The No. 21 LSU Tigers (6-3, 3-2 SEC) are aiming to bounce back from a tough stretch as they head to Gainesville to face the Florida Gators (4-5, 2-4 SEC) in a pivotal SEC clash. After back-to-back losses to ranked opponents, LSU’s hopes for a College Football Playoff berth are over, but the team still has its sights set on finishing strong to secure a third consecutive 10-win season under head coach Brian Kelly.
The Tigers will rely on standout wide receiver Kyren Lacy, who has been a consistent playmaker with 697 receiving yards and seven touchdowns this season, including a strong showing against Alabama last week. To reclaim momentum, LSU must shore up a porous run defense that has allowed 553 rushing yards over the last two games, a glaring weakness Florida’s grind-it-out rushing attack will look to exploit.
For Florida, head coach Billy Napier faces mounting pressure as the Gators must win two of their final three games to achieve bowl eligibility. Returning to the Swamp after a lopsided 49-17 loss to Texas, Florida will look to exploit LSU’s defensive struggles with quarterback DJ Lagway, whose dual-threat ability could create significant challenges for a Tigers defense that has struggled against mobile signal-callers.
History, however, favors LSU; the Tigers have won five straight meetings against the Gators and eight of the last ten. Still, this matchup promises to be competitive, with six of the last seven games in Gainesville decided by one possession. A victory in hostile territory would not only halt LSU’s recent skid but also solidify their position as one of the top programs in the SEC under Kelly’s leadership.
