Amid soaring expectations for the 2023 season, the Cincinnati Bengals’ aspirations for a Lombardi Trophy were abruptly shattered when their starting quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a devastating injury. The need for season-ending wrist surgery not only dashed the team’s hopes but also prematurely ended what many considered to be a potentially MVP-worthy season.
As Burrow is on the path to mounting a formidable comeback, it’s worth reflecting on the trajectory of his NCAA career, which laid the foundation for his NFL journey.
Joe Burrow college team: All the details that you need
Joe Burrow’s collegiate journey commenced at Ohio State in 2015, where he initially served as a reserve throughout the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Despite redshirting in his freshman year, he contributed to his team’s impressive 34-4 overall record, playing a key role in their 9-1 record when he took the field as a backup.
Later his decision to transfer to LSU as a graduate transfer marked a turning point for the player. The university granted him the opportunity to lead the Tigers as their starting quarterback for two seasons, resulting in an outstanding 25-3 record.
Following LSU’s resounding 37-10 victory over Georgia in the 2019 SEC Championship, the team’s former running back, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, aptly described Burrow as “the heartbeat of this team.”
His tenure at LSU reached its zenith with an unparalleled season, both individually and as part of an exceptional team. The Tigers’ flawless 15-0 run to secure the national championship, paired with Burrow’s Heisman Trophy win, marked a historic conclusion to his collegiate career.
Exploring Joe Burrow’s NCAA career stats
After grabbing the starter role in 2018 at LSU, Joe Burrow quickly earned recognition as the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Offensive Player of the Week. Little did anyone know that this was just the beginning of an extraordinary journey.
After a solid debut season, where Burrow amassed 2,894 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and only five interceptions, he solidified his position as LSU’s starting quarterback heading into his redshirt senior season in 2019.
In a single season, the 27-year-old rewrote the record books, claiming the top spot in FBS history for touchdown passes, total yards of offense, touchdowns responsible for, and points responsible for. His unprecedented 60 touchdown passes in 2019 remain unmatched.
Not confined to the FBS records, Burrow asserted his dominance in LSU history, holding the top spot in career completion percentage, consecutive completions, passing touchdowns in a game, and career passing touchdowns. On December 14, 2019, he clinched the prestigious Heisman Trophy, leaving no room for debate, with a staggering 1,846 more votes than the runner-up, Jalen Hurts.
Apart from stats, he bagged multiple honors during his college days, including the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award, Lombardi Award, AP College Football Player of the Year, Sporting News College Football Player of the Year, and SEC Championship Game MVP, etc.
His crowning moment came at the 2020 NFL Draft, where he became the first overall pick, joining the Cincinnati Bengals. In doing so, he continued the trend of Heisman-winning quarterbacks leading the draft, following in the footsteps of Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.
