Joe Burrow entered college as a fairly highly regarded quarterback prospect who chose his in-state school, Ohio State, but after later losing out on the Buckeyes' starting quarterback job, he transferred south to LSU, where he played for two seasons and etched in name into Louisiana and FBS lore after putting together an all-time great 2019 season that saw Burrow win the Heisman Trophy and the Tigers win the national championship.
Here's everything you need to know about Joe Burrow's college career.
The vitals on Joe Burrow
Schools: Ohio State, LSU
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-4
Weight: 221 pounds
Years active: 2015-19
Here are Joe Burrow's career stats in college. You may need to scroll to the right to view the complete stats.
| Year | games | completions | attempts | comp. % | Yards | Y/A | TD | int | rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 5 | 22 | 28 | 78.6 | 226 | 8.1 | 2 | 0 | 169.9 |
| 2017 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 63.6 | 61 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | 110.2 |
| 2018 | 13 | 219 | 379 | 57.8 | 2,894 | 7.6 | 16 | 5 | 133.2 |
| 2019 | 15 | 402 | 527 | 76.3 | 5,671 | 10.8 | 60 | 6 | 202.0 |
| Career | 38 | 650 | 945 | 68.8 | 8,852 | 9.4 | 78 | 11 | 172.4 |
Where did Joe Burrow go to college?
Joe Burrow enrolled at Ohio State in 2015, when he redshirted as a freshman before playing sparingly as a reserve during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. He then transferred to LSU as a grad transfer, allowing him to play as the Tigers' starting quarterback for two seasons, capped off by an all-time great season by both a quarterback and a team, as LSU went 15-0 to win the national championship and Burrow won the Heisman Trophy.
What kind of prospect was Joe Burrow in high school?
In high school, Burrow was a four-star recruit, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, which placed him among the 300 best prospects nationally. From Athens High School, Burrow chose Ohio State over reported scholarship offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, NC State and Virginia Tech, among others.
👀 COLLEGE CAREERS OF NFL STARS 🏈
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2021 NFL Draft: Trevor Lawrence | Trey Lance | Ja'Marr Chase | Justin Fields | Mac Jones | DeVonta Smith
2020 NFL Draft: Joe Burrow | Tua Tagovailoa | Jordan Love | Tee Higgins | Jalen Hurts
2019 NFL Draft: Kyler Murray | Deebo Samuel | Gardner Minshew II | Miles Sanders | A.J. Brown
2018 NFL Draft: Lamar Jackson | Baker Mayfield | Josh Allen | Darius Leonard | Fred Warner
2017 NFL Draft: Patrick Mahomes | Deshaun Watson | | Cooper Kupp
2016 NFL Draft: Jared Goff | Carson Wentz | Jalen Ramsey | Chris Jones
2015 NFL Draft: Stefon Diggs
2014 NFL Draft: Aaron Donald | Odell Beckham Jr. | Khalil Mack | Jerick McKinnon | Jimmy Garoppolo
Legends: Tom Brady | Jackie Robinson | Deion Sanders | Cam Newton
More: Matthew Stafford | Travis Kelce
What was Joe Burrow's record in college?
In games in which Burrow played in college, his teams went a combined 34-4, which included 10 games in which he played sparingly as a backup at Ohio State. The Buckeyes went 9-1 in those games.
At LSU, Burrow went 25-3, including a 15-0 national championship season in the 2019 campaign.
Records set by Joe Burrow
Here are some of the notable records and statistical rankings set by Burrow in college:
- 1st in FBS history in touchdown passes in a season: 60 touchdowns (2019)
- 1st in FBS history in total yards of offense in a season: 6,039 yards (2019)
- 1st in FBS history in most touchdowns responsible for in a season: 65 touchdowns (2019)
- 1st in FBS history in points responsible for in a season: 392 points (2019)
- 1st in SEC history in completion percentage in a season: 76.3 percent (2019)
- 1st in SEC history in passing yards in a season: 5,671 yards (2019)
- 1st in LSU history in career completion percentage: 68.5 percent
- 1st in LSU history in consecutive completions: 17 completions
- 1st in LSU history in passing touchdowns in a game: 7 touchdowns
- 1st in LSU history in career passing touchdowns: 76 touchdowns
- T-1st in LSU history in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a game: 3 touchdowns
- T-1st in LSU history in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season: 7 touchdowns
- 2nd in FBS history in passing efficiency in a season: 202.0 (2019)
- 2nd in LSU history in career passing yards: 8,565 yards
- 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th and 9th in LSU history in passing yards in a game
- 3rd in FBS history in career passing efficiency: 172.4
- 4th in FBS history in passing yards in a season: 5,671 yards (2019)
- 5th in FBS history in career yards per attempt: 9.37 yards
- Part of one of five teams in FBS history with a 5,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher
What were some of Joe Burrow's best games in college?
