Jayden Daniels' Historic Outing Lifts Tigers Over Florida Gators, 52-35

Florida drops to 5-5 on the 2023 campaign following the 52-35 loss to LSU.

Despite Gators running back Trevor Etienne's best efforts, accounting for 99 yards and three scores in his homecoming to Louisiana, the LSU Tigers' (7-3, 5-2 SEC) offensive firepower proved to be too much for Florida to overcome in Week 11. 

The unit was led by Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels' career-best performance, in which he threw for 372 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 234 yards and two scores, lifting LSU to a 52-35 win in Death Valley on Saturday night. He became the first player in FBS history to account for 350 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in a single game en route to the Tigers’ 701 yards from scrimmage.

It was the most yards allowed by Florida in program history.

Trailing by seven following a quick score by LSU on its first possession, the Gators took the field looking to answer. Behind a well-designed and well-executed opening-drive script, Florida was able to do just that.

Graham Mertz found Ricky Pearsall three times for 41 yards, which led UF into sticking distance. The drive was capped off with a pop pass true freshman wideout Eugene Wilson III took nine yards for the score.

The defenses anchored down from that point forward for the remainder of the first half, as Austin Armstrong's unit forced two turnover-on-downs' — including one on the goal-line after four straight rushing attempts by the Tigers — while LSU came away with a forced fumble on Mertz between those two 

Both squads added a touchdown in the second quarter, but an LSU field goal separated the cross-divisional foes at the halftime break, 17-14.

When they returned from the locker room, a scoring onslaught ensued as the two programs traded trips to pay dirt to score five touchdowns on seven combined possessions in the third quarter.

Florida capitalized on the opportunity created by a muffed kickoff by Tigers return man Kaleb Jackson, recovered by freshman cornerback Dijon Johnson, allowing it to double up on scores to take a 28-24 lead over LSU. However, a 51-yard run by Daniels — his second over 50 on the night (85-yard touchdown rush in the second quarter) — just over a minute of game time later gave his team the lead once again.

The quick answer permanently swung momentum in LSU's favor, allowing the Tigers to retake a ten-point lead a possession later. 

Florida fought to pull back within three behind the legs of Etienne but struggled to keep the Bayou Bengals out of the end zone, allowing Brian Kelly's squad to take a game-high 16-point lead with under 2:30 remaining.

The 52-35 score would hold when the clock hit triple zeros.

Florida drops to 5-5 (3-4 SEC) on the season, still searching for the crucial sixth win to earn bowl eligibility. 

The Gators will retake the gridiron in Week 12 as they take on the 8-2 Missouri Tigers — coming off a 29-point win over No. 14 Tennessee — in Columbia on Saturday.

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