Jayden Daniels Has a Huge Game as LSU Defeats Gators, 45-35

10/15/2022

Photo By: Winnipeg Free Press

Da Boot Sports
10/15/2022
By: Terrill J. Weil

GAINESVILLE, FL - LSU traveled to Gainesville looking to rebound from last weekend's 40-13 blowout loss to Tennessee in Tiger Stadium and that's exactly what the Tigers did, drowning Florida in the Swamp, 45-35 on Saturday night.

Jayden Daniels lead LSU to the victory with a career high game finishing 23-32, 349 yards passing,
3 touchdown passes while rushing for 44 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns.
Daniels is the first player in LSU football history to pass for 3 touchdowns and rush for 3 touchdowns in
a game decided in regulation. Joe Burrow did it in the seven overtime game against
Texas A&M in 2018.

The LSU wide receivers had a great night as Kayshon Boutte had his best outing of the season with six catches for 115 yards. Malik Nabers finished with 48 yards on four grabs. Jaray Jenkins added 67 yards on two catches and a touchdown. Brian Thomas had two catches for 31 yards and a touchdown grab.

Josh Williams lead the team in rushing with 106 yards on 14 carries, while John Emery Jr. rushed for
31 yards on eight carries, added 24 yards receiving on three grabs with a touchdown catch.

The offensive line played their best game of the season, giving Jayden Daniels time to throw the ball as well as dominating the line of scrimmage most of the night to help the Tigers rush for 179 yards on the night.

After a slow start, the defense slowed down the Florida offensive attack allowing the offense to build a 21 point lead heading into the 4th quarter. The Gators were able to score 14 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to pull to within seven points, but the defense made the plays needed late in the contest to seal the win.
Micah Baskerville had a fantastic game finishing with 11 tackles and a sack. Greg Penn finished with six tackles, while Harold Perkins totaled five tackles on the night.
Hats off to the LSU secondary for playing a great ball game after allowing the quick 51 yard touchdown pass on Florida's first offensive possession of the night.

Brian Kelly is the first LSU coach to win in Jordan Hare Stadium and in The Swamp in the same season, EVER..

Florida received the opening kickoff, returning it 47 yards to their own 48 to start their first drive. Then in the blink of an eye they were on the scoreboard.
On second and nine, Anthony Richardson hit Justin Shorter in stride for a 51 yard touchdown. The
point after gave the Gators a quick 7-0 lead with 14:01 left on the clock.

LSU responded by driving 75 yards on 12 plays, ending with Jayden Daniels hitting John Emery Jr. out of the backfield for a seven yard touchdown to even things up at 7-7 with 7:46 left in the opening quarter.
The big play of the drive came on a 3rd and eight when Daniels scrambling away from pressure and found Kayshon Boutte down the field for a 40 yard gain and a 1st down at the Florida 33 yard line.

Like two heavy weight boxers going toe to toe and blow for blow, the Gators answered right back, easily driving 75 yards in ten plays. Montrell Johnson finished off the possession with a 39 yard touchdown run up the far sidelines putting Florida back up 14-7 with 2:00 minutes remaining in the quarter.

LSU's offense took their next possession into the 2nd quarter, once again finding the end zone to even the score up at 14-14 when Daniels scampered in from one yard out. The score capped off a 12 play, 73 yard drive.

The Tigers defense would be the first to earn a stop, holding Florida to a three and out, forcing a punt. But low and behold, the special team nightmares continued for LSU as Jack Bech muffed the punt and the Gators recovered at the LSU 13 yard line.

Florida graciously accepted their gift touchdown as they punched it in from three yards out
as Montrell Johnson scored his second touchdown of the night. 21-14 Gators with 8:13 left in the first half.

The shoot out continued as LSU responded to the turnover and Gators score by again driving 75 yards in seven plays. Jayden Daniels found Brian Thomas Jr. who made an outstanding catch in the end zone for a 24 yard touchdown. The score evened things up at 21-21 with 5:55 left in the first half.

Matt House and the LSU defense made the necessary adjustments to finally start slowing
Anthony Richardson and the Florida offense down as the Gators once again went three and out.

The LSU offense remained blazing hot, blasting down the field to grab their first lead of the contest. Jayden Daniels hit Jaray Jenkins in stride down the near sidelines for a 54 yard touchdown on a 3rd and eight. 28-21 LSU with 2:24 left in the second quarter.

Once again, the LSU defense held Florida without a score to end the first half of play. Jayden Daniels
played his best half as a Tiger, going 14-18 for 252 yards with three touchdowns and a rushing score as the Tigers went into the locker room with 306 yards of total offense to Florida's 171, leading 28-21.

LSU received the second half kickoff and exploded down the field for a score. On the first play of the drive Josh Williams broke a 50 yard run to the Florida 25 yard line. Two plays later Jayden Daniels ran it in from nine yards out to extend LSU's lead to 35-21.

The Tigers continued to play like a pissed off football team! After holding Florida on 4th and four
from the Tigers' 12 yard line, LSU took the turnover on downs and once again overwhelmed the Florida defense, driving 88 yards on 13 plays as Jayden Daniels scored his third rushing touchdown of the contest from nine yards. The score put LSU up 42-21 with only 1:07 left in the third quarter.

The Gators finally struck back on the first play of the 4th quarter as Anthony Richardson rumbled 81 yards for a touchdown. The score ignited Ben Hill Griffin Stadium as the score now stood at 42-35 with 14:46 left in the game.

After the Tigers scored a touchdown on their first six possessions, the Gators finally forced LSU to punt for the first time early in the final quarter.

The Gators offense began to show signs of life after Richardson's electrifying scoring run on their last possession as they would score 14 unanswered points on a one yard touchdown run by Trevor Etienne, cutting LSU's lead to 42-35 with only 7:30 left in the contest. Florida drove 80 yards in 11 plays to turn what looked to be a LSU blowout back into a new ball game.

But on the next possession the LSU offense slammed the door shut on the Gators, killing 5:47 off the clock while driving 46 yards in 11 plays.
Damian Ramos drilled a 47 yard field goal with only 1:52 left in the game, putting LSU up by ten,
45-35, clinching victory for LSU.

LSU is now 5-2 overall and 3-1 in SEC play. Next up, the Tigers will host the 9th ranked Ole Miss Black Bears (7-0) in Tiger Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 22. Kickoff is set for 2:30pm CST and the contest will be televised on CBS.