Countdown to Kickoff: LSU Tigers No. 20 Remains Unworn Since Star RB Billy Cannon

The LSU Tigers football season is inching closer, now down to double digits on the countdown clock. Kickoff against the Clemson Tigers is now just 20 days away. We have been looking at the past and present of each jersey number as the days have gone by, but this day is a little bit different, as the No. 20 is not treated like other normal numbers. That number is retired by the Tigers and has been taken out of rotation, as no one has donned it since the legendary Billy Cannon. Part of the recent controversy surrounding LSU handing out Jayden Daniels' No. 5 jersey is that the other Heisman winners had not had their numbers reissued. Cannon was a no-brainer retired number, though, as the school's first-ever Heisman winner and one of its first true star players. He was a three-time All-SEC, two-time All-American and led the Tigers to a National Championship victory in 1958, among other honors. Along with the awards and trophies, Cannon is fully entrenched in LSU history because of his Halloween-night run against the Ole Miss Rebels. "It is Halloween night and Cannon blasts," is a phrase uttered before every game in Tiger Stadium during the intro video. He has been remembered for nearly 70 years now and will continue to have his place in LSU history. On top of his college career, he was the first overall pick in the 1960 NFL Draft and went on to have a decorated career in the league as well. Other Connections To No. 20 Ja'Marr Chase Holds School Record With 20 Receiving Touchdowns in 2019 Just to show how incredible that 2019 season is, both Chase and Justin Jefferson are in the top two spots for touchdown catches in an individual year from that campaign alone. Overall this season, Chase had 84 catches for 1,780 yards with those 20 touchdown catches. He has reunited with Joe Burrow in the NFL on the Cincinnati Bengals, and they have continued to be prolific on offense.   Paul Skenes Wore No. 20 in Baseball The No. 20 isn't retired in baseball! Skenes wore the number during his one-year stay in Baton Rouge, and also put up a historic, award-winning campaign while wearing it. He had a 1.69 ERA across 122.2 innings in 2023, leading the baseball team to a championship. While his performance in the MLB has dipped a little bit this year, he already has both a Rookie of the Year and a Cy Young to his name.