Florida upset No. 22 LSU 27-16 on Saturday, effectively knocking the Tigers out of the SEC title race.
LSU had started 3-0 in SEC play, but it has lost three consecutive games by double digits to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida to stumble to 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the SEC with remaining games vs. Vanderbilt and Oklahoma. With the win, Florida improved to 5-5 (3-4 SEC) and now needs one win against either No. 11 Ole Miss or Florida State to reach bowl eligibility in coach Billy Napier’s third season.
The score was tied at 13 after three quarters, but the Gators took control in the fourth. DJ Lagway, who missed last week’s loss to Texas with an injury, threw a 36-yard pass to Elijhah Badger to set up a Ja’Kobi Jackson touchdown run to take the lead. After LSU settled for a field goal, Jadan Baugh broke off a 55-yard touchdown run to put the game away.
LSU held the ball for 41:48 to Florida’s 18:12, but the Gators averaged 7.9 yards per play and held the Tigers to 4.2.
CAN’T CAGE THE GATORS‼️
📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/UKkOLYZKvN
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 16, 2024
This is one of the biggest wins of Napier’s tenure
LSU is sputtering, so it might be too much to consider this a proof-of-concept breakthrough for Napier. But, at minimum, it validates his program’s progress and the faith the Gators’ brass put in him earlier this month when athletic director Scott Stricklin announced that Napier would remain as coach.
Before Saturday, Napier had lost nine of his 10 games against Florida’s four primary rivals (LSU, Georgia, Florida State and Tennessee). The victory improved Napier’s record to 3-14 against ranked teams. His only other Top 25 wins were against Utah in his Florida debut in 2022 and last season against Tennessee.
We also can’t discount what this means for this season. With a win next week against Ole Miss or one of the worst Florida State teams ever, the Gators will clinch bowl eligibility. That would ensure vital December practices and development for a young roster. — Baker
What’s wrong with LSU?
A little more than a month ago, LSU rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Ole Miss in overtime to insert itself into the College Football Playoff race. A decisive victory against Arkansas followed, and just like that LSU was a top-10 team — despite a season-opening loss to USC in Las Vegas.
Brian Kelly’s Tigers have not won since.
LSU’s losing streak hit three games, marking the longest skid and the lowest point in Kelly’s three seasons as coach. The Tigers’ defense was diced up by mobile quarterbacks in losses to Texas A&M and Alabama. Against a Florida team led by a freshman quarterback coming off a hamstring injury, the Tigers offense sputtered and couldn’t protect its own quarterback. Garrett Nussmeier was sacked seven times and LSU didn’t score a touchdown in the second half against a team many thought would be operating with an interim coach by now.
The Tigers beat Alabama and won the SEC West in Year 1 under Kelly, and even though Year 2 didn’t meet lofty preseason expectations, they still won 10 games and produced a Heisman Trophy winner in Jayden Daniels. Kelly went about the business of fixing 2023’s broken defense with a major staff overhaul. But instead of continuing to make progress, LSU has taken a step back in Year 3.
This LSU team, not quite so hyped coming into the season, is now assured of falling short of double-digit victories, snapping Kelly’s personal streak of seven consecutive seasons with at least 10 victories, dating back to his time with Notre Dame.
Kelly was given a monster 10-year deal by athletic director Scott Woodward back in 2021 in a stunning move that also seemed like a curious fit. He is in no danger of being fired with a $60 million buyout and a top-five recruiting class lined up that includes maybe the No. 1 quarterback in the country in Bryce Underwood.
If Underwood and the rest of the class hold, it will help calm things down in Baton Rouge. But right now, Kelly’s program seems to be going in the wrong direction. — Russo
Please don’t damage our tables coach. pic.twitter.com/iN66QdkZYC
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 17, 2024
Gators’ future is encouraging
Florida’s top talent is unquestionably Lagway, the five-star freshman quarterback. His final statistics were relatively pedestrian (13-of-26 passing for 226 yards). But he also made the play of the game.
Early in the fourth quarter, Lagway — still not 100 percent from a hamstring injury he sustained two weeks against Georgia — stepped up to avoid the pressure from LSU defensive end Bradyn Swinson. Lagway was still hit from the other side as he threw a gorgeous 36-yard pass to Badger near the goal line. Florida scored on the next play to take a 20-13 lead. Another member of Florida’s 2024 recruiting class put the game away when Baugh broke loose for a game-sealing touchdown with 3:48 left.
Despite the upset, the Gators are still on track for a season that won’t live up to their championship expectations. But major contributions from Florida’s young players provide some optimism that the Gators can get there soon. — Baker
(Photo: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
