LSU vs. Florida: Game Grades, Analysis for Tigers and Gators
In a very well-contested SEC game, LSU was able to come away with a 30-27 win against Florida. The final box score can be found here via NCAA.com.
Both teams ran the ball well, both made huge pass plays late in the game and both teams made plays on defense. But at the end of the night, it was Florida that made the most mistakes, leading to the Tigers kicking a 50-yard field goal with three seconds left to steal one at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Here are some game grades for both the Tigers and the Gators.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
| Passing Offense | D+ | C+ | ||
| Running Offense | A- | A | ||
| Passing Defense | A- | B | ||
| Running Defense | C | A | ||
| Special Teams | D | C | ||
| Coaching | C | B- |
Passing Offense
It was not a good night in the air for Anthony Jennings. However, he did throw a 41-yard pass to Travin Dural late in the fourth quarter, which set up a Dural 11-yard touchdown reception two plays later. In Jennings' defense, he was going up against an aggressive Florida front seven, and that gave the secondary free range to be aggressive with the LSU receivers. Jennings needs to be more consistent, but he did just enough to win the game.
Running Offense
As much as the passing offense struggled at times, that was not the case for the running game. Leonard Fournette ran hard, tallying 140 yards on 27 carries and scoring two touchdowns. Terrence Magee added 50 yards on six carries and Kenny Hilliard also had a rushing touchdown. No matter who was in at running back, the Tigers ran the ball well; all three brought something different to the table.
Passing Defense
Jeff Driskel does not throw the ball well downfield, and LSU knew that. Despite hitting on a few big throws, Driskel could not shake the secondary, which is why he threw two interceptions. One of the plays of the game came when Ricky Jefferson picked off Driskel late in the fourth quarter, which led to the Tigers' game-winning field goal.
Running Defense
Driskel was the leading rusher for the Gators, with 71 yards on 21 carries. The reason he was the leading rusher was the fact that the front seven for LSU took Matt Jones out of the game, and Kelvin Taylor was a non-factor. After giving up nearly 300 yards on the ground against Auburn, LSU tightened their gaps and played their responsibilities, which is why Florida averaged only 3.8 yards per carry.
Special Teams
LSU special teams did not play well, but they were the reason they won. The punt-coverage team could not contain Andre Debose, and Colby Delahoussaye missed an extra point in the third quarter. But as it was mentioned earlier, Delahoussaye kicked the game-winning field goal of 50 yards. So the special teams saved the day, but had they played better at the beginning of the game, Florida would not have scored 14 of its points.
Coaching
Les Miles did a good job getting his team ready for a tough SEC road contest after getting blown out at Auburn last week. Despite being down by 10 early in the game, his players continued to fight and got better as the game went on. Miles knows he has a young team, but he’s been patient with them, and it paid off tonight.
| Passing Offense | D | C+ | ||
| Running Offense | B | D | ||
| Passing Defense | B | C | ||
| Running Defense | D | D | ||
| Special Teams | A | A | ||
| Coaching | B | B |
Passing Offense
Driskel made a few plays with his arm that led to points, but he was still inconsistent like he has been all season. He did throw two interceptions, and the second one he threw cost the Gators the game. Driskel is a gutsy quarterback, but in order for the Gators to win the SEC East, they will need to throw the ball downfield consistently, and Driskel doesn’t have it.
Running Offense
Driskel did a solid job running the ball, as he gained 71 yards on 21 carries. However, 59 of those yards came in the first half, and no other running back had more than 35 yards. The running game was hurting with the loss of Matt Jones, who left the game with a nagging injury. Mack Brown and Kelvin Taylor are quality backs, but they were a nonfactor against LSU.
Passing Defense
Jennings did find Dural in the fourth quarter, but he was inconsistent the majority of the game because the Florida defense pressured him all game long. Credit goes to the Florida front seven, as they recorded four sacks and have tallied 10 sacks the last two games. Dante Fowler was a monster for Florida with four sacks and two quarterback pressures.
Running Defense
The run defense for Florida could have been better, though. The group could not stop Fournette as he was bowling over defenders. That led to Magee getting 50 yards, and Hilliard was able to get in the mix as he scored a touchdown. That is something the Gators will have to work on moving forward.
Special Teams
One of the reasons Florida was able to lead most of the game as well as come back to tie it was the play of the special teams. Andre Debose has a big night in the return game, as he totaled 115 punt return yards and one touchdown. Kyle Christy punted the ball well with two punts over 50 yards and one landing inside the 20-yard line. And Francisco Velez was able to hit on both of his field goals.
Coaching
Some may not agree, but Will Muschamp did a solid job preparing his team for this game. Had Driskel not thrown the pick at the end of the game, the Gators would have won and made some noise in the SEC East race. Even when LSU took the lead in the third quarter, the Gators kept fighting on offense, defense and special teams, and Muschamp was a big reason for that.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
