1959 LSU Tigers football team

NCAATeamFootballSeason
Year=1959
Team=LSU Tigers

Logo_of_the_LSU_athletic_teams.
Conference=Southeastern Conference
Division=
ShortConference=SEC
CoachRank=3 final ranking
APRank=3 final ranking
Record=9-2-0
ConfRecord=5-1-0
HeadCoach=Paul Dietzel
OffCoach=
DefCoach=
OScheme=
DScheme=
StadiumArena= Tiger Stadium
Champion=
BowlTourney=Sugar Bowl
BowlTourneyResult=Ole Miss 21 - LSU 0

The 1959 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the NCAA college football season of 1959. The Tigers were coached by Paul Dietzel and were the defending national champions.

Pre-Season

The Tigers were a near unanimous pre-season favorite to repeat as national champions in 1959. Most of the players from the National Championship team of 1958 were returning, including the All-American halfback Billy Cannon, who had come in third in the 1958 Heisman balloting.

Regular Season

LSU had no real trouble in winning its first 6 games in 1959, though its offense was not as potent as 1958's. Its defense made up for it by being even stingier, allowing only 6 points in 6 games. In the 7th game of the season LSU faced its sternest test--undefeated Ole Miss on Halloween in Tiger Stadium. That game between No. 1 LSU and No. 3 Ole Miss was touted as 1959's "Game of the Year." Ole Miss held a 3-0 lead until the 4th quarter, often punting on first down due to the wet conditions on the field. With about 10 minutes left in the game, Ole Miss punted and Billy Cannon took the punt at the LSU 11. Cannon charted a course along the Ole Miss sidelines, weaving between Rebel defenders, eluding tacklers, and racing towards the goal line for an 89 yard punt return score. Ole Miss then started a determined drive and marched down to the two yard line where it was 4th and goal with 18 seconds left. The Ole Miss ball carrier was stopped at the one by Cannon and his teammates to ensure the 7-3 victory. However the next week, LSU lost its next SEC game against Tennessee at Knoxville, 14-13, when Cannon's attempt at a 2 pt conversion failed. The Tigers finished the season without another loss, 9-1, and they were ranked No. 3 in the nation behind No. 1 Syracuse and No. 2 Ole Miss.

Post-Season

In the meantime Billy Cannon won the Heisman Trophy by one of the widest margins in the history of the trophy balloting. The Tigers were invited to play in the Sugar Bowl, and their opponent was to be none other than Ole Miss, in a rematch. At first Paul Dietzel, LSU's coach, was not anxious to replay the Rebels, but he was persuaded to do so by the athletic director, Jim Corbett. By the time Jan. 1 came, three LSU star players were injured, including quarterback Warren Rabb, and halfbacks Wendell Harris and Johnny Robinson. The Tigers were soundly beaten by the Rebels, 21-0.

chedule

CFB Schedule Start
time = yes
rank = yes
ranklink =
rankyear = 1959
tv = yes
attend = yesCFB Schedule Entry
date = 9/19/1959
time =
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 1
opponent = Rice
opprank =
site_stadium = Tiger Stadium
site_cityst = Baton Rouge, LA
gamename =
tv = NBC
score = 26-3
overtime =
attend = 48,613CFB Schedule Entry
date = 9/26/1959
time =
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 1
opponent = TCU
opprank = 9
site_stadium = Tiger Stadium
site_cityst = Baton Rouge, LA
gamename =
tv =
score = 10-0
overtime =
attend = 65,694CFB Schedule Entry
date = 10/3/1959
time =
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 1
opponent = Baylor
opprank = 13
site_stadium = Tiger Stadium
site_cityst = Baton Rouge, LA
gamename =
tv =
score = 22-0
overtime =
attend = 32,308CFB Schedule Entry
date = 10/10/1959
time =
w/l = w
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 1
opponent = Miami (FL)
opprank =
site_stadium = Tiger Stadium
site_cityst = Baton Rouge, LA
gamename =
tv =
score = 27-3
overtime =
attend = 64,864CFB Schedule Entry
date = 10/17/1959
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 1
opponent = Kentucky
opprank =
site_stadium = Stoll Field/McLean Stadium
site_cityst = Lexington, KY
gamename =
tv =
score = 9-0
overtime =
attend = 33,230CFB Schedule Entry
date = 10/24/1959
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 1
opponent = Florida
opprank =
site_stadium = Florida Field
site_cityst = Gainesville, FL
gamename =
tv =
score = 9-0
overtime =
attend = 47,578CFB Schedule Entry
date = 10/31/1959
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming = yes
away =
neutral =
rank = 1
opponent = Ole Miss
opprank = 3
site_stadium = Tiger Stadium
site_cityst = Baton Rouge, LA
gamename =
tv =
score = 7-3
overtime =
attend = 67,327CFB Schedule Entry
date = 11/7/1959
time =
w/l = l
nonconf =
homecoming =
away = yes
neutral =
rank = 1
opponent = Tennessee
opprank = 13
site_stadium = Shields-Watkins Field
site_cityst = Knoxville, TN
gamename =
tv =
score = 14-13
overtime =
attend = 45,682CFB Schedule Entry
date = 11/14/2959
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 3
opponent = Mississippi State
opprank =
site_stadium = Tiger Stadium
site_cityst = Baton Rouge, LA
gamename =
tv =
score = 27-0
overtime =
attend = 63,272CFB Schedule Entry
date = 11/21/1959
time =
w/l = w
nonconf =
homecoming =
away =
neutral =
rank = 3
opponent = Tulane
opprank =
site_stadium = Tiger Stadium
site_cityst = Baton Rouge, LA
gamename =
tv =
score = 14-6
overtime =
attend = 65,057CFB Schedule Entry
date = 1/1/1960
time =
w/l = l
nonconf = yes
homecoming =
away =
neutral = yes
rank = 3
opponent = Ole Miss
opprank = 2
site_stadium = Tulane Stadium
site_cityst = New Orleans, LA
gamename = Sugar Bowl
tv = NBC
score = 21-0
overtime =
attend = 81,141CFB Schedule End
rank =
poll =
timezone =
ncg =
hc =

References

*"The Fighting Tigers: Seventy-Five Years of LSU Football" by Peter Finney, LSU Press, Baton Rouge, 1968