The 1959 Sugar Bowl featured the top-ranked

LSU Tigers The LSU Tigers and Lady Tigers are the athletic teams representing Louisiana State University (LSU), a state university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU competes in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a ...

and the 12th-ranked

Clemson Tigers The Clemson Tigers are the athletic teams that represent Clemson University, located in Clemson, South Carolina. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) ...

. LSU had already secured the national title, as the final editions of both major polls were released a month earlier in early December. With winner at halfback, LSU was favored to win by fifteen The game's only score came in the late in third quarter, when Cannon threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to

Mickey Mangham Michael Ray "Mickey" Mangham (August 25, 1939 – September 16, 2010) was an American football player for the LSU Tigers from 1958 to 1960. He played at the end position on both offense and defense and was selected as an Academic All-America an ...

for a lead. LSU had recovered a poor snap from punt formation deep in Clemson territory to set up the score. LSU quarterback broke his hand on the third play of the game, but it was not discovered until late in the LSU's defense shut out Clemson and Cannon was named LSU's shutout victory over #12 Clemson was convincing and highlighted LSU as the only team in the country to go undefeated. Army, Auburn, and Air Force did not lose all season but they each had one game that ended in a tie. LSU's total first place votes was 130 to win the 1958 National Championship in the AP poll. LSU received 29 of the 35 first-place votes to win the #1 ranking in the Coaches poll. LSU earned the #1 rankings in the AP and Coaches poll during week 6 and held on to the #1 rankings for the rest of the year to win the 1958 National Championship in both major polls. 1958 NCAA University Division football rankings#AP Poll

References

Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in New Orleans, Louisiana. Played annually since January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in the country, surpassed onl ...

Sugar Bowl Clemson Tigers football bowl games LSU Tigers football bowl games

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