LSU's season-opening starting quarterbacks since joining the SEC in 1935
Will Jayden Daniels become the first Californian ever to start at quarterback for LSU?
Or will Louisiana-born Garrett Nussmeier become the first Louisianian to start as the Tigers’ QB since Brandon Harris in 2016?
New LSU head coach Brian Kelly will reveal the starter at gametime Sunday in the Tigers’ season-opener vs. Florida State in New Orleans.
Listed below are LSU’s starting season-opening QBs and first game results in the last 87 years dating back to the Tigers’ first season in the SEC in 1935.
The Tigers have had 54 QBs start in the 87 season openers (a record of 57-27-3, 67.2 percent) including 32 Louisiana natives making 53 season-opening starts (36-16-1, 68.9 percent) and 22 non-Louisiana natives making 34 season-opening starts (21-11-2, 64.7 percent). QB’s in boldface denotes Louisiana natives.
ED ORGERON ERA (5 seasons)
2021: Max Johnson, No. 16 LSU loses 38-27 at UCLA
2020: Myles Brennan, No. 6 LSU loses at home 44-34 to Mississippi State
2019: Joe Burrow, No. 6 LSU wins at home 55-3 over Georgia Southern 55-3
2018: Joe Burrow, No. 25 LSU wins 37-17 over No. 8 Miami in Arlington, Texas
2017: Danny Etling, No. 13 LSU wins 27-0 over BYU in Superdome
LES MILES ERA (12 seasons)
2016: Brandon Harris, No. 5 LSU loses 16-14 vs. Wisconsin in Green Bay
2015: Brandon Harris, No. 14 LSU wins 21-19 at Mississippi State
2014: Anthony Jennings, No. 13 LSU wins 28-24 vs. No. 14 Wisconsin in Houston
2013: Zach Mettenberger, No. 12 LSU wins 37-27 vs. No. 20 TCU in Arlington, Texas
2012: Zach Mettenberger, No. 3 LSU wins 41-14 at home over North Texas
2011: Jarrett Lee, No. 4 LSU wins 40-27 vs. Oregon in Dallas, Texas
2010: Jordan Jefferson, No. 21 LSU wins 30-24 vs. No. 18 North Carolina in Atlanta
2009: Jordan Jefferson, No. 11 LSU wins 31-23 at Washington
2008: Andrew Hatch, No. 6 LSU wins 41-13 at home vs. Appalachian State
2007: Matt Flynn, No. 2 LSU wins 45-0 at Mississippi State
2006: JaMarcus Russell, No. 8 LSU wins 45-3 at home vs. UL-Lafayette
2005: JaMarcus Russell, No. 5 LSU wins 35-31 at No. 15 Arizona State
NICK SABAN ERA (5 seasons)
2004: Marcus Randall, No. 4 LSU wins 22-21 in overtime at home vs. Oregon State
2003: Matt Mauck, No. 14 LSU wins 49-7 at home vs. UL-Monroe
2002: Matt Mauck, No. 14 LSU loses 26-8 at No. 16 Virginia Tech
2001: Rohan Davey, No. 14 LSU wins 48-17 at home vs. Tulane
2000: Josh Booty, LSU wins 58-0 at home vs. Western Carolina
GERRY DiNARDO ERA (5 seasons)
1999: Craig Nall, LSU wins 29-21 at home vs. San Jose State
1998: Herb Tyler, No. 7 LSU wins 42-6 at home vs. Arkansas State
1997: Herb Tyler, No. 10 LSU wins 55-3 at home vs. Texas-El Paso
1996: Herb Tyler, No. 17 LSU wins 35-34 at home vs. Houston
1995: Jamie Howard, LSU loses 33-17 at No. 3 Texas A&M
CURLEY HALLMAN ERA (4 seasons)
1994: Jamie Howard, LSU loses 18-13 at home to No. 15 Texas A&M
1993: Jamie Howard, LSU loses 24-0 at No. 5 Texas A&M
1992: Chad Loup, LSU loses 31-22 at home to No. 7 Texas A&M
1991: Chad Loup, LSU loses 31-10 at Georgia
MIKE ARCHER ERA (4 seasons)
1990: Sol Graves, LSU wins 18-13 at home vs. Georgia
1989: Tommy Hodson, No. 7 LSU loses 28-16 at Texas A&M
1988: Tommy Hodson, No. 18 LSU wins 27-0 at home vs. No. 10 Texas A&M.
