After hitting their lowest point yet a week earlier, the LSU Tigers did a clean 180 over in Gainesville. Six drives, six touchdowns. That’s how LSU started this game, even with some more special teams miscues.
Jayden Daniels and the offense clicked on all cylinders, putting up 528 total yards in the 45-35 win. Florida did the Tigers sweat late with back-to-back touchdowns to cut the deficit to one score, but they never got the ball with a chance to tie things up. Josh Williams and Daniels picked up tough yards and bled clock, effectively taking away any chance for Florida to complete its rally.
One of the biggest questions that we’d still been waiting to answer: When would we finally get the Kayshon Boutte breakout game? That was today. Boutte and Daniels were in-sync from the opening possession, and No. 7 finished with a game high 115 yards on six catches.
We’ll break down the individual performances of a few Tigers that led to the win, plus the inconsistencies that still haunt LSU in this week’s good, bad and ugly.
THE GOOD: Jayden Daniels
If there’s any player that may give Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker a run for SEC player of the week, it’s the LSU quarterback. Daniels played his best game of the season, accounting for all six Tigers touchdowns.
Daniels finished the game with 329 yards through the air and 3 touchdowns, running for three more scores. The offensive success can be seen in the third-down numbers. LSU converted on 8-of-12 opportunities.
Daniels became just the second quarterback in LSU history to account for six TDs in a game. You can probably guess the other name. Any time you can make a list with just you and Joe Burrow, you’re done something right.
MORE GOOD: LSU wide receivers
Boutte showed off his talent, but a few other Tigers also stood up for big catches in this one. Boutte led the team in targets with 8, but did have a drop.
Brian Thomas Jr. didn’t have the best stat line, but he did go home with the top highlights, though his late-game catch was overturned on review. Thomas’ longest reception was a touchdown catch for 24 yards to tie the game up 21-21 in the 2nd quarter.
The other receiver that made a splash was Jaray Jenkins, who hauled in a 54-yard touchdown catch right before halftime that gave the Tigers the lead for good.
THE BAD: big-play defense
Florida’s offensive success came mostly on big plays from Florida QB Anthony Richardson. The Gators first drive started with a 51-yard touchdown pass from Richardson, which set the tone for a high-scoring game.
After tying the game up on LSU’s opening drive, Florida responded with another touchdown, this time on a 39 touchdown run from RB Montrell Johnson.
LSU was able to clean up most of their mistakes and had climbed to a 42-21 lead. Then the 4th quarter started and Richardson rumbled for 81 yards and a score that jumpstarted a rally that ran out of time.
Effective tackling is something LSU has done well this season, so I would chalk it up as an aberration and enjoy the win for what it is.
THE UGLY: special teams
It seems like every week I have something to say about special teams, but it’s because they seem to make a costly mistake each and every week. This time it was Jack Bech fumbling a punt return that set up the Gators for a quick score.
The Tigers are struggling to find a sure-handed punt and kick returner. That’s been the case all season. We saw special teams cost the Tigers big in the loss to Florida State. Last week the Tigers fumbled the opening kickoff against a Tennessee team they had to be perfect against to have a chance. Brian Polian will need to get this fixed soon or fans will be calling for a new special teams coach before bowl season gets here.
In fairness, one aspect of special teams that went well was the kicking game. Damian Ramos nailed a 47-yarder to extend the lead to 10 late in the game. It was his career long by a good margin, but it didn’t have to be. LSU had back-to-back false start penalties on third down prior to the attempt.
Up next LSU will take on the undefeated Ole Miss Rebels in Baton Rouge. Sitting at 5-2 on the season, a win next week would secure bowl eligibility and give Coach Brian Kelly the biggest win in his young coaching career. If the offense from today shows up on Saturday afternoon at Tiger Stadium, they might just have a chance.
