Florida vs. LSU: Score and Twitter Reaction

For the second time in as many years, the Florida Gators will represent the SEC East in the conference title game.

Thanks to a goal-line stand as time expired, the 21st-ranked Gators (8-2, 6-2 in SEC) held off the 16th-ranked LSU Tigers (6-4, 4-3) and secured a 16-10 win in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Saturday to set up an SEC Championship Game clash against the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.

Florida was paced by a rushing attack that totaled 126 yards, which proved to be enough against an LSU ground game that saw a hobbled Leonard Fournette (ankle) carry the ball only 12 times for 40 yards after he was involved in a pregame altercation with a Gators assistant, according to the Advocate's Ross Dellenger:

LSU entered the SEC showdown having allowed an NCAA-best 10 touchdowns and no more than two in a single game, according to the Associated Press (via FoxSports.com), and Florida touted the nation's third-best defense in terms of total yards allowed per game (267.0).

Accordingly, points were in short supply. 

Although the Tigers scored on their first drive for the second straight game and took an early 7-0 lead, those were the only points they were able to muster during a first half that same them outgain Florida by 106 yards.

The Gators' passing attack was anemic throughout the first two quarters, and signal-caller Austin Appleby managed only 2.8 yards per pass attempt during a shaky stretch.

The Gainesville Sun's Robbie Andreu noticed several issues: 

However, the Gators struck gold minutes into the second half after LSU squandered a chance to stretch its lead to 10-3 on a botched snap.

After averting a seven-point deficit, Appleby found wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland for a 98-yard touchdown that thrust the Gators in front.

According to Scott Carter of the Gators' official website, the 98-yard scoring strike was the longest against an SEC opponent in school history.

At that point, a sense of urgency seemed to set in for the Tigers. 

A couple of defensive stops allowed them to recapture some momentum, and a chip-shot field goal knotted things at 10-10 with 12:18 remaining in regulation. However, settling for three points was disappointing for the Tigers, who had 1st-and-goal at the 3-yard line three plays earlier.

From that point forward, the Gators dictated the pace with their running game. Jordan Scarlett, who recorded 108 rushing yards Saturday, repeatedly gashed LSU's defense up the middle, and Lamical Perine, who finished with 38 yards on the ground, served as a bruising complement.

Despite all of that success, Florida—like LSU—couldn't take full advantage and had to settle for a field goal following a questionable third-down call from the 1-yard line, as CBS Sports' Jon Solomon noted: 

A fumble by the Tigers on the ensuing kickoff allowed the Gators to tack on another three points, and a six-point cushion proved to be just enough as Florida's defense thwarted LSU's repeated goal-line plunges.

Now in possession of their second straight SEC East title, the Gators will have to hunker down as they prepare for a rivalry showdown against the Florida State Seminoles next Saturday before traveling to Atlanta for a meeting with the Tide as the two sides battle for the conference championship.

LSU, however, will be left to ponder the future of its program.

Interim head coach Ed Orgeron could have bolstered his case to stay with the Tigers on a full-time basis had they pulled things out in the game's waning seconds, but a loss riddled with errors likely won't do him any favors.

All the Tigers can do now is try to close out their 2016 campaign strong next Saturday, when they travel west for a meeting with the Texas A&M Aggies.

Postgame Reaction

"This was actually supposed to be a home game, so the way we looked at it is stay undefeated at home," Florida head coach Jim McElwain said, according to Gator Country’s Nick de la Torre. "We're 6-0 in the swamp."

"Our young guys played old," he added, per Carter. "That’s good to see. That was a heckuva game."

McElwain also said he was impressed with the way his team adjusted to LSU’s physical style, according to de la Torre: "I thought we put a dent in those guys; that's a heck of a defense guys. They stop darn near everyone they play."

As for LSU, Orgeron was left to reflect on a game that slipped away. 

"We should've won that football game," he said, according to Gannett’s Glenn Guilbeau. 

"Tough battle," Orgeron added, according to Tiger Rag’s James Moran. "Came up short. Our guys fought hard to the end...shot ourselves in the foot."

Orgeron also confirmed the report that Fournette approached him before kickoff about giving things a go, per Moran: 

Regarding the final play call, quarterback Danny Etling endorsed his head coach’s strategy. 

"I thought it was a good call," he said, according to NOLA.com’s Jim Kleinpeter. "We didn't execute right."