Here are some of Burrow's most notable performances in college:
LSU 45, Ole Miss 16 | Sept. 29, 2018
LSU got off to a 4-0 start in Burrow's first season in Baton Rouge but his completion percentage had been 50 percent or worse in three of the four games and he had thrown for less than 200 yards in three of those games. He had just three passing touchdowns through four games. Then Burrow and the Tigers played Ole Miss.
He completed 18-of-25 passes (72 percent) for 292 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, while rushing for 96 yards and a score, putting together the type of performance he'd have on a weekly basis during the following season.
Texas A&M 74, LSU 72 (7OT) | Nov. 24, 2018
In an all-time game, Texas A&M and LSU combined for 146 points in a seven-overtime thriller. In a losing effort, Burrow completed 65.8 percent of his 38 pass attempts for 270 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 100 yards and three scores on the ground. His previous career-high for total touchdowns responsible for in a game was four and he had six in this contest, which was obviously played under unique circumstances given the seven overtimes.
LSU 40, UCF 32 | Jan. 1, 2019
LSU met previously undefeated UCF in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl, one season after the Knights had an undefeated season that was capped off with a bowl win over Auburn. After LSU fell behind 14-3, Burrow led three touchdown drives — each of which ended in a passing touchdown — in the span of 10 minutes of game time, and the Tigers ultimately won by eight.
Burrow threw for 394 yards and four touchdowns in the win, both of which were career-highs at the time.
LSU 45, Texas 38 | Sept. 7, 2019
In a top-10 matchup on the road, Burrow completed nearly 80 percent of his 39 attempts for 471 yards and four touchdowns, three of which went to Justin Jefferson. Texas' only lead was 10-7, as the Tigers consistently outpaced the Longhorns and scored 22 points in the fourth quarter to pull off the road victory.
LSU 46, Alabama 41 | Nov. 9, 2019
LSU ended Alabama's eight-game winning streak in the series — LSU's last win was its infamous 9-6 overtime win in 2011 — with a five-point victory in Tuscaloosa, where Burrow completed 31-of-39 attempts for three touchdowns. The Tigers put together four scoring drives in the second quarter to take control of the game, and as a result, the SEC West.
LSU 63, Oklahoma 28 | Dec. 28, 2019
Burrow was responsible for eight total touchdowns in a blowout victory over Oklahoma, as he threw for 493 yards and seven touchdowns, while running for another score. The Tigers led 49-14 at halftime, as Burrow connected with Justin Jefferson for four first-half touchdowns, and they could've scored even more points if they didn't take their foot off the gas.
LSU 42, Clemson 25 | Jan. 13, 2020
Burrow led LSU to a 15-0 season and a national championship as he put together another stellar performance, completing 31-of-49 passes for 463 yards and five touchdowns, while rushing for another. Clemson took a 17-7 lead in the game's opening 20 minutes, but the Tigers rattled off 21 consecutive points and they outscored the Tigers 35-8 the rest of the way.
What awards did Joe Burrow win in college?
Here are the awards and honors Burrow won in college:
- 2019 Heisman Trophy winner
- 2019 Maxwell Award winner
- 2019 Walter Camp Award winner
- 2019 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award winner
- 2019 Davey O'Brien Award winner
- 2019 Manning Award winner
- 2019 Lombardi Award winner
- 2019 AP College Football Player of the Year
- 2019 Sporting News College Football Player of the Year
- 2019 SEC Championship Game MVP
- 2019 Peach Bowl Offensive MVP
- 2019 Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP
- 2019 unanimous All-American
- 2019 SEC Offensive Player of the Year
- 2019 First-Team All-SEC
What did people say about Joe Burrow?
Former LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson, after LSU defeated Ole Miss in 2018: "LSU used to be a running offense. Spreading the ball around like we do now is a very good feeling for this offense, especially the receivers."
LSU coach Ed Orgeron, after LSU defeated Ole Miss: "I'm excited about the play of Joe Burrow. Joe can make the throws. I know he can make the decisions and I know he can scramble."
Orgeron, after LSU defeated UCF in the Fiesta Bowl: "It looked like the passing game we wanted. Joe was on the money."
Oregon, after LSU defeated Texas 45-38 in 2019: "Man, he was so fired up. The kid is a baller. He lives for that moment and I'll tell you what, those were some tough plays"
Florida coach Dan Mullen, after LSU defeated Florida 42-28 in 2019: "I don't think we were able to get pressure on him, and when we did, he did a god job of scrambling."
Orgeron, after LSU defeated Alabama 46-41 in 2019: "He's one of the best we've had here. But we've still got four games left and we're going down the road, we're going to try to win every game and we're going to bring a championship back to Louisiana."
Former LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, after LSU defeated Georgia 37-10 in the 2019 SEC Championship: "Joe is the heartbeat of this team."
Former Georgia safety J.R. Reed, after LSU defeated Georgia: "He's a great athlete, man. We had a lot of plays out there we were supposed to make, and he'd just squeeze out of it."
Orgeron, after LSU defeated Clemson to win the 2020 CFP National Championship: "He's one of the greatest players in LSU history. He's done so much for the state of Louisiana and LSU. We are so grateful to Joe Burrow."
