LSU football could make yet another statement with Florida win

In Week 6, LSU Football looks to gain their third win over a Top 25 opponent. While the Gators looks to beat a top 25 team for the second week in a row.

The LSU Tigers have been one of the most surprising teams of the 2018 college football season. After an opening week win over the Miami Hurricanes, the Tigers have remained undefeated, with a stretch of games that includes a road win over the Auburn Tigers, and last week’s blowout win over the Ole Miss Rebels.

The LSU defense hasn’t allowed more than 21 points in a game this year, while the offense has scored at least 31 points in five of their first six games. Behind a stingy defense, the run game for the Tigers has been the main reason of success on the offensive side of the ball.

Also, contributing to the offense’s success is that of transfer quarterback, Joe Burrow. He hasn’t had the flashiest numbers, outside of last week’s win, but has managed the Tiger offense exceptionally well and still hasn’t thrown an interception all season.

Looking to give Burrow his first interception of the season, are the Florida Gators, who lead the nation in turnovers; forcing 10 fumbles and four interceptions. The Gators are coming off a big win over a struggling Mississippi State team, that put Florida back into the AP Top 25.

The Gators had been previously ranked, but their lone loss of the season to the Kentucky Wildcats gave them an early season exit from the rankings. The Gators offense isn’t that great, even though they’re averaging over 35 points a game, Florida ranks in the bottom half of the nation in total yards per game (278).

It has the feel of a classic SEC Battle. Two teams with decent offenses but great defenses go head-to-head. Here’s everything you need to know heading into this Top 25 matchup:

Date: Saturday, Oct. 6
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Gainesville, Fla.
Venue: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
TV: CBS
Live Stream: CBS Sports Live | FuboTV

Keys to Victory

For the LSU Tigers, they’ll need Joe Burrow to pick up where he left off last week. If Burrow can get things going through the air, and connect with his receivers for some big plays, it’ll open up that offense for the rest of the game.

For the Tiger defense, they’ll win this game with their front-seven. Both the air and ground game are not strong for the Gators. Applying pressure will force Gator quarterback Feleipe Franks to make bad decisions, and ultimately, throw an interception or two. The running game for the Gators has been almost non-existent, so stopping the run should be easy but the Gators have the speed, so the Tigers can’t get too comfortable and allow an open field.

For the Florida Gators, they’ll need their fans and their defense to force Joe Burrow to have his worst game of the season. Burrow has managed to go mistake free so far this season, so an interception would go a long way in a game where every possession could matter. Offensively, the Gators just need to find a way to get things going and eliminate any turnovers.

The Gator offense is not equipped to play from behind, especially if the deficit is a large one. The best bet for the Gators is to rotate their running backs and try to see if any of them can’t get things going. A failed rushing game will give no chance of a Gator win.

Prediction

The scoring in this game will be low for college football standards, but it won’t be a close game. The Tigers and Gators trade multiple possessions before either of them score. After LSU forces a turnover, the Tigers get on the board first with a Joe Burrow touchdown pass. The Gators respond with a field goal but that’s Florida’s only points scored in the first half. Meanwhile the Tigers are able to score another touchdown right before halftime, to gain a 14-3 lead.

In the second half, the story is all the same. LSU’s defense continues to push the Gators around only allowing another field goal through the third quarter. Meanwhile, the Florida defense is fighting hard to keep their team in the game, allowing just three points themselves, bringing the score to 17-6 heading into the fourth quarter. LSU puts together a long drive in the middle of the fourth quarter that results in a rushing touchdown from Nick Brossette.

The Gators never recover from the deficit but score a late, meaningless touchdown, as LSU leaves The Swamp with another big time win. LSU now prepares for a three-game home stretch that sees both Georgia and Alabama coming into town.

Final Score: LSU 24, Florida 16