yards with 1,780, and junior Justin Jefferson, who tied for number one in receptions with 111.[9]

The #4 Georgia Bulldogs ended the previous season with a loss the 2018 SEC Championship Game to the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide led by backup quarterback Jalen Hurts, making it Georgia's second consecutive post-season loss to a 2nd-string Alabama quarterback.[10] In 2019, Georgia earned a bid to play in the SEC Championship Game after starting with a five-game winning streak, including a victory over #7 Notre Dame. Their only loss in the regular season came in double-overtime to SEC East opponent South Carolina.[11] Throughout the regular season, Georgia's offense averaged 32.9 points and 420.6 yards per game. Georgia was strongest on defense, leading the SEC in scoring, run, and total defense, allowing only 257 yards on average.[12]

Georgia received the opening kick-off from Avery Atkins, but punted on their opening possession after only gaining one first down. On LSU's first possession, the Tigers marched 75 yards down the field and opened the scoring with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Joe Burrow to Ja'Marr Chase. After both teams punted on their next drive, Georgia had an opportunity to score late in the first quarter, but Rodrigo Blankenship's 52-yard field goal attempt was no good. On the next drive, LSU scored again, this time on a pass from Burrow to Terrance Marshall Jr.

Early in the second quarter, Georgia got on the board with a 39-yard field goal by Blankenship. LSU's Cade York converted a 41-yard field goal and also missed a 48-yard attempt in the final minute of the half to make the score 17–3 at half-time.

On the opening drive of the second half, LSU scored again via a 28-yard field goal by Cade York. After another unsuccessful field goal attempt by the Bulldogs, LSU scored a touchdown on the next possession via a four-yard pass from Burrow to Marshall Jr. Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm was intercepted by LSU's Derek Stingley Jr. on the first play of their next possession, after which the Tigers scored via an eight-yard pass from Burrow to Justin Jefferson to make the score 34–3 at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Georgia scored their only touchdown on the day via a two-yard pass from Fromm to George Pickens, and LSU added a 50-yard field goal by York to make the final score 37–10.

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 349 yards and four touchdowns, and was named game MVP.[15] After a season of strong performances, Joe Burrow won the 2019 Heisman Trophy over Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts and Ohio State's Justin Fields. Burrow finished the season with 76.3 completion percentage, 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions.[16]

LSU, ranked second in the College Football Playoff rankings before the game, moved up to first in the rankings after the win and secured their place in the national semifinal game against University of Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl also played at Mercedes Benz Stadium. The Georgia football team, ranked fourth prior to the game, moved down to fifth and received a bid to the Sugar Bowl against Baylor. Both teams went on to win their individual bowl games and LSU moved onto the National Championship Game to play Clemson.[17]

After winning both the SEC conference championship and CFP semifinals, LSU earned a spot in the CFP championship game against the No. 3 Clemson Tigers.[17] The Clemson football team won its way to the national championship after defeating Ohio State in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.[18] The national championship game was played in New Orleans' Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020.[19] LSU came out on top with a score of 42–25 with another strong performance by Joe Burrow with 5 touchdowns and 463 yards to complete LSU's undefeated perfect season.[19]