Instant Takeaways: Jayden Daniels Lifts LSU Past Florida 52-35

The Jayden Daniels Show continues in Baton Rouge after the Heisman candidate does it again for the Tigers.

Jayden Daniels does it again for LSU after piecing together another historic performance in Tiger Stadium. The Heisman Trophy candidate put the Bayou Bengals on his back once again, lifting LSU to a 52-35 victory over Florida on Saturday night.

The dynamic signal-caller is rewriting the record books in Baton Rouge after another dominant showing in the purple and gold. The Gators had no answer for Daniels while he continued torching them with his legs through four quarters.

The Instant Takeaways from Death Valley:

The Jayden Daniels Show Continues

We’re running out of superlatives to describe the level that LSU signal-caller Jayden Daniels is playing at to this point. Week in and week out, the Heisman Trophy candidate does the spectacular to propel the Tigers’ offense to new heights.

On Saturday, it was much of the same after LSU’s QB1 threw for 372 yards on 17-of-26 passing with two touchdowns. It didn’t stop there. Daniels also tallied a whopping 234 yards on the ground with two touchdowns on an incredible 19.5 yards per carry.

It’s simply been the Daniels Show through 10 games as he continues establishing himself in the Hesman conversation. There have been moments where he displays his impressive deep ball, a piece of his game that has improved dramatically this season, but against the Gators it was his speed and vision in the run game that elevated this offense to new heights.

Daniels broke open an 85-yard touchdown run and it didn’t stop there after he strung together several 25+ yard runs to follow.

The Gators had no answer for Daniels. He torched the defense with his legs then followed it up with several deep balls to both Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. The end result? He became the first quarterback to pass for 300 yards and rush for over 200 in the same game.

About Those Receivers… The One-Two Punch Shines Again

Daniels has made those around him better, but the weapons in his arsenal have risen to the occasion this season, specifically the wide receiver duo of Nabers and Thomas Jr. The two pieced together another impressive Saturday night for the Bayou Bengals after totaling 275 yards and 11 receptions.

Nabers ended the night with 6 catches for 132 yards while Thomas Jr. added 6 catches for 150 yards of his own with an additional two scores. 

The trio of Daniels, Nabers and Thomas Jr. continues giving opponents problems with the Gators finding no solution for the passing attack. If it wasn’t Daniels’ legs, it was his delivery on the deep ball to his favorite wideouts.

There is no better player in the country than Jayden Daniels.

85 yards TO THE HOUSE. The moment. pic.twitter.com/e0ug9gYr1E

— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) November 12, 2023

The LSU Numbers…

Jayden Daniels: 17/26 passing, 372 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground? 234 yards and two touchdowns on 19.5 yards per carry. 606 (!) total yards of offense. 

Malik Nabers: 6 catches for 132 yards. 

Brian Thomas Jr: 6 catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns. 

Bend, Don’t Break: Defense Holds Its Own

There were concerns heading into Saturday night that the LSU defense would have trouble against the rushing attack of Florida. Led by Montrell Johnson and Trevor Etienne, the duo has shined this season, but the Tigers made sure to put effort in this run defense.

The Bayou Bengals were without defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo, but it didn’t stop others from stepping up. LSU received impressive outings from Bradyn Swinson and Paris Shand up front in order to give this defense a boost.

This group bent at times, but didn’t break when it got tough. Despite Trevor Etienne getting in the end zone three times, there was impressive recovery from the defense against the Gators, limiting them to 4.2 yards per carry. 

The Florida Numbers…

Graham Mertz: 26/38 passing, 311 yards and one touchdown. 

Trevor Etienne: 99 yards on 18 carries with three touchdowns. 

Montrell Johnson: 70 yards on 16 carries. 

Ricky Pearsall: 7 catches for 103 yards 

The LSU Tigers return to action next Saturday in Death Valley when the Georgia State Panthers make their way to Baton Rouge with kickoff set for 7pm CT.