The LSU-Florida rivalry didn’t disappoint once again.
The Tigers running game exploded en route to a victory over the 20th-ranked Gators. Coach Ed Orgeron and Co. rolled into Tiger Stadium as double-digit underdogs, along with mounting debate over the coach’s job security.
None of that mattered Saturday afternoon, though, with LSU able to capitalize off Florida turnovers to secure a bounce-back win, just like it did a year ago.
Ty Davis-Price gets his own line: The junior running back broke the LSU single-game rushing record with 287 yards on the ground, that officially unseated Leonard Fournette’s 285 back in 2016.
The back-and-forth affair had pretty much everything a game could offer. The Gators completed a Hail Mary just before halftime, and ultimately stormed back in the 3rd quarter. But the LSU defense did just enough, picking off the Florida QBs four times, one returned for touchdown, with two others leading directly to scores.
Let’s break down everything that happened in the game, from the good, to the bad, to the ugly below.
THE (REALLY) GOOD: Ty Davis-Price
We’ll start off with the player of the game who became the first LSU player to rush for over 200 yards on a Florida defense. After struggling to find a running game all season, the LSU offensive line came alive on Saturday giving TDP holes all game to run through.
Davis-Price has five total rushing touchdowns in the past games. Let’s hope the Tigers can keep that momentum headed into next week as they’ll need to slow down an Ole Miss offense that’s one of the best in the country.
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LSU's wide receivers
No Kayshon Boutte, no problem for Max Johnson. Johnson relied on two new options as Jaray Jenkins and Malik Nabers led the way in receptions. Neither receiver broke the 100-yard mark, but Jenkins was a scoring machine with three touchdown catches.
Nabers was targeted early in the ballgame when the Tigers struggled to move the ball in their first three drives. Both pass-catchers should see a significant increase in production now that Boutte is unavailable.
Turnover ratio
The Tigers ultimately won this game because of mistakes made by both of Florida’s quarterbacks. There were four interceptions thrown between Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson. Jones came into this game having thrown a pick in all but one of Florida’s games this season. He threw the first of the game’s interceptions to linebacker Micah Baskerville, and was benched after his pick-6 into the hands of Dwight McGlothern.
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THE BAD: LSU's 2nd-half defense
While the LSU defense did have a defensive score in the 3rd quarter, that’s about the only highlight it can claim. Richardson picked apart the Tigers secondary and had a 5-yard TD run to answer the defensive score.
The Gators scored on three of their four offensive drives in that quarter while racking up 201 yards of offense. LSU’s offense did just enough to keep pace, but the game’s momentum felt like it was tipping toward the Gators at that point.
The officiating
Every game there are some questionable calls, but it seemed like the Tigers couldn’t get past the refs on big plays. Johnson’s touchdown pass to Brian Johnson for 71 yards was taken away on a penalty, then again when the two connected on a 50-yard pass later in the quarter.
The Gators were not officially penalized in the ball game, but did have a flag thrown on them during Jay Ward’s interception on Richardson. Florida came into this game as one of the most penalized teams in college football averaging over eight penalties per game.
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THE UGLY: LSU haters
here will be a lot of people eating crow come Monday morning when they return to the workplace. LSU wasn’t picked by many including Tigers fans themselves. Coach O had his team backed up against the wall as rumors swirled about coaching vacancies and off-season moves.
The Tigers showed up against their SEC East rival and may have saved a season that was headed in a tailspain. For one week, the Coach O chatter will stay mute as the Tigers prepare for a coach who’s no stranger to Orgeron, Lane Kiffin.
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