College
Cannon played three seasons for LSU: 1957, 1958, and 1959. In 1958, Cannon led LSU to its first AP national championship. #1 LSU clinched the title in the Sugar Bowl, beating #12 Clemson 7-0. The only score was a pass from Cannon to Mickey Mangham. Cannon was also voted the 1958 UPI Player of the Year. On Halloween night 1959, Cannon led #1 LSU to a victory over #3 Ole Miss in Tiger Stadium. The Tigers were trailing 3-0 when Cannon returned a punt 89 yards for a TD, breaking seven tackles and running the last 60 yards untouched. It was the only TD of the game, resulting in a 7–3 victory. That year, Cannon won the Heisman Trophy and was again voted the UPI Player of the Year. Other big games from Cannon's time at LSU were unranked LSU's 20–13 victory over #17 Georgia Tech in 1957, #1 LSU's 14–0 victory over #6 Ole Miss in 1958, and #1 LSU's 10-0 victory over #9 TCU in 1959.
On January 1, 1959 LSU won the Sugar Bowl, 7-0, over Clemson, when Mickey Mangham caught the critical 9-yard touchdown pass from Cannon in the third quarter.
The No. 20 jersey worn by Cannon was retired after the 1959 season. It was the only football number retired by LSU until 2009, when Tommy Casanova received this honor.
Cannon had been originally elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983, but the Hall rescinded the honor before his induction due to his confessed involvement in a counterfeiting scheme (for more information on the scheme, see below). The Hall elected him a second time in 2008, and he was formally inducted during a ceremony on December 9 of that year.
Billy Cannon HB, LSU Retired Number 20 |
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