With its fourth loss — a 10-16 grudge match at Tiger Stadium versus No. 13 Florida — LSU (6-4, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) has fallen out of the top 25 in the Coaches Poll and to No. 25 in the Associated Press Poll.
Florida, which claimed the SEC East title with its six-point win against LSU, jumped five spots to No. 13 in the Coaches Poll and moved from No. 21 to No. 13 in the AP Poll.
The Gators (8-2, 6-2 SEC) will face top-ranked Alabama in the league championship game on Dec. 3 in Atlanta.
Tigers defense holds firm
LSU interim coach Ed Orgeron said LSU focused and practiced tackling last week prior to the loss against Florida.
With the loss of senior middle linebacker Kendell Beckwith because of injury in the first half against Florida, LSU’s defense became less formidable in the middle and the Tigers fell victim to numerous missed tackles Saturday.
“We emphasized tackling all week,” Orgeron said after the loss. “I think missing Kendell [out] there hurt us a little bit. But uncharacteristic. We were not a good tackling team [Saturday]. It’s something we have to fix.”
Even after its fourth loss of the season, LSU’s defense remains the only FBS defense to not allow more than 21 points in each game this season.
In LSU combined losses, the Tigers have fallen by a total of 23 points in the four games.
LSU’s losses this season
- 14-16 vs. Wisconsin (Lambeau Field)
- 13-18 at Auburn (Jordan-Hare Stadium)
- 0-10 vs. Alabama (Tiger Stadium)
- 10-16 vs. Florida (Tiger Stadium)
Other LSU defensive quick stats
- LSU’s defense has allowed only 11 touchdowns after 10 games this season.
- With a scoreless first quarter for Florida, it marked the sixth first quarter shutout this season by the LSU defense in 10 games.
- Arden Key (15 career sacks) dropped Austin Appleby for a loss of nine yards in the second quarter for his 10th sack of the season. Key is just two sacks from the LSU single‐season record (12) set by Oliver Lawrence in 1989. With 10 sacks this year, Key is tied for third all‐time in single-season sacks with Rydell Melancon, who tallied 10 in 1981.
Up next: Texas A&M
Who: LSU at Texas A&M (8-3, 4-3 SEC)
Where: Kyle Field, College Station, Texas
When: 6:30 p.m. — Thursday, Nov. 24
Watch: ESPN
Listen: LSU Sports Radio Network, 98.1 FM
