College Footballs 2019 Most Lethal Offenses

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Ranking college football's 10 most lethal offenses

ByBRAD CRAWFORD 19 hours ago 

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Top to bottom skill.

That's how Clemson coach Dabo Swinney describes quarterback Joe Burrow and LSU's record-setting offense this season.

"They really just shred everybody, and it starts with him, and it's not just his ability to throw the ball. He's got great receivers, offensive line. He's had a great run game sport and all that kind of stuff. But he's made great plays with his legs, too. He can move," Swinney said this week. "Just very confident, very accurate, and it'll be a huge challenge, another great match-up, two great quarterbacks. So again, that's the way a championship game ought to be. 

What defines a "lethal" offense for this Top 10 ranking exit the college football season? Scoring offense, points per play, explosive plays, individual talent ... each of those barometers play a role in a somewhat subjective look at the game's best last fall on that side of the ball.

Luckily for fans and media alike, we get to watch two of the most prolific offenses go toe to toe in New Orleans on Jan. 13 as LSU tries to end Clemson's 29-game winning streak alter Swinney's shot at an impressive third title in four seasons.

Here's a look at college football's most lethal offenses this season:

10. WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS

 

(Photo: USAToday/Buchanan)

Scoring offense (national rank): 36.0, No. 13

Points per play (national rank): .489, No. 16

What makes this offense great: Most expected Mike Leach's offense to take a slight step back this season without Gardner Minshew under center, but the Cougars led college football in passing for the fourth time in the last six years and did so with veteran quarterback Anthony Gordon flourishing in the only action of his career as a starter. Gordon threw for 5,579 yards and 48 touchdowns, finishing second in the country in scoring tosses (Joe Burrow, 55). Home-road splits continue to be quite the beast for Wazzu, whose .671 points per play inside its stadium ranks No. 2 nationally behind Alabama. The Cougars edged out Appalachian State for the final spot in the Top 10.

9. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE RAGIN' CAJUNS

 

(Photo: Louisiana Athletics)

Scoring offense (national rank): 38.8, No. 9

Points per play (national rank): .490, No. 14

What makes this offense great: One of only six teams to average better than 7 yards per play this season, Louisiana-Lafayette was extremely balanced by a quarterback who rarely turned it over in Levi Lewis. The Ragin' Cajuns just missed out on three 800-plus yard rushers after Trey Ragas averaged 7.3 yards per tote and finished with 796 yards. Elijah Mitchell (1,092 yards) and Raymond Calais (867 yards) were featured. Head coach Billy Napier's success in a short time with the Ragin' Cajuns (7 wins, then 10 in 2019) has placed Louisiana-Lafayette at the forefront of destination Group of 5 jobs in the South.

8. SMU MUSTANGS

 

(Photo: Matt Visinsky, 247Sports)

Scoring offense (national rank): 41.8, No. 5

Points per play (national rank): .517, No. 11

What makes this offense great: The first of three teams from the American Athletic Conference with a lethal attack this season offensively, SMU had perhaps the nation's most improved offense thanks to the arrival of Shane Buechele at quarterback. Buechele's 34-touchdown, nearly 4,000-yard campaign helped the Mustangs increase their scoring output by nearly 15 PPG and total offense went from 363.1 YPG in 2018 to 489.8 en route to a 10-win season. Buechele's resurgence worked out for both parties after he left Texas as the multi-year backup to Sam Ehlinger and SMU needed a playmaker at the position.

7. UCF KNIGHTS

 

(Photo: Icon Sportswire, Getty)

Scoring offense (national rank): 41.8, No. 8

Points per play (national rank): .531, No. 9

What makes this offense great: When it works, it works. For the third straight season, the Knights ranked inside college football's Top 5 in scoring offense and total offense, doing so as a notoriously hot starter, leading the nation with an average of 14.5 points in the first quarter. Freshman quarterback Dillon Gabriel was bitten by the turnover bug at times, but was largely UCF's best player, throwing for 29 touchdowns and more than 3,000 yards as the facilitator of an offense featuring four ballcarriers with at least 500 yards rushing.

