Ten years ago LSU needed to convert five fourth downs to beat Florida. This year, they only needed one fourth down stop to beat Florida and come out of the Swamp with a 17-16 victory.
Sophomore linebacker Devin White batted a pass up in the air on fourth and three with a minute and 39 seconds left on the clock to seal the game for LSU. White had been LSU’s best player the entire game, finishing with 13 tackles and one sack.
White led an LSU defense that held the Gators to 16 points and 302 yards of offense.
Offensively, LSU utilized countless motions and jet sweeps to move the ball downfield. The biggest weapon was senior receiver Russell Gage, who ended the game as the Tigers’ leading rusher.
Gage opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 30-yard touchdown on a jet sweep. Offensive coordinator Matt Canada called Gage’s number on a sweep six times, picking up 52 yards.
The Tigers also relied on the legs on senior quarterback Danny Etling. Etling kept multiple drives alive using his legs, picking up 26 yards on nine carries.
Etling completed nine passes to five different receivers, including a 47 yard pass to senior receiver DJ Chark and a one yard touchdown to freshman H-back Tory Carter.
However, the biggest play of the game came on neither offense or defense. After falling down 17-3, Florida reeled off two touchdowns in the third quarter to bring the game within one.
The Gators’ junior kicker Eddy Pineiro missed the ensuing extra point wide, giving LSU a one point lead that the Tigers did not relinquish.
On the opposite, LSU switched to freshman kicker Connor Culp after sophomore Jack Gonsoulin struggled to convert field goals. Culp knocked in a 38-yard field goal right before halftime to give the Tigers a 10-3 lead.
Other Tigers to standout were junior running back Derrius Guice who finished with 71 total yards of offense and senior defensive end Christian LaCouture who was credited with 1.5 sacks on the day.
LSU (4-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) heads back to Tiger Stadium next Saturday and will face Auburn (5-1, 3-0 SEC).