Three Observations from LSU Football's Week 12 Loss to the Florida Gators

The Bayou Bengals crumble late against the Gators, drop third consecutive game in Southeastern Conference play.

Nov 16, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Brian Kelly against the Florida Gators during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The No. 22 LSU Tigers (6-4, 3-3) dropped their third consecutive Southeastern Conference battle in a 27-16 loss to the Florida Gators in Week 12.

Brian Kelly and Co. continue their struggles after another abysmal performance in Gainesville on Saturday afternoon.

Now, with consecutive losses to Texas A&M, Alabama and Florida, the Bayou Bengals' postseason hopes are out the window.

“Do you want to fight or not? Do you want to fight and take responsibility as coaches and players that we’re not playing well. We’re struggling right now,” Kelly said on Saturday. “It’s life. It’s a myriad of things but it’s a reflection of what life’s about. There’s a rough spot here that we have to fight through. We got to do it together.

"So, if you’re not a thumb pointer, if you’re not someone who continues to work to be better, then we don’t have a place for you in the last couple of weeks. But if you want to fight and keep working to get better, then we’re going to be alongside you. At the end of the day, it’s about overcoming adversity and fighting through these last two games that are at home that we desperately want to win.”

What went right in The Swamp on Saturday? Are there any positives to take away from the SEC showdown?

Three Observations: LSU Tigers at Florida Gators

DJ Lagway, Gators Offense Torches the LSU Secondary

LSU dominated the time of possession on Saturday night in Gainesville after holding the ball for 41:43 in comparison to the Gators' 18:17, but it didn't stop Florida freshman signal-caller DJ Lagway from making the most of his chances.

The five-star freshman lived up to the billing and then some despite not playing at 100% while he nurses a hamstring injury.

The No. 1 dual-threat quarterback coming out of high school, Lagway has proven to be a player able to shine both on the ground and with the passing attack.

On Saturday, he was forced to utilize his arm and did just that.

Early in the fourth quarter, Lagway dropped back, slid up in the pocket and delivered a 36-yard strike to Elijhah Badger to put the Gators inside the five-yard line before Ja’Kobi Jackson punched in the score to give Florida a 20-13 lead.

From there, it was all Gators, but Lagway’s presence of mind in the pocket and advanced arm set the tone.

Badger was sensational as Lagway's top receiver option. He ended the night with 131 yards on six catches and a score.

LSU ran 92 total plays in comparison to Florida's 42 plays. For the Tigers, despite controlling the pace, stuffing the stat sheet and seemingly winning in most areas, the lack of execution down the stretch plagued the program in crunch time.

A few numbers from #LSU’s last 3 games.

- LSU has been outscored 100-35 over the last 10 quarters.
- LSU has scored 3 touchdowns on their last 27 drives.
- LSU has allowed 11 sacks over the last 3 games.
- LSU has allowed 22 (!) TFLs over the last 3 games.

A complete disaster. pic.twitter.com/xDGH9Pe1Q7

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) November 17, 2024

Disaster Play from the Offensive Line

It was an abysmal night for the LSU offensive line in The Swamp after giving up seven sacks on the day.

With veteran offensive guard Garrett Dellinger sidelined with an ankle injury, it was Paul Mubenga who slid in as the starter. The redshirt–freshman struggled from start to finish.

At the other guard position, Miles Frazier suffered a lower-body injury early in the contest that forced redshirt-freshman Tyree Adams in the game.

LSU rolled with a trio of youngsters (Mubenga, Adams and DJ Chester) alongside Will Campbell and Emery Jones for three quarters where the group struggled drastically.

The offensive line collapsed in protection, tallied multiple penalties and halted offensive progression all night with it haunting LSU late.

It's been a recurring issue for the Tigers. LSU has allowed a whopping 11 sacks over the last three games while giving up 22 tackles for loss over the last 12 quarters.

It's been a struggle offensively as a whole. LSU has been outscored 100-35 over the last 12 quarters with Saturday night becoming the cherry on top of an abysmal last three games.

The "Good" on Saturday: Third Down Offense

LSU was fantastic on third down against the Gators. If there was one positive takeaway, it was the efficiency of this group in critical situations after converting 13 third downs.

Garrett Nussmeier continued connecting with Aaron Anderson, Mason Taylor and CJ Daniels when the program’s back was against the wall.

With an average of 8.8 yards per third down attempt, the Tigers surprisingly executed more times than not after utilizing several weapons.

For Nussmeier, he ended the night passing 27-for-47 with 260 yards and a touchdown while Anderson became his top target after hauling in seven receptions for 72 yards and a score.

“Mr. Reliable,” Mason Taylor, tallied six catches for 59 yards as Nussmeier’s safety net when the Tigers needed him.

LSU converted on 13 third downs, won the time of possession battle 41:43 to 18:17 and outgained the Gators in all phases, but crumbled down the stretch.

LSU will return to action on Nov. 23 against the Vanderbilt Commodores in Tiger Stadium with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT.

More LSU News:

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Nick Saban Calls LSU Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier a "Sleeper" Ahead of 2024 Season

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