Colby Delahoussaye’s 50-Yard Field Goal Lifts LSU Past Florida, 30-27

LSU freshman running back Leonard Fournette

Colby Delahoussaye nailed a 50-yard field goal with :03 remaining to lift the LSU Tigers to a 30-27 SEC win over the Florida Gators on Saturday night at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida.

The win was the first in three conference games for LSU, who also wrapped-up a two-game road trip.

Florida got on the scoreboard first, courtesy of special teams, when Andre Debose returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown, giving them a 7-0 lead at the 8:52 mark of the first quarter.

LSU tied things at the 6:21 mark of the opening period, when Leonard Fournette scored on a 12-yard touchdown run, completing a 2-play, 28-yard drive, which was set-up by a turnover, making the score 7-7.

The Gators got the football back, and then promptly went on an 8-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, finished off by a 9-yard run by quarterback James Driskel, giving them a 14-7 advantage at the 2:32 mark of the initial frame.

Florida got a 34-yard field goal from Francisco Velez at the 11:07 mark of the second quarter, capping off an 8-play, 54-yard drive, to extend their lead to 17-7.

The Tigers drew to within three points at the 4:12 mark of the second quarter, when on a fourth-and-goal play, Kenny Hilliard scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, culminating a 12-play, 75-yard drive, to cut the Florida lead to 17-14.

That turned out to be the final score of the first half, as the Gators took that 3-point lead into the locker room at halftime.

Florida outgained LSU, in terms of total total first half yards, 149-140, including a 44-13 advantage in the passing department, while the Tigers held a 127-105 edge in rushing yards.

Both quarterbacks struggled in the first 30 minutes, with Driskel completing 6-of-10 passes for only 44 yards, along with an interception for Florida, while LSU's Anthony Jennings was 2-of-7 for only 13 yards in the half.

Fournette, the freshman running back, led the way for the Tigers, picking up 85 rushing yards, along with a touchdown, on 14 carries.

LSU scored the first points of the second half, and grabbed their first lead of the game, at the 3:42 mark of the third quarter, when Fournette capped off a 13-play, 65-yard drive, with a 2-yard touchdown run, his second of the game, prior to an unsuccessful extra-point attempt, which gave the Tigers a 20-17 advantage, a lead they would take into the final quarter of play.

Debose, who scored a touchdown for Florida on a 52-yard punt return earlier, gave the Gators another long punt return, this one for 53 yards, down to the LSU 10-yard line, with 6:52 remaining.

Two play later, Driskel hit Demarcus Robinson with a 12-yard touchdown pass, to give Florida the lead back, 24-20, with 6:10 remaining.

The Tigers, on a third-and-25 with under 4:00 left, picked-up a first down on a 41-yard pass completion from Jennings to Travin Dural. That pass, plus a 15-yard penalty on the Gators, gave LSU the football at the Florida 13-yard line with 3:33 to go.

Two plays later, LSU regained the lead, when Jennings thew a 10-yard touchdown pass to Dural, who made a one-handed grab, wrapping up a 9-play, 75-yard drive, giving them a 27-24 advantage.

It didn't take Florida long to answer, as on the first play from scrimmage on their next possession, Driskel connected with Robinson on 73-yard pass completion, giving the Gators a first-and-goal at the LSU 2-yard line.

There, the LSU defense came up big, as Florida had a catch to take the lead, but Driskel's third down pass to tight end Tevin Westbrook was dropped, and the Gators had to settle for a 18-yard field goal by Velez, evening the score, 27-27, with 1:49 remaining.

The Tigers went three-and-out on their next possession, and were forced to punt, giving the Gators the football at their own 42-yard line with :54 left.

Florida was able to pick up a first down, and moved the football down to the LSU 45-yard line, but a Driskel pass attempt was intercepted by LSU's Rickey Jefferson, who took it back to the Florida 36-yard line before being tackled with only :24 remaining.

The Tigers, with no timeouts, moved the football down to the Florida 33-yard line, setting up Delahoussaye for a 50-yard field goal attempt

Delahoussaye, a sophomore from New Iberia, Louisiana, nailed the 50-yarder, a career-long field goal, to give the Tigers the exciting three-point, 30-27, win.

Florida outgained LSU, in terms of total offense, 306-305, including a 183-110 advantage in passing yards, while the Tigers finished with a 195-123 edge in rushing yards.

For the Tigers, Jennings completed 10-of-21 passes for 110 yards, along with one touchdown and no interceptions, while Driskel was 14-of-25 for 183 yards, along with one touchdown and two interceptions for the Gators.

Fournette led all rushers, accumulating 140 yards, along with two touchdowns, on 27 carries

View the game box score.

With the victory, LSU improved to 5-2, overall, and 1-2 in SEC play, while Florida fell to 3-2, and 2-2, respectively.

The Tigers return to action this Saturday, when they return home to face the Kentucky Wildcats in an SEC match-up.