1987: Tommy Hodson, No. 6 LSU wins 15-3 at No. 15 Texas A&M
BILL ARNSPARGER ERA (3 seasons)
1986: Tommy Hodson, No. 14 LSU wins 35-17 at home vs. No. 7 Texas A&M
1985: Jeff Wickersham, No. 12 LSU wins 23-13 at North Carolina
1984: Jeff Wickersham, LSU ties 21-21 at Florida
JERRY STOVALL ERA (4 seasons)
1983: Jeff Wickersham, No. 13 LSU loses 40-35 at home vs. No. 12 Florida State
1982: Alan Risher, LSU wins 45-7 at home vs. Oregon State
1981: Alan Risher, LSU loses 24-7 at home to Alabama
1980: Alan Risher, LSU loses 16-0 at home to No. 13 Florida State
CHARLES McCLENDON ERA (18 seasons)
1979: David Woodley, LSU wins 44-0 at Colorado
1978: David Woodley, No. 13 LSU wins 24-17 at home vs. Indiana
1977: Steve Ensminger, LSU loses 24-21 at Indiana
1976: Pat Lyons, LSU ties 6-6 at home vs. No. 1 Nebraska
1975: Pat Lyons, LSU loses 10-7 at No. 6 Nebraska
1974: Billy Broussard, No. 9 LSU wins 42-14 at home vs. Colorado
1973: Mike Miley, No. 15 LSU wins 17-6 at No. 10 Colorado
1972: Bert Jones, No. 9 LSU wins 31-13 at home vs. Pacific
1971: Bert Jones, No. 9 LSU loses 31-21 at home to Colorado
1970: Buddy Lee, No. 12 LSU loses 20-18 at home to Texas A&M
1969: Mike Hillman, LSU wins 35-6 at home vs. Texas A&M
1968: Fred Haynes, No. 20 LSU wins 13-12 at home vs. No. 13 Texas A&M
1967: Fred Haynes, LSU wins 20-14 at home vs. Rice
1966: Nelson Stokley, LSU wins 28-12 at home vs. South Carolina
1965: Pat Screen, No. 8 LSU wins 10-0 at home vs. Texas A&M
1964: Pat Screen, LSU wins 9-6 at home vs. Texas A&M
1963: Pat Screen, LSU wins 14-6 at home vs. Texas A&M
1962: Jimmy Field, No. 5 LSU wins 21-0 at home vs. Texas A&M
PAUL DIETZEL ERA (7 seasons)
1961: Lynn Amedee, No. 5 LSU loses 16-3 at Rice
1960: Jimmy Field, LSU wins 9-0 at home vs. Texas A&M
1959: Warren Rabb, No. 1 LSU wins 26-3 at home vs. Rice
1958: Warren Rabb, LSU wins 26-6 at Rice
1957: Win Turner, LSU loses 20-14 at home vs Rice
1956: Win Turner, LSU loses 9-6 at home vs. No. 11 Texas A&M
1955: M.C. Reynolds, LSU wins 19-7 at home vs. Kentucky
GAYNELL TINSLEY ERA (7 seasons)
1954: Al Doggett, LSU loses 20-6 at No. 4 Texas
1953: Al Doggett, LSU wins 20-7 at home vs. No. 11 Texas
1952: Norman Stevens, LSU loses 35-14 at No. 11 Texas
1951: Jim Barton, LSU wins 13-0 at home vs. Southern Miss
1950: Lee Hedges, LSU loses 14-0 at No. 13 Kentucky
1949: Carroll Griffith, LSU loses 19-0 at home vs. Kentucky
1948: Charles Pevey, LSU loses 33-0 at Texas
BERNIE MOORE ERA (13 seasons)
1947: Y.A. Tittle, LSU wins 21-14 at home vs. Rice
1946: Y.A. Tittle, LSU wins 7-6 at Rice
1945: Y.A. Tittle, LSU wins 42-0 at home vs. Rice
1944: Ray Coates (as a halfback), LSU ties 27-27 at home vs. Alabama
1943: Steve Van Buren (as a halfback), LSU wins 34-27 at home vs. Georgia
1942: Sulcer Harris (as a halfback), LSU wins 40-0 at home vs. Northwestern State
1941: Billy McKinney (as a halfback), LSU wins 25-0 at home vs. Louisiana Tech
1940: Leo Bird (as a halfback), LSU wins 39-7 at home vs. Louisiana Tech
1939: Young Bussey, LSU loses 14-7 at home to Ole Miss
1938: Young Bussey (as a halfback), LSU loses 20-7 at home vs. Ole Miss
1937: Young Bussey (as a halfback), LSU wins 19-0 at home vs. Florida
1936: Bill May, LSU wins 20-7 at home vs. Rice
1935: Bill May, LSU loses 10-7 at home to Rice
Multiple 3-game winners as opening game starting QB: Herb Tyler, Pat Screen and Y.A, Tittle (3-0 each), Tommy Hodson (3-1)
Multiple 2-game winners as opening game starting QB all at 2-0: Joe Burrow, Zach Mettenberger, Jordan Jefferson, JaMarcus Russell, David Woodley, Fred Haynes, Jimmy Field, Warren Rabb