LSU Returns Home to Face Florida in Week 11

LSU returns to Tiger Stadium to take on Florida after falling to Alabama, 42-28 in week 10. With the loss, the Tigers saw their chances of repeating as SEC Western division champions go out the door as Alabama and Ole Miss are in front of LSU. Once again, LSU’s defense didn’t have any answers for Alabama’s offense as they were unable to get a stop when they needed it. The Tigers will look to finish out the season with a three-game homestand as LSU’s hope to reaching 10 wins in back-to-back seasons is still on the table. Brian Kelly’s squad will face off against the Gators on Saturday night in the second weekend of November.

LSU’s Common Theme in a Loss:

LSU DB Sage Ryan (15) – Petre Thomas/USA Today Sports

The three losses that LSU has taken this season has been to teams currently in the College Football Playoff Top 10 rankings and they all have been identical. In the Tigers’ first loss to Florida State in the season opener, LSU was able to take a three-point lead going into the half. Though LSU didn’t play their best first half of that game, they were still able to keep it close with the Seminoles before going into the locker room.

After that, things would start to unravel as Florida State made some second-half adjustments to pull away from LSU. The defense let up 45 points to Florida State. The Florida State game was very reminiscent of the Alabama game on Saturday. The Tigers’ offense was able to strike first as quarterback Jayden Daniels found wide receiver Malik Nabers in the endzone. LSU’s defense was able to get a stop on Alabama’s first drive to allow the Tigers to strike first.

LSU was able to tie things up heading into the break and they were going to get the ball to start the second half. The Tigers were able to strike at the start of the second half when running back Josh Williams scored a rushing touchdown, but after that, LSU’s offense would be shut out the rest of the way and Alabama would roll to a 42-28 victory.

Once again, Alabama was able to make some second-half adjustments, like Florida State was able to do in the season opener and the defense had no answers to contain Jalen Milroe all night as he went on to have four rushing touchdowns against the Tigers.

Know Your Foe: Florida

Florida RB Montrell Johnson Jr. (2) – John Raoux/AP

Florida has been an up-and-down team so far this season as they are coming into the matchup against LSU with back-to-back losses against Georgia and Arkansas. Arkansas was able to come into the Swamp and upend the Gators, 39-36 in overtime. Florida currently sits at 5-4 on the season and if they want to make it back to a bowl game all they have to do is win one more game to get to that six-win mark.

However, that won’t come easy as they have to go on the road to face off against LSU and Missouri in the next two weeks. After that, it doesn’t get any easier as they return home to face off against Florida State, a team that is well on their way to the ACC Championship game.

Florida’s offense is led by quarterback Graham Mertz. Mertz is coming off a shaky performance against Arkansas where he went 26/42 with 282 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Gators also have two talented running backs in Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson Jr. Etienne carried the way for the running backs against Arkansas as he finished the contest with 12 carries for 80 yards on the ground. Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has been the leading pass catcher for the Gator offense as he has 54 receptions for 778 yards and four touchdowns on the season so, far.

Florida’s offense heads into the matchup against LSU averaging 28.9 points per game, compared to the Bayou Bengals average of 45.2 points per game. On the defensive side of the ball, the Gators’ defense allows 24.7 points per game, which ranks them 63rd in the country. LSU’s defense ranks 87th in that category.

Both defenses coming into this matchup have been reeling all season, so this could be another game where both teams get into the 30s. Vegas currently. has the Tigers as a two-touchdown favorite.

Prediction: LSU 35, Florida 30