An Early Look at LSU's Matchup Against Florida
The Tigers hit the road to Gainesville this week where they’ll face a Florida Gators squad still in search of their identity. With Head Coach Billy Napier in his first year with the program, his squad has had a rollercoaster first few games, but both teams are prepared for a fight this weekend.
The Gators offense is led by Anthony Richardson under center. The talented gunslinger hasn’t quite had the season many expected after dominating the season opener, but it’s certain he’ll bring his A-game against an LSU defense who’ll be up for the challenge.
Here’s an early look at the matchup against Florida:
Potent Offensive Attack
Florida has one of the more dominant rushing attacks in all of college football. Led by Louisiana transfer Montrell Johnson, who’s been one of the top transfers this season, and freshman Trevor Eitienne, the tandem has made an impact early in their Gators careers.
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Johnson is averaging a whopping 8.0 yards per carry for Napier’s offense. The two have history after putting Louisiana on the map in 2021, clearly carrying their success and chemistry to Gainesville.
Through the air, it’s Anthony Richardson who LSU will have the monitor. Though his statistics may not tell the whole story, Florida’s signal-caller remains one of the top weapons in all of college football.
The ability to utilize his athleticism while displaying one of the strongest arms in the SEC, the Tigers’ defense will have their work cut out for them.
Passing Game
Let’s stay on the subject of Richardson and this Florida passing attack. Despite having more interceptions (7) than touchdowns (5) on the year, Richardson has proven to use his weapons successfully.
Xzavier Henderson and Justin Shorter have been two of his go-to guys this season. Not to mention Ricky Pearsall has also gotten it done with this receiving corps. Henderson leads this Gators squad in receptions (23) by being a quick route target, using his athleticism to his advantage while Shorter is leading this team in receiving yards (324); being a vertical threat for this offense.
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LSU has seen inconsistency in their secondary through the first few games this season. In order to see success against a Florida squad who is more than capable of being successful through the air, it’s imperative defensive coordinator Matt House has this unit locked in for Saturday’s contest.
Florida’s Secondary is No Joke
Speaking of secondary play, this Gators team thrives with their safeties Rashad Torrence II and Troy Dean II. The duo leads this team in tackles while playing sideline-to-sideline to make just about every play you can ask for.
Through their first few games, they’ve seen success, but they face a daunting challenge against an LSU receiving corps who is looking to continue trending in the right direction. After playing well against Tennessee, this unit must show up against Florida to come out with a victory.
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Another defensive menace for Florida is senior linebacker Amari Burney. The do-it-all athlete has been a force through the Gators’ first few games of the season, leading this squad in sacks while adding an interception to his resume. With an LSU offensive line that lacks continuity, they must monitor the pass rushing ability of Burney Saturday night in their primetime matchup against Florida.
