The end of Saturday’s LSU-Florida game played out a lot like Taylor Swift’s new album – it was unexpected, dramatic, atmospheric, and celebrated the emotions that saturate our lives as football fans every weekend.
Seriously, if anyone could pen something poignant about Marco Wilson’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for throwing a shoe, it’s the Queen of Folklore.
But the truth is no one could have scripted LSU’s 37-34 late-night victory over Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium – not the two very un-Heisman like interceptions from the Gators quarterback Kyle Trask early on, not the three touchdowns from LSU freshman quarterback Max Johnson and especially not the thick, foreboding fog that filled the stadium during the fourth quarter.
Luckily, LSU’s Tigers would follow Head Coach Ed Orgeron into the Mists of Avalon if he asked. His young, scrappy squad fought hard from the opening whistle, putting Florida on its heels after Johnson’s first touchdown with 4:21 left in the first quarter. But it was LSU’s defense that kept the Gators at bay, starting with Eli Ricks 68-yard pick-six to kick off LSU’s second quarter scoring, continuing with a weird interception by Jay Ward that came off his teammate Dwight McGlothern’s helmet and culminating with freshman defensive tackle Jaquline Roy’s two sacks – Roy also recorded two tackles for a loss. Senior linebacker Ray Thornton took down Trask as well.
“We started probably one of the – probably one of the worst starts that we’ve ever had to a football game, and when you turn the ball over that many times, it’s hard to win games,” said Trask. “I thought we fought really hard in the second half and gave our team a chance. LSU played a great, tough game. Give them credit, but obviously, it’s not the result we wanted. I think if we obviously play a clean first half then we’re looking at a different result.”
But the Traskmaster was undeterred by all the errors – he connected with Jacob Copeland for a 19-yard touchdown in the second quarter, he dove 1-yard headfirst into the endzone for a score in the third and fired off a 9-yard toss to Kadarius Toney on the next drive to reclaim the lead heading into the final quarter.
But favor fortunes the bold – LSU kicker Cade York executed a 57-yard field goal in the fog, giving the Tigers a 37-34 lead with 23 seconds left on the clock. Not only was it a personal best for York but it was the longest field goal in LSU school history. It was also his fifth made field goal this season from 50+ yards, breaking a tie for the most in FBS this season.
Cade York called game.
Of course, LSU’s defense backed him up, holding Florida to just 5-of-13 on third downs including a crucial joint sack of Trask by free safety JaCoby Stevens and defensive end Andre Anthony, forcing Florida to kick a field goal to tie the game at 34 with 2:52 left to play.
Florida kicker Evan McPherson missed the Gators 51-yard attempt to send the game into overtime, cementing the Tigers victory over Florida forevermore.
“That’s something we practice all the time,” said Florida head coach Dan Mullen. “I give the offensive guys credit to get us to that spot in that situation. Our goal is to get the ball to the 40- to 45-yard line because you didn’t have much time. We got it well within Evan’s (McPherson) range, so we expect that to be a pretty consistent field goal for him. We had an easier one than they did, and we just missed it.”
Florida will face Alabama next weekend in the SEC Championship game in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Even if the Gators can find a way to beat Bama next Saturday, this loss to LSU will likely keep them out of College Football Playoff contention. LSU will face Ole Miss next Saturday in its final game of the season – the Tigers will not go bowling thanks to their self-imposed one-year bowl ban.
