Davis-Price, LSU run over No. 20 Florida for 49-42 upset win

BATON ROUGE — Tyrion Davis-Price set a single-game LSU Football rushing record with 287 yards, as the Tigers outscored Florida, 49-42, on Homecoming Saturday afternoon in Tiger Stadium.

Florida knotted the game at 42-42 when Richardson connected on a 33-yard TD pass to wide receiver Jacob Copeland, capping a 13-play, 75-yard possession at the 9:14 mark of the fourth period.

LSU surged in front again, moving 68 yards on 10 plays and scoring on a one-yard pass from Johnson to Jenkins with 3:30 left in the contest.

Following a touchback by LSU’s Avery Atkins on the kickoff, Florida picked up a first down on Richardson’s third-down run in his own territory. With less than 2 minutes to play, the Florida quarterback was pressured up the middle by LSU defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy and threw a high pass along the left sideline that was caught by LSU linebacker Damone Clark for the interception.

Davis-Price and the LSU running game secured two first downs to run out the clock.

Florida took a 6-0 lead at the 7:55 mark of the first quarter when running back Dameon Pierce scored on a six-yard burst, capping a six-play, 59-yard drive.

LSU defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. blocked the Gators’ extra-point attempt following the touchdown. The blocked PAT was LSU’s first since 2018, when Austin Deculus blocked an extra point versus Alabama.

The Tigers marched 90 yards in 13 plays to grab a 7-6 advantage with 14:29 remaining in the second period. An 18-yard dash by running back Tyrion-Davis Price culminated the drive, which was highlighted by a 3rd-and-15 completion from quarterback Max Johnson to wide receiver Jaray Jenkins to the LSU 48-yard line.

Florida moved to the LSU 38-yard line later in the quarter, but cornerback Cordale Flott broke up a pass from Florida QB Emory Jones and linebacker Micah Baskerville snared the ball out of the air and returned it to the Gators’ 28.

The Tigers scored on the next play as Johnson connected with Jenkins on a 28-yard TD aerial, increasing LSU’s lead to 14-6 with 8:31 left before halftime.

On Florida’s next play from scrimmage, LSU safety Jay Ward intercepted quarterback Anthony Richardson’s pass and returned it to the Florida 21. The Tigers capitalized on the opportunity, as Johnson hit Jenkins with a five-yard touchdown strike, and LSU led 21-6 with 6:51 left in the second period.

Jones heaved a 42-yard Hail Mary pass on the final play of the first half that was caught by wide receiver Justin Shorter in the end zone to narrow the deficit to 21-13 at intermission.

On the third play of the second half, Jones’ third-down pass was picked off by LSU cornerback Dwight McGlothern and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown. The pick-six was LSU’s first since December 19, 2020, when Ward returned an interception 31 yards for a score against Ole Miss.

The Gators responded when Richardson engineered an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ended on his five-yard TD run. Richardson also ran in for the two-point conversion, reducing the Tigers’ lead to 28-21 with 11:01 left in the third period.

LSU needed just three plays to answer, as Davis-Price bolted 40 yards to the end zone to cap a 75-yard march at the 10:08 mark of the third quarter.

However, Florida came right back to again reduce the deficit to seven points, moving 75 yards in six plays and scoring when Richardson fired a five-yard TD pass to Shorter.

The Gators tied the game 35-35 with 3:45 left in the period as Richardson finished a six-play, 65-yard drive with an 11-yard scoring pass to Pierce.

The Tigers roared back to reclaim the lead when Price sprinted 25 yards to paydirt, completing a 10-play, 75-yard march with 14:27 remaining in the game.

Homecoming

LSU senior Claudia Henry of Watson, La., was named the Homecoming queen and senior William Chandler Black of Atlanta, Ga., was named Homecoming king in a halftime ceremony.

[contentcards url=”https://crescentcitysports.com/lsu-plays-hard-and-well-for-beleaguered-orgeron-to-stun-florida/”]