Ranking the champions: Is the 2019 LSU team the best in the modern era?

A look at where the 2019 LSU Tigers football team ranks among the modern era of champions.

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This feels like a conversation around the water cooler in the office, just who had the best team since 2000? Fans of the Tigers will automatically bring up the 2019 LSU football team that romped their way through the schedule. They had some close matchups along the way, and some monster blowouts as well (looking at you Oklahoma).

Looking back at the schedule from that season only three teams even came within striking distance of knocking of LSU. The Texas Longhorns lost by 7 in Austin, 45-38. That game was entertaining and sometimes stressful but the Tigers found a way to survive.

Later that season they beat Auburn 23-20 and Alabama 46-41 in consecutive games in late October, early November. Auburn held LSU to the lowest offensive output of the year, following that game they scored 37+ in every game afterward. There is a reason the 2019 team put 14 players into the NFL through the draft, they were loaded.

Where do they rank among the best champions in the modern era? Some might agree with the fans down on the Bayou. The LSU Tigers come in at No. 1 in the top 10 of the 247Sports list.

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The No. 1 spot is debatable, like all rankings, but this LSU team was special. Fueled by perhaps the most notable quarterback performance this century, LSU’s magical unbeaten run to a national title during the 2019 season featured an unprecedented seven wins over top-10 teams (at the time of game). The run also included record-setting numbers from Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow (60 touchdown passes). The Tigers won 12 games by double digits and led college football in scoring at 48.4 points per game.

That 2019 team would be tough to beat in terms of putting another team against them for the No. 1 spot. The Tigers also flexed their muscle by knocking off the defending national champions, Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Not often do you get to see the No. 1 and No. 2 teams go at it in the regular season. That game did not disappoint. For now, we will agree with 247Sports and say that the 2019 LSU Tigers are the best in the modern era.

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