A win over Florida helped LSU get a woebegone season again on observe final season, because the Gators used their 27-16 victory to spark a four-game profitable streak to finish the 2024 marketing campaign. Florida shall be hoping for an additional season-shifting end result on Saturday night time because it travels to face the No. 3 Tigers.
A surprising Week 2 dwelling loss to South Florida shortly raised the temperature on fourth-year Gators coach Billy Napier and elevated the stakes for this SEC opener. An upset street win over a top-three opponent is precisely what Napier must salvage his crew’s uneven begin.
The excellent news for Florida is that the No. 3 Tigers appeared susceptible in an uninspiring 23-7 Week 2 win over Louisiana Tech. LSU’s sloppy effort drew the ire of coach Brian Kelly, who’s dealing with 12 months 4 strain of his personal. That is the best LSU has been ranked since 2019, when it marched to the nationwide title with a 15-0 report behind the play of Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase.
With a star quarterback in Garrett Nussmeier and a protection that shined in a marquee Week 1 win at Clemson, LSU seems to have the components essential to compete for SEC and nationwide championships. Nonetheless, beating the Gators at house is a should if these aspirations are going to be sensible. In any case, the Tigers do not break by way of and attain the School Soccer Playoff this season underneath Kelly, when will they?
LSU vs. Florida: Have to know
Explosive gear lacking: LSU’s protection has appeared a lot better by way of two video games underneath second-year coordinator Blake Baker. The Tigers have been particularly robust within the second half of their Week 1 win at Clemson, pitching a shutout and eliminating Clemson’s run recreation. Nonetheless, LSU’s offense continues to be trying to find the explosive gear that it was anticipated to have in 2025. Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier nonetheless has the nation’s greatest Heisman odds, and the Tigers will want him to be a star sooner or later — even perhaps towards Florida — if they’re going to attain their potential.
Playing required: Florida’s final street win over a top-three foe got here in 1996 when Steve Spurrier’s Gators beat No. 2 Tennessee, which was led by Peyton Manning. UF’s final street win over a top-five crew got here at No. 4 LSU in 2009. Visiting LSU at night time is particularly perilous, and the Gators will doubtless need to take some probabilities in the event that they need to earn a breakthrough victory. Florida performed it secure on fourth downs in its loss to South Florida and paid the value in the long run. Via two video games, the Gators have tried only one fourth down conversion, which ties them for 121st nationally. If there’s ever a time to take some gambles, that is it.
Bizarre historical past: Fascinating and/or prolific issues are inclined to occur when these groups play. LSU greater than doubled up Florida in time of possession final season however managed to lose. In 2022 and 2023 the collection belonged to LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who accounted for 11 touchdowns in two victories. In 2021, Tigers’ operating again Tyrion Davis-Value racked up a school-record 287 yards on the bottom. Famously, the 2020 final result was determined largely by a cleat-throwing incident that helped LSU get in place for a game-winning discipline objective. You simply by no means know what is going on to occur when LSU and Florida play.
Methods to watch LSU vs. Florida reside
Date: Saturday, Sept. 13 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Tiger Stadium — Baton Rouge, Louisiana
TV: ABC | Dwell stream: Fubo (Begin watching, save $20!)
LSU vs. Florida prediction, picks
Florida is limping in after a loss to South Florida, however the defeat was about poor recreation administration, lapses in self-discipline and substandard execution. The Gators have loads of expertise, and it is manner too quickly to place them on stop watch. LSU’s offense continues to be discovering its manner and has but as an example the explosive gear that can doubtless be required to drag away in SEC video games. LSU ought to win, however Florida’s protection can preserve it shut. Decide: Florida +7.5
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