LSU Football Players Reminisce on Florida Rivalry
Avery Atkins remembers in 2019 during the opening kickoff against Florida in Death Valley, the ball on the tee was vibrating. It was one of those kind of nights in Baton Rouge and it sure seems like Florida week is one of the games that always recruits the best of atmospheres.
Atkins, who was the kickoff specialist his first few seasons with the program, remembers the crowds like it was yesterday for that Florida rivalry game. After Joe Burrow's final touchdown pass to Ja'Marr Chase in the fourth quarter that pretty much sealed the Tigers' 42-28 win in 2019, Atkins remembers the crowd swaying back and forth in unison and creating an unforgettable experience for everyone in attendance.
"When you think Tiger Stadium, that was one of those nights," Atkins said. "It was loud, when I was kicking off to start the game the ball was vibrating off the tee because it was so loud. It's stuff like that that makes Tiger Stadium so great."
Running back Tyrion Davis-Price was just a wide eyed freshman for that environment back in 2019 but it was his touchdown run in the third quarter that brought the house down as it gave LSU the go ahead score.
"I remember my freshman year, that stadium was so loud, it was crazy. It was nothing like I've ever seen before," Davis-Price said. "I remember it was tied up 28-28, my running back coach put me in the game and that's when I scored that touchdown. It was just electrifying, I remember that all the time. Just the stadium and how Tiger Stadium gets."
The next year it was the 37-34 upset ending in Cade York's 57-yard field goal into the thick Florida fog. It was one of those games LSU had no business of winning but the purple and gold got an electirc performance out of freshman Max Johnson and a "shoe throw" that rocked college football to set up the winning score.
"When we sent Cade out there, there was no question he was gonna make it. We've seen him practice and he's hitting from 70 yards in warmups. He was ready for that moment. If it comes down to special teams again we'll be ready for it."
Those are just the last two games of this storied series that promises another alluring chapter this Saturday. There was of course the battle with Tim Tebow back in 2007, capped off by a Jacob Hester plunge up the middle late in the fourth quarter, the fake punt of Brad Wing which was ultimately called back and the fake field goal to Josh Jasper back in 2010 that led to a game clinching touchdown.
This go around kickoff will be in the morning and with both programs struggling in SEC play some of the steam might be lost from the importance of the game.
"We need them, Tiger Stadium is where dreams come to die," Atkins said. "Florida's coming in here pretty confident and using Tiger Stadium to our advantage, bring the fans with us, we gotta get them out on Saturday."
