Former LSU Football Stars Talk Super Bowl 55 Matchup

Devin White doesn't want to hear it. He's watched Clyde Edwards-Helaire win a national championship in college. He watched Tyrann Mathieu and Darrel Williams win a Super Bowl just a year ago.

That's why White wants fans and players alike to be cheering him and running back Leonard Fournette on this weekend for the highly anticipated Super Bowl matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs.

"It's great to have so many LSU guys playing in such a prestigious game," White said. "That just lets you know we put out great players. My pitch for all of the LSU fans out there is don't be selfish. It's your boy's time so go on and root for your boy so I can get me a championship."

White led the Buccaneers in tackles during the regular season with 140 including 15 tackles for a loss and nine sacks. His production hasn't slowed down in the playoffs either, combining for 26 tackles and one interception in wins over New Orleans and Green Bay.

Then you also have Fournette, the former star running back who entered the league with all of the hype in the world and flamed out in Jacksonville before breathing new life into the Buccaneers offense during this playoff stretch. He's racked up 209 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the three playoff games alone as well as 14 receptions.

“It was difficult for me,” Fournette said. “You’re coming from a team where the offense ran through you, and you come to a team where you’re part of the offense. So it’s different. I had to accept my role and just ball.”

Of course on the other sidelines Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Mathieu and Williams will dominate the headlines. Edwards-Helaire just made his return to the lineup in the AFC Championship and rushed for one touchdown in his playoff debut.

"That's a little brother to me," Williams said of Edwards-Helaire. "When I was here and he was at LSU I was still helping him out, giving him pointers. Him being here really means a lot to me.

"Always knew he had the playmaking ability, coach Frank Wilson always put tape up of how he could run and catch," Fournette said. "It's amazing to see what he's come from and how he's produced."

The star of the Chiefs defense is Tyrann Mathieu and has many ties to the players on both sides of the field but particularly with Fournette, who went to Mathieu's same high school, St. Augustine.

“Me and Leonard go way-way back, obviously to our days at St. Augustine. Even back then I knew the kid was going to be special. I knew he loved football, and that was easy to tell, that was easy to see," Mathieu said. "He’s still bigger than me, he was bigger than me back then. But I think at the end of the day he knows I’m the big brother, but it’s going to be fun competing against him - going against him. I’m pretty sure forty years from now, fifty years from now, we’ll laugh at a table and talk about this special moment.”

The All-Pro cornerback will be a major part of this weekend's game and won't be losing the attention of Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.

"I really love him as a player," Brady said. "I think he’s got great ball-hawking ability. He seems like he’s always coming up with the biggest plays in the biggest moments."

LSU coach Ed Orgeron said he'll be tuning in to watch the six former star players on Sunday but won't be rooting for any particular team.

“Proud of them. We say all that to our recruits, and every recruit I talked to this week – I’m proud of them," Orgeron said. "People ask me who I’m pulling for in the Super Bowl, I’m just pulling for the Tigers, man. We’ve got Tigers on both sides, I’m pulling for them.”