LSU’s Defense Carries Tigers to Hard-Fought SEC Win Over Florida, 20-10

Clendell Caliste
Sep 15
2 min read

BATON ROUGE, La. — In a gritty, defense-first showdown at Tiger Stadium on Saturday night, the No. 3 LSU Tigers showed poise and persistence, edging the Florida Gators 20-10 to kick off SEC play on a high note. The victory moves LSU to 3-0 on the season and 1-0 in conference action, while Florida falls to 1-2.

Defensive Dominance

The defining story of the night was LSU’s opportunistic defense. The Tigers forced five interceptions of Florida quarterback D.J. Lagway, including two by Dashawn Spears, one returned 58 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter that effectively swung momentum.

Even with linebacker Whit Weeks ejected in the first quarter for targeting, LSU held together admirably. Sophomore Davhon Keys stepped up, racking up a career-high number of tackles and keeping the pressure on Florida throughout.

Offense Scrappy, Not Spectacular

LSU’s offense had its struggles, particularly on the ground. The passing game—helmed by Garrett Nussmeier—was serviceable, going 15-for-27 for about 220 yards with a touchdown. Tight end Zavion Thomas hauled in the only offensive touchdown, a 23-yard pass in the second quarter. Caden Durham sparked late life into the rushing attack, including a 51-yard run near the game’s end that helped bleed the clock. Still, the running game as a whole was uneven and inconsistent.

Turning Points & Key Moments

Spears’ Pick Six: Dashawn Spears intercepts Lagway and returns it 58 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter — the swing LSU needed to pull ahead.
Halftime Field Goal: A clutch 45-yard field goal by Damian Ramos as time expired in the first half gave LSU a 13-10 lead going into the break.
Late Run Seals It: Durham’s big run late allowed LSU to kill the clock in the fourth, essentially putting Florida away.

Coach & Team Reflections

LSU head coach Brian Kelly didn’t shy away from criticism of his offense in his post-game press conference, but his frustration had a clear bottom line:

“We won the game 20-10.” He pointed to the defense, the punter’s field position flips, and the late execution as what separated this one.

Despite the win, there are questions to answer: how to establish more consistency in run game, how to protect quarterbacks better, and how to perform when forced to grind it out. LSU’s defense, however, is sending a message: this unit can be the backbone of something special.

Looking Ahead

With this SEC win in the bag, LSU returns home next to host Southeastern Louisiana. More importantly, the Tigers will need to sharpen their offense as they march into a daunting SEC schedule. For Florida, the loss compounds concerns about turnovers, discipline, and momentum, especially as tougher contests loom.

Final Score: LSU 20, Florida 10