GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Could LSU really pull off wild miracle last-second victories against Southeastern Conference opponents in two straight weeks?
You better believe it.
 
LSU coach Les Miles reached into his bag of tricks and dialed up a fake field goal on fourth down from the Florida 36-yard line with 35 seconds to play, and junior quarterback Jarrett Lee threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Terrence Toliver four plays later to lift LSU (6-0, 4-0) to a 33-29 victory Saturday night in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
 
The win is only LSU’s third victory against Florida (4-2, 2-2) at the Swamp since 1988. With the late game heroics, the Tigers jumped to No. 9 in both polls Sunday after lingering just outside the top 10 for several weeks.
 
The Gators fell from No. 14 to No. 22 after just their second pair of back-to-back losses in six seasons under Florida coach Urban Meyer.
 
On the trick play, senior punter Derek Helton attempted a lateral to senior kicker Josh Jasper, reminiscent of Colt David’s fake field goal against South Carolina in 2007, but the lateral fell short.
 
However, the ball fortuitously bounced straight up in the air for Jasper to secure and run for five yards and a first down to keep LSU’s hopes alive.
 
It was nearly an illegal forward pass, but the play stood upon review.
 
Miles said his initial plan was to attempt a 53-yard field goal that would have tied the game at 29-29, but after LSU called its final timeout of the second half, he changed his mind.
 
“Not that I didn’t have real confidence in Jasper … I knew the fake was there,” Miles said after the game.
“We execute that fake about once every five years. We were certainly due. We execute that fake about 100 percent in every practice. We bounced it, and thank goodness he made a nice responsible fielding catch.”
 
Lee then engineered the final plays of LSU’s statement-making victory by throwing a 28-yard pass on a slant route to Toliver, giving LSU a first-and-goal at the Florida 3-yard line. Lee spiked the ball on first down, threw an incomplete fade route pass on second down, then completed the touchdown to Toliver on the same play with six seconds left on the clock.
 
“They didn’t like me very much when we were 5-0,” Miles said. “Now we’re 6-0. Hope you guys like me more.”
 
LSU now stands as one of two unbeaten teams in the SEC along with Auburn, who is LSU’s next SEC opponent.
 
Toliver had a career day receiving Saturday, hauling in six receptions for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
His first score came on a 38-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter in which he dragged Florida cornerback Janoris Jenkins the final few yards to the end zone.
 
LSU put together its highest offensive production of the season, finishing the game with 385 total yards – 224 passing and 161 rushing.
 
Junior quarterback Jordan Jefferson completed 7-of-12 passes for exactly 100 yards and one interception, the first time he reached the century mark since throwing for 151 yards against North Carolina. Lee finished 9-of-11 for 124 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
 
Jefferson’s interception to Florida freshman linebacker Jelani Jenkins proved costly as Florida  subsequently took a 7-3 lead in the second quarter on a 1-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman tight end Jordan Reed.
 
Reed was one of three Gators who lined up at quarterback Saturday, along with junior John Brantley and freshman Trey Burton.
 
Jefferson finished with 11 carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns, also converting a fourth-and-1 carry at the Florida 1-yard line.
 
Florida finished with 243 total yards, and LSU limited the Gators’ running game, which was missing leading rusher Jeff Demps, to 89 yards on 32 carries, an average of just 2.8 yards per rush.
 
“We don’t get a lot of credit for being a great football team because we play ugly football, a lot of close games,” said LSU junior running back Stevan Ridley, who ran a career-high 28 times for 83 yards. “We made a statement to the country that we can play a quality opponent and win because a lot of people were doubting us.”
 
Both LSU and Florida capitalized on turnovers by the opposing team.
 
LSU punched in 10 points off Gator turnovers — a fumble recovery by freshman defensive back Tyrann Mathieu and a Brantley interception by sophomore cornerback Morris Claiborne — Claiborne’s third interception of the season.
 
Florida converted the Jefferson interception and a muffed punt by junior cornerback Patrick Peterson into 14 points — Reed’s first career rushing touchdown and Burton’s eighth touchdown this season.
 
 
 
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Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]