Florida and LSU provided yet another memorable chapter in their rivalry on Saturday. The Tigers upset the No. 20 Gators 49-42 at Tiger Stadium in a game that LSU coach Ed Orgeron desperately needed to keep his seat from getting any hotter. Tyrion Davis-Price’s 287 rushing yards were an LSU record and the most ever allowed by Florida to an opposing running back, breaking the previous mark of 238 yards set by Georgia legend Herschel Walker in 1980.
LSU’s defense wasn’t great, but it came away with four interceptions, the last one being a game-clinching pick by Damone Clark with just under two minutes remaining. The win improves LSU, a 12-point underdog at kickoff, to 4-3 and should momentary cool the hot seat for Orgeron, who still must navigate upcoming games against No. 13 Ole Miss, No. 5 Alabama, No. 17 Arkansas and No. 21 Texas A&M with an injury-depleted roster in the weeks ahead.
The loss will raise the temperature a bit around Florida, which is also 4-3 (2-3 SEC). The Gators opted to go with redshirt freshman Anthony Richardson at quarterback for much of the game after starter Emory Jones threw two interceptions. While Richardson provided a spark with three touchdowns through the air and another on the ground, he also threw two interceptions.
It appeared Florida may have flipped the momentum entering halftime, when Jones found Justin Shorter for a 42-yard touchdown on a heave during the final play of the first half. But Davis-Price couldn’t be stopped as an LSU rushing offense that entered ranked 127th in the FBS suddenly came alive.
Having lost three of its last five games, the Gators’ next opponent will be top-ranked Georgia in Jacksonville on Oct. 30.
