Cincinnati Bengals franchise QB Joe Burrow and receiver Ja’Marr Chase have rapidly become one of the top duos in the NFL. Chase made an immediate impact for the Bengals, lifting their offense to new heights. Chase, fellow receiver Tee Higgins, and dynamic RB Joe Mixon give the Bengals a versatile offense that’s difficult to stop.
Chase is a true alpha receiver, dominating the targets and forcing NFL defenses to double-team him. During Chase’s rookie season, the Bengals shocked the football world when they advanced to the Super Bowl. Although they ultimately fell to the Rams, Cincinnati put the NFL on notice that they would be a contender for a long time to come.
As automatic as the Burrow-Chase combination is, it’s almost as if they’ve played together before. Maybe they did.
Did Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase Play Together at LSU?
Burrow and Chase were two critical pieces of the 2019 LSU Tigers team that won the national championship. LSU defeated the Clemson Tigers 45-20 in the national title game, and several college football fans and analysts believe the Tigers team, led by Burrow, is one of the better teams in recent memory.
The Tigers offense was virtually unstoppable. Burrow was the point guard, distributing the ball to an embarrassment of riches at the skill positions. Alongside Chase was a receiver you may have heard of, Justin Jefferson. Yes — a friendly reminder that Chase and Jefferson played alongside each other during their LSU careers.
But wait, there’s more! Terrace Marshall Jr. was the third of the three musketeers at LSU. Marshall’s NFL career hasn’t panned out as expected, but the dynamic talent was a handful at the collegiate level. The Tigers also featured Clyde Edwards-Helaire, whose versatility as a runner and receiver was a perfect match for LSU’s explosive offense.
LSU wasn’t supposed to be one of the greatest teams ever assembled. In fact, they weren’t even predicted to finish first in their conference. Alabama was viewed as the top team in the country and had previously dominated the SEC for years. There was no reason to expect an Ohio State QB transfer to lead one of the best college offenses ever, but Burrow had other ideas.
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LSU wasn’t beating up on creampuffs. The Tigers ran the gauntlet over some of the best teams in college football. During the regular season, LSU defeated four top-10 teams — Auburn, Florida, Texas, and Alabama. The Tigers then disposed of Georgia in the SEC title game, heading to the semifinals ranked No. 1.
The Tigers faced off with QB Jalen Hurts and the Oklahoma Sooners. LSU put on an offensive air show, as Burrow and the pass catchers obliterated a woeful Sooners defense 63-28. In the national championship, the Tigers rallied past QB Trevor Lawrence and Clemson, as Burrow marked the victory by smoking a cigar in the locker room.
Burrow was “The Tiger King” and celebrated a 15-0 regular season and, along the way, won the Heisman Trophy by the widest margin in the rich history of the prestigious award and broke several records, including the most TD passes in a season (60) and the best QB rating (202.0).
Burrow wasn’t the only member of the Tigers to put up prolific numbers during their run to the national championship. Edwards-Helaire put up 1,400 yards. LSU had two 1,500-yard receivers — Chase and Jefferson. During the magical national title season, LSU outscored their opponents by a whopping 726-328, putting an exclamation point on one of the greatest seasons in college football history.
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