6. MEMPHIS TIGERS

 

(Photo: Joe Murphy, Getty)

Scoring offense (national rank): 39.3, No. 8

Points per play (national rank): .539, No. 7

What makes this offense great: Memphis and LSU were the only two offenses this season with 13 passing plays spanning 50 yards or more, a testament to just how well Tigers quarterback Brady White and Heisman winner Joe Burrow tossed it around this fall to each team's weaponry on the outside. White led the AAC in QBR and yards per attempt, keeping Memphis on schedule during an unprecedented season amid Mike Norvell's last hurrah as coach. Kenneth Gainwell's 1,459 yards rushing was second in the conference, behind only Navy quarterback Malcolm Perry.

5. OKLAHOMA SOONERS

 

(Photo: Brian Bahr, Getty)

Scoring offense (national rank): 40.0, No. 7

Points per play (national rank): .578, No. 5

What makes this offense great: Lincoln Riley had to alter his playbook significantly with Jalen Hurts at quarterback, but he still managed to execute with near flawless execution with another offense that produced the Big 12's most gaudy numbers. Oklahoma penchant for explosive plays —  a nation-leading 108 spanning 20-plus yards — helped the Sooners led the conference in scoring for the fourth consecutive year. Hurts finished with career-bests in passing, passing touchdowns, rushing and rushing touchdowns as a senior dual-threat playmaker and Heisman runner-up. CeeDee Lamb was a weapon, averaging better than 21 yards per reception with 14 touchdowns.

4. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE

 

(Photo: Stuart McNair, 247Sports)

Scoring offense (national rank): 45.7, No. 3

Points per play (national rank): .688, No. 1

What makes this offense great: If all games were played at Bryant-Denny this season and Tua Tagovailoa would've stayed healthy for the entirety, there's a good chance Alabama would be No. 1. The Crimson Tide turned it over only 10 times all season on offense, fewest among Power 5 teams, ranked third nationally in third down conversation rate (52.3) and had only two fewer explosive passing plays — spanning 20 or more yards than LSU (81 to 79). Steve Sarkisian found a rhythm with Tagovailoa early and didn't let up, even when the Crimson Tide's run game was its least productive in a decade.

3. CLEMSON TIGERS

 

(Photo: Cory Fravel, 247Sports)

Scoring offense (national rank): 44.2, No. 4

Points per play (national rank): .598, No. 3

What makes this offense great: With eight consecutive victories by at least 30 points entering the Playoff, Clemson was bound to meet its match defensively, at least somewhat. It took a quarter and change for the Tigers to wake up, but when they did, two long touchdown receptions by Travis Etienne and a 67-yard score on a keeper from Trevor Lawrence proved the difference in Clemson's 29th straight win. The Tigers' 538.4 yards per game is the most in school history, as if the scoring output of 44.2 points per. All that is moot if Lawrence, Etienne and the rest of this unit's playmakers fall flat against LSU next time out.

2. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

 

(Photo: Justin Casterline, Getty)

Scoring offense (national rank): 46.9, No. 2

Points per play (national rank): .596, No. 4

What makes this offense great: Ohio State's scoring — win — margin of 33.1 points per game is one of the most impressive marks in program history, ranking No. 1 nationally ahead of Clemson (32.9) and the Buckeyes' ground game, led by J.K. Dobbins, talled 267.3 yards per contest, tops among Power 5 teams. Thanks to Heisman finalist Justin Fields' precision through the air and on the ground as an efficient chain-mover, Ohio State also ranked No. 1 in third down conversion rate (55.19), red-zone touchdowns (59) and total plays (1,069) in Ryan Day's first season as head coach.

1. LSU TIGERS

 

(Photo: Jason Getz, USA TODAY Sports)

Scoring offense (national rank): 47.6, No. 1

5COMMENTS

Points per play (national rank): .647, No. 2

What makes this offense great: The nation's single-most impactful move of the offseason was LSU uncovering the gem known as Joe Brady and luring him away from the New Orleans Saints. Brady incorporated new passing concepts into LSU's talented offense and helped Burrow transition from good to supernova status as the runaway Heisman winner. Coming off arguably the best game ever for a quarterback, Burrow's seven first-half touchdown passes vs. Oklahoma was unimaginable, even for his standards. The Tigers ranked tops in the country in explosive scrimmage plays (280 spanning 10 or more yards) and No. 1 in red zone conversions.