A week ago LSU was putting the final touches on their dismantling of Ole Miss. LSU’s Offense and Defense looked the part and had momentum and confidence heading into their matchup with Florida in the Swamp. Tiger fans were confident and while LSU coaches and players were only talking about Florida, Tiger fans were already looking ahead to the potential TOP 5 matchup in Tiger Stadium against No. 2 UGA. CBS. College Gameday. Maybe even Fall weather.
However, after a hard-fought 27-19 loss at the Swamp, the future doesn’t look as shiny and bright for LSU. In fact, the next 3 games look daunting and down-right scary if the problems that showed up in the Florida game are not fixed quickly. Problem is- can they be fixed at this time of year?
Those wearing purple and gold glasses will claim LSU lost the game implying that the loss had more to do with LSU not playing their best game than the reality which is that teams are fairly evenly matched and with the game at Florida for the second straight year, Mullen and his players beat Ogeron and his players (2017 in Starkvegas when Mullen was the Miss St coach and now this year as the Gator head coach). LSU got the snot beat out of them on both lines of scrimmage. The play calling of Dan Mullen and Todd Grantham was superior to anything LSU countered with Aranda. 2 years in a row Mullen and Grantham have beaten Ogeron and Aranda. In both games, the more physical team in the trenches won the game. Ensminger and LSU tried to run a variety of plays in both the run and passing games but outside of a couple of drives, LSU’s Offensive Line was battered and bruised and could do nothing consistently to slow down the Gator defensive attack. The majority of the game, the LSU offense reverted to a series of check down passes and run attempts that often yielded minimal positive gains.
Burrow was sacked 5 times and hurried at least a dozen other times. LSU’s D was incapable of adjusting to some option run packages that Fla mixed in and the number of missed tackles for LSU was a major problem. Not having Jacob Philips available for the game proved to be another significant deficiency for the interior portion of the LSU Defense.
Penalties and Turnovers- both were too high and with respect to penalties, they came at inopportune times none more so than the penalty on Lanard Fournette who interfered with a Gator punt fair catch attempt that nullified the Gator fumble deep in their territory in the 3rd Qtr.
The referee crew was less than spectacular and they missed calls on both teams but they should have ejected the Florida player for punching our FB early in the game and another Florida punched one of our DB’s in the 2nd half. Those calls are easy to make yet they weren’t made for some reason.
I also believe the refs gave LSU 2 really bad spots in the game and the one that was a game changer was a 3rd down run on 3rd and 2 run in the 2nd Qtr by Edwards-Hilaire. I do not understand how the refs did not review the spot and more perplexing than that was why Ogeron did not call a timeout and work the refs to get them to review the spot. Instead, Ogeron sent in Mr. Automatic Cole Tracy who nailed the FG but imagine the difference in the game had LSU been able to get a td on that drive.
The biggest play of the game was when Burrow was strip sacked on the 2nd LSU drive of the game already up 7-0. Had LSU been able to go up 14-0, no matter what kind of QB whisperer Mullen is and he is one if he can squeeze 20 Offensive points from a team led by Felipe Franks, the entire game plan for Fla changes and I firmly believe that LSU’s D would have been able to limit Florida more than they did after the game became a back and forth style game.
LSU was in position to win the game so many Tiger fans will lament the missed opportunities. I am certain Florida fans will make reference to the ill-advised pass in the end zone by Franks that allowed Grant Delpit to intercept the ball in the end zone preventing the Gators from scoring again and stretching out their lead early in the 3rd Qtr.
All in all, the game was a struggle for both teams but make no bones about it, Florida won this game.
Before the game, I had friends asking me what I thought. My heart said LSU but my head said Fla in a close one. Vegas was all in on Florida as evidenced by the massive point spread movement that occurred middle of this week. When those kinds of things happen, there is usually something to it.
I listed several concerns prior to the game: penalties, turnovers, our O line, the crowd and Dan Mullen. Sadly, all of those factors contributed to LSU’s first loss of the season.
As bad as LSU’s Offensive Line played today, Brossette did gash them for 95 yards and 2 TD’s. Brossette only had 15 carries and while Edwards-Hilaire is a nice complimentary back, No. 4 needs to get the ball more often to try and wear down the opposing team’s D. The problem is LSU has no other backs to even spell Edwards-Helaire. Curry is not ready for SEC play this season and for whatever reason, they have chosen not to play Provens the other Freshman RB.
Burrow obviously had his worst game as a Tiger. He was harassed and hit all game yet he missed a big throw prior to the end of the first half when he had time. Jefferson had beaten the Gator CB. A huge missed opportunity by Burrow. Burrow held on to the ball too long in the 2nd half but most of the times, he was not able to find open receivers either because they weren’t open or because of the QB pressures due to the Offensive Line breakdowns.
Other than Moreau, LSU receivers dropped numerous balls in the game and several came when the Tigers were down and needed to get a TD.
I have to take a minute and say unequivocally that it’s time to cut bait on Giles as a starter and full-time player at LSU. Giles is without question the worst No. 7 since that tradition began post-Patrick Peterson. I will forever refer to him as The Receiver Formerly Wearing No. 7 since he decided to switch to No. 12 for this game. Didn’t work my man just like it doesn’t work when he is back returning punts. He is incapable of making plays in the fast, tough SEC. He has no burst. He has no wiggle. He goes down from shoe string tackles as if someone had shot him from the grassy knoll. In the return game, he continually catches punts that no well-coached returner should ever do- catch it inside the 10-yard line. Heck, he caught a few in the game inside the 5-yard line. One time he caught the ball over his shoulder running towards his own the goal line. Awful!
There are at least 6 receivers that are more explosive WR’s for LSU. McMahon coached special teams in the NFL. Coach someone else who could offer up something of value in the return game.
Could LSU be on their way to a 4-game losing streak?
Crazy talk? Hater talk? UGA, Miss St and Bama are up next in that order and the way they all played today coupled with how LSU players today should give any rational-minded person concern.
One loss does not a season make. LSU has a chance at redemption at home next Sat in Tiger Stadium. Perhaps this game will serve as wake up call to the team and coaches. I imagine LSU will drop to around No 15 by the time the next polls are updated. Rankings don’t matter as much as getting some quality wins. Speaking of quality wins, Miami barely beat Fl St 28-27 and Miss St beat Auburn 23-9 so LSU’s big wins all of a sudden don’t look so big.
Perhaps the Fla loss has revealed significant problems that LSU has and will only get further exploited as the gauntlet schedule kicks into a higher gear over the next month.
Amazing how the outlook of a season can change after only one loss even if LSU had a chance to win the game at the Swamp.
5-1 is still ahead of schedule for this team from where I thought they would be at this time. Oregon has shown the ability to flush one bad game down the toilet and get this team motivated and prepared for the next game on the schedule. He better do it again and do it now because a 4-game losing stretch is not too hard to imagine.
If he doesn’t, the heat the Tigers played in for the Gator game in Gainesville will be nothing like the heat Tiger coaches and players will feel from all angles in Tiger Town.