The loss still stings Ronald Powell.
After two years of waiting and wondering if he would get another chance to play in Tiger Stadium, Powell will have his opportunity when No. 17 Florida faces No. 10 LSU on Saturday in Baton Rouge, La.
Powell missed the majority of the Gators’ 41-11 loss to the Tigers in Death Valley during the 2011 season.
He suffered a stinger and was forced to stand on the sidelines as Florida dropped its second consecutive game.
The loss stands as Florida’s worst defeat since Will Muschamp began coaching the team in 2011.
“It still bothers me today,” Powell said.
“Getting a chance to go back there and perform with the guys I got now is going to be special for me.”
Powell’s return to Tiger Stadium coincides with redshirt junior quarterback Tyler Murphy’s first true road test.
LSU has won 13 of its last 18 games against top-25 teams in Death Valley under coach Les Miles. That includes two of the Tigers’ three matchups with the Gators.
Murphy was forced to watch as Florida dropped its last game at Tiger Stadium in humiliating fashion.
He was a redshirt freshman buried on the depth chart when true freshman Jacoby Brissett completed only eight passes and tossed two interceptions during his first career start.
“Baton Rouge is a very lively place. It’ll be a very hostile environment,” Murphy said.
“As a team, we will have to focus on ourselves and not get caught up in the hype and all that stuff. Just treat it as another game, have a good week of practice and try to continue to get better and execute like we’ve been doing.”
Murphy has surpassed expectations after coming off the bench to replace an injured Jeff Driskel during the first quarter against Tennessee.
If he were to finish this season at his current completion rate of 72 percent, he would top Wayne Peace’s school record of 70.7 percent in 1982.
Murphy’s insertion into the starting lineup comes with the continued success of a defense that ranks at the top of nearly every statistical category.
Despite a season-ending injury to defensive tackle Dominique Easley, the Gators have held their own with Powell, Dante Fowler Jr., Jonathan Bullard and Darious Cummings picking up the slack.
“It all flips when you wake up that morning and we do our little walk-through, and all that stuff,” Fowler said. “As soon as I wake up on Saturday, it’s game time, and I’m locked in and focused.”
Florida is better equipped this time around for LSU.
It has a healthy Powell, a blossoming quarterback and a tougher identity — three keys missing when the two teams last played in Baton Rouge.
“We’ve got a lot more people that have bought in to what Coach ‘Champ wants to do,” Powell said.
“We got a great coaching staff, and everybody is out there and having fun, flying around and being physical.”
Follow Adam Pincus on Twitter @adamDpincus.
Ronald Powell attempts to shed a block during Florida’s 30-10 victory against Arkansas on Oct. 5 in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Powell will play LSU on Saturday for the first time since the Gators lost to the Tigers 41-11 in Tiger Stadium during the 2011 season.
