Joe Burrow throws seven touchdowns as LSU routs Oklahoma in Peach Bowl to reach CFP national championship

ATLANTA — Joe Burrow turned in the greatest performance yet in his Heisman Trophy season, throwing for seven touchdowns and 493 yards as No. 1 LSU romped to a breathtaking 63-28 victory over No. 4 Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl semifinal game Saturday.

The Tigers (14-0) headed to the national championship game Jan. 13 against No. 3 Clemson clicking on all cylinders, having dismantled the Sooners (12-2) with a first half for the ages.

Burrow tied the record for any college bowl game with his seven TD passes — which all came before the bands hit the field for the halftime show at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Justin Jefferson was on the receiving end for four of those scoring plays, also tying a bowl record.

For good measure, Burrows scored an eighth TD himself on a 3-yard run in the third quarter, thoroughly dominating his expected duel with Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Heisman runner-up.

All that as the Tigers played with heavy hearts. Shortly before the game, LSU offensive coordinator Steve Ensminger learned that his daughter-in-law, New Orleans TV reporter Carley McCord, was among five people killed in a plane crash in Lafayette, Louisiana.

The small plane went down shortly after takeoff for what was supposed to be a flight to Atlanta for the game.

Ensminger had tears running down his cheeks during warm-ups, but he was in his usual spot high above the field when the game kicked off, calling plays along with passing game coordinator Joe Brady.

“He’s the MVP right now,“ LSU head coach Ed Orgeron said of Ensminger during a halftime interview with his team leading 49-14.

LSU needed only three plays to race 42 yards for its first score, a perfectly thrown ball over Jefferson’s shoulder for a 19-yard TD less than 3 minutes into the game.

Oklahoma briefly put up a fight. Hurts’ 51-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Kennedy Brooks that tied the score at 7.

After that, the rout was on.

The Tigers’ potent spread offense made this one look much like the Harlem Globetrotters carving up the Washington Generals.

Jefferson hauled in a 35-yard pass for touchdown No. 2. Then a 42-yarder for No. 3. And, finally, a 30-yard scoring strike that left him counting off four fingers for the crowd — all before the midway point of the second quarter.

Terrace Marshall Jr. contributed to the onslaught with TD catches of 8 and 2 yards. Tight end Thaddeus Moss — son of NFL Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss — got free behind the secondary to haul in a pass for a 62-yard scoring play.

“What a tremendous job by everybody,“ Orgeron said. “One team, one heartbeat. Everybody in our organization. We got tremendous play by Joe Burrow and have a great coaching staff.“