Florida vs. LSU: Score, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

In a high-profile matchup between undefeated SEC teams, trick plays and a balanced offensive attack propelled the No. 6 LSU Tigers to a 35-28 win over the No. 8 Florida Gators on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

With the score tied at 28-28 early in the fourth quarter, LSU pulled ahead for good on a fake-field-goal touchdown toss to kicker Trent Domingue—because head coach Les Miles can't resist messing with Florida. Here's the play, courtesy of ESPN:

Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wondered whether Miles was contractually obligated to mess with the Gators, while CBS Sports' Doug Gottlieb commented on the inevitability of it all:

"

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west - and Les Miles will fake a FG in a close game against Florida #UFvsLSU

— Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) October 18, 2015"

Florida quarterback Treon Harris—starting in place of Will Grier, who was suspended Monday for a positive performance-enhancing-drug test—had two drives to bring Florida back, but a ferocious LSU pass rush stymied his last-ditch efforts.

LSU running back Leonard Fournette—who came into the matchup with 1,022 rushing yards in just five games—didn't get going until the second quarter, but once he did, there was little Florida could do to stop him. He grilled the Gators for 180 yards and two touchdowns.

Fournette has racked up at least 150 yards on the ground in every game this season and has an eight-game streak of topping the century mark, dating back to last season. ESPN College Football showed him running hard all the way into the final quarter:

Florida's 13th-ranked rushing defense was no match for the bruising back, who is in Heisman Trophy contention despite playing in an era defined by the gaudy stats put up by spread-offense quarterbacks.

“It’s his to lose,” CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd said, per the Advocate's Ross Dellenger. “I don’t think I’ve said that this early in a season. He is such a singular talent that he breaks down all of the barriers, all of the trends.”

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

After passing for just 382 yards and two scores in LSU's first four games, Tigers QB Brandon Harris has taken his game to another level in the past two weeks. He threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-24 win over South Carolina last week and followed up that performance with 202 yards and two more passing touchdowns against Florida.

Harris dished out most of his damage in the first half, but the touch and accuracy he showed on the night should inspire confidence in the Tigers faithful. In former NFL lineman Damien Woody's estimation, it will be hard to stop LSU with Harris playing like he did in the first half:

Wide receiver Malachi Dupre was his favorite target, reeling in four catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns.

LSU defensive end Lewis Neal was a nasty thorn in the Gators' side all game long, picking up three sacks on the night. ESPN.com's David Ching felt it was a standout performance from the junior lineman: 

Treon Harris completed 17 of 31 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns for Florida. Zach Abolverdi of the Gainesville Sun felt he did well under the circumstances: 

True freshman wideout Antonio Callaway had a standout night, catching three passes for 100 yards and a score while adding a touchdown on a punt return. Florida's rushing attack left much to be desired, totaling just 55 yards on the night.

After a sloppy start to the game that saw LSU spot Florida a 7-0 lead, the Tigers found their footing and exploded for 28 points in the second quarter. Fournette scored twice in the quarter—first on a direct snap out of the Wildcat formation, a sign of the creative play-calling that was to come—but was arguably upstaged by Brandon Harris and Dupre, who connected for two touchdown passes in the frame.

Dupre's first score was a nine-yard grab in the back of the end zone that helped make it 14-7. ESPN College Football shared the play: 

On their next drive, the threat of Fournette on a flea-flicker suckered the Florida defense, allowing Harris to hit Dupre in stride for a 52-yard gain. ESPN's Bomani Jones wanted to see more of the finesse from LSU:

Florida was playing well, with two touchdown passes from Treon Harris to tight end Jake McGee. Callaway also impressed with a juggling 42-yard catch down the sideline to set up McGee's second scoring grab late in the second. However, it wasn't enough to keep up with LSU. 

With 15 seconds left in the half, Brandon Harris scrambled to his right and hit Dupre deep downfield for a 50-yard touchdown, helping LSU grab a 28-14 halftime lead.

Yahoo Sports' Pat Forde was deeply impressed with Harris' display for the Bayou Bengals, and ESPN shared the play:

LSU's blistering finish to the first half did not carry over to the third quarter. Florida cut the Tigers' lead to seven on a 10-play, 66-yard drive that was capped off by a two-yard run from Kelvin Taylor. The defense then forced two three-and-outs from the Tigers, with the second leading to a 72-yard punt-return touchdown from the speedy Callaway.

Here's the play that quieted Death Valley, per ESPN:

With the game perhaps getting away from it, LSU again snookered Florida in the fourth quarter by pulling off the fake field goal for the eventual game-winning score. It capped off an 11-play, 75-yard drive, which tied for the second longest of the night for LSU.

Florida could do little to answer on offense with the hostile crowd at a fever pitch after the shocking fourth-down call. Fournette ran hard to chew time off the clock with the slim lead, and the defense held on Florida's final desperate drive to put the game away for the home side.

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

LSU could find itself in the top four after this monumental win. Fournette proved he can rack up huge gains against one of the best defenses in the country, and the play from Harris has been encouraging.

Although he threw for only 13 yards in the second half, much of that was because of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron sticking with the tried-and-true method of feeding Fournette. LSU's next opportunity is a winnable game against Western Kentucky on October 24. 

Florida has a week of rest before playing Georgia on October 31. The loss likely knocks the Gators out of College Football Playoff contention, as there are a number of undefeated teams with better cases at this point. Still, there's plenty of time left, and Treon Harris proved even in a loss that he has the talent to give the Gators a chance to win all five of their remaining games.