LSU Defeats Florida, 17-6

Jarvis Landry #80 of the LSU Tigers catches a pass in front of Vernon Hargreaves III #1 of the Florida Gators during a game at Tiger Stadium on October 12, 2013 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The 10th-ranked LSU Tigers won their second-consecutive game on Saturday, defeating the 17th-ranked Florida Gators, 17-6, in SEC play at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Florida got on the scoreboard first, scoring on their first, and only possession of the first quarter, when Francisco Velez capped off a 14-play, 60-yard drive, that took 7:27 off the clock, with a 44-yard field goal, giving the Gators a 3-0 lead at the 4:28 mark of the initial period.

LSU grabbed the lead on the first play of the second quarter, when J.C. Copeland scored on a 1-yard plunge, ending a 9-play, 70-yard drive, giving the Tigers a 7-3 advantage.

The Tigers made it 14-3 at the 5:14 mark of the second frame, when Anthony Jennings scored on a 1-yard run, capping off an 8-play, 72-yard drive, extending their lead to 11 points.

That turned out to be the final points scored of the first half, as LSU took that 14-3 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Tigers out-gained the Gators, in terms of first half total yards, 200-94, including a 105-42 advantage in passing yards, as well as a 95-52 edge in rushing yards.

LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger completed 6-of-9 of his passes in the first half for 105 yards, while Jeremy Hill rushed 11 times for 56 yards.

For Florida, quarterback Tyler Murphy completed 4-of-9 first half passes, for 42 yards.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Gators cut the LSU lead early in the fourth quarter, as Velez booted through his second field goal of the afternoon, this one from 27 yards away, completing a 10-play, 41-yard drive, to make it 14-6, at the 12:11 mark of the final quarter.

The Tigers got that two-possession lead back at the 7:58 mark of the final period, when Colby Delahoussaye kicked a 31-yard field goal, capping off an 8-play, 62-yard drive, and putting LSU up, 17-6.

Florida moved the football to the LSU 20-yard line on their next possession, but later turned the ball over on downs, giving the football back to the Tigers, who iced the game, and came away with the 11-point win.

LSU finished the game out-gaining Florida, in terms of total yards, 327-239, including a 152-130 advantage through the air, as well as a 175-109 advantage on the ground.

Hill led the way for the Tigers, rushing for 121 on 19 carries, while Mettenberger finished the day completing 9-of-17 passes for 152 yards.

In a losing cause for the Gators, Murphy completed 15-of-27 passes for 116 yards.

With the win, LSU improved to 5-1, overall, and 3-1 in SEC play, while Florida fell to 4-2, and 3-1, respectively.

The Tigers will travel to Ole Miss next Saturday, while the Gators will be on the road to face Missouri.

View the game box score.