LOS ANGELES: Heisman trophy winner Joe Burrow threw seven touchdowns and ran for another to pilot top-ranked Louisiana State University to a crushing 63-28 triumph over the University of Oklahoma on Saturday and into US college football’s championship game against Clemson.
The LSU Tigers improved to 14-0 on the season with the dominant victory in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia.
They will play for a national title against Clemson who beat Ohio State 29-23 in Saturday’s second semifinal of the College Football Playoff (CFP).
In Atlanta, Burrow tied the record for any collegiate bowl game with his seven touchdown passes — four of them caught by Justin Jefferson.
All of those came before halftime, as LSU took a 49-14 lead at the break.
After Oklahoma knotted the score at 7-7 midway through the first quarter LSU scored touchdowns on six straight drives to seize control as LSU’s defense stymied Jalen Hurts and the Sooners’ offense.
Hurts, runner-up to Burrow in voting for the Heisman as the top collegiate player in the country, appeared overwhelmed in his fourth straight appearance in
the CFP. Burrow opened the second half with a running touchdown that put LSU up 56-14.
He departed the contest early in the fourth quarter having passed for 493 yards and run for 22. His eight TDs were the most ever in a collegiate bowl game, but Burrow said he was only focused on the title. “January 13 is the record we’re worried about,” he said.
Hours before the game, the LSU coaching staff were rocked by news that offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger’s daughter-in-law, sports broadcaster Carley McCord, was among five people killed when the private plane they were taking to the game crashed shortly after takeoff from Lafayette, Louisiana.
“Obviously, he was distraught, but he called a great game today,” LSU head coach Ed Orgeron said. “So just goes to show you the integrity and the grit and character of the men on our football team.”
Reigning national champions Clemson are making their fourth trip to the title game in five seasons.
In 2015, Clemson crushed Ohio State 31-0 in the CFP semifinals on the way to lifting the title with a win over Alabama.
Ohio State were trying to reach the title game for the first time since they won the inaugural CFP crown in 2014.
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