LSU embraced the role of spoiler on Saturday night in Gainesville, Florida. The unranked Tigers were a heavy underdog against the No. 6 Florida Gators but returned home with a thrilling 37-34 victory courtesy of a late Cade York 57-yard field goal followed by a missed Florida field goal attempt to tie the game in the closing seconds.
There were some ups and downs, as has been the case for LSU all season long. Here are some key takeaways from the game.
Where was this LSU defense this season?
Admittedly, this is a somewhat bizarre question to ask following a game that saw the opposing quarterback throw for 474 yards and the defense give up 609 yards of offense. But with as depleted a unit as LSU’s defense has been and considering the opponent lining up against them, this was absolutely a night to be proud of for the LSU defense. That is because they created turnovers, with three in the first half against one of the nation’s best quarterbacks in Kyle Trask.
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Secondary steps up in big way
LSU started the game knowing it would be without one starter with Derek Stingley Jr. being ruled out. Before the end of the first quarter, another starter was lost when cornerback Cordale Flott was ejected for targeting. That meant LSU’s secondary had to dig deep into the reserves, and it turned out to be just fine.
Eli Ricks had an interception return for a touchdown and Jay Ward came down with one of the most ridiculous interceptions of the year. Defensive coordinator Bo Pelinicould have played things a little higher late in the game with the Gators looking to tie it up and force overtime, but LSU got some good moments from their younger cornerbacks against one of the nation’s best passing offenses.
Ed Orgeron: "I think we've got some excellent corners. I think they played very well tonight."
Says tonight was a "great learning experience" for everybody.#LSU
— Crissy Froyd (@crissy_froyd) December 13, 2020
No more QB shuffle for Tigers?
Freshman quarterback Max Johnson made his first start for the LSU Tiger son Saturday, getting the nod over TJ Finley for the first time. Johnson may still have some room for improvement, and Florida brought some good pressure at times, but Johnson was effective enough to keep the starting job for one more week. Johnson passed for 239 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Against a team like Florida, turnovers could have been costly. LSU’s young quarterback did not appear to be nervous making his first career start on the road against a top 10 team.
Did LSU dent Kyle Trask’s Heisman chances?
Absolutely… probably.
Florida quarterback Kyle Trask was among the top favorites for the Heisman Trophy this season. A week after getting torched by another top candidate, Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, LSU’s defense found ways to make some plays against the Gators’ quarterback. LSU forced three first-half turnovers against Trask with two interceptions and a fumble, but Trask recovered in the second half. He also made some Florida history in the process.
Kyle Trask sets the record for most touchdown passes in a season at #Florida with 40.
— Emily Van Buskirk (@Emilnem) December 13, 2020
Florida losing for a second time could hurt Trask’s Heisman chances, but a victory next week in the SEC Championship (against Alabama and Mac Jones) would certainly be a terrific way to erase the results of this game. But Trask did throw for 474 yards and account for four touchdowns, and he engineered a late drive that put Florida in position to tie the game in the closing seconds. It’s hard to knock Trask down the Heisman pecking order too much after this showing, especially on a week when Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence were not in action to capitalize on any stumbles by Trask.
Should we begin bracing for an LSU rebound in 2021?
History would suggest LSU has a pretty solid chance to have a winning record again in 2021. Although the SEC isn’t getting any easier, LSU saw some big moments from some younger players who could have some meaningful roles as early as next year. Max Johnson will need to follow up on some of his solid play to make a case for the starting quarterback job next season, and the secondary had a few players step up to make some big plays on the road.
LSU will get one more chance to grab a win next weekend when they host Ole Miss. Next week’s game will be the final game of the college football season for the LSU Tigers, due to a self-imposed one-year bowl ban implemented earlier this week.
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