The length of the faces tell the story of The Swamp’s sorrow Saturday night after the Florida Gators (3-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) lost to the LSU Tigers (5-2, 1-2 SEC).
The vacant stares, the shaking heads, the despondent feelings exuding from those that poured out of the stadium in a collective state of shock and disbelief. Les Miles did it to them again, and this time it was for his 100th win, the most of any coach since 2005.
Florida struck first with an Andre Debose 62-yard punt return for a touchdown. It was the first of his career, and his fifth career return touchdown total, placing him third all time on the SEC’s list.
Many teams have a Debose — A player who’s been a part of the program since you were a toddler, a player that makes you feel like he should be filling out an AARP application instead of paperwork for the NFL draft whenever he finally leaves the program. Saturday night, he had his finest moments.
“It felt good to be contributing to the team. Just happy to get in the end zone,” Debose said. “It was a challenging one, emotions going up and down, score going back and forth, it was definitely an emotional wreck, but this is what you come to Florida for. These kind of games.”
After Debose’s initial fireworks, the game devolved into a ground and pound back and forth, with neither team reliant on its quarterback’s throwing ability. Debose contributed there too, with a 35-yard run bounced outside in the first quarter.
Quarterback Jeff Driskel pounded out 71 yards on 21 attempts with one touchdown. LSU relied heavily on freshman Leonard Fournette to the tune of 140 yards on 27 carries, bowling over a stout Florida run defense. Florida finished with 123 rushing yards to LSU’s 195. The Gators narrowly outgained the Tigers in total yards, 306-305.
After Fortunette’s second touchdown, kicker Colby Delahoussaye missed the extra point, giving the Tigers a three-point lead late in the third quarter, 20-17. The Gators needed something in the fourth, and Debose again was there to give it to them, in the form of a 53-yard return that ended with him tight roping down to the sideline all the way to the Tigers’ nine yard line.
“Andre Debose was fantastic tonight returning the ball. He did a nice job blocking, making a difference in the game there,” Muschamp said.
Two plays later after Driskel was tackled for a loss, he connected with receiver Demarcus Robinson for an eleven yard score to take a 24-20 lead with 6:10 remaining. But the Tigers would strike back, on third and 25, 10 men knew Florida’s defensive play but one did not and it was a 41-yard backbreaker from quarterback Anthony Jennings to receiver Travis Dural to put the Tigers in striking distance.
“You know, had our opportunities. Countless,” Muschamp said. “On the third and 25, we had a miscommunication on (a coverage audible). Cut a guy loose in that situation, and you don’t deserve to win.”
Three plays later Jennings hit Dural again on a play that will be shown on highlight reels for years. With cornerback Brian Poole grabbing his left arm, Dural caught the ball with his right on a fade route in the right corner of the end zone.
It was Driskel’s turn to make something happen, to vindicate himself — if only slightly — on a night in which the boo birds roosted in many of the corners of Florida Field. Driskel soared a ball 37 yards down the right sideline and Robinson would take it 36 more to give the Gators a 73 yard gain, the second longest all season and the third passing play of at least 70 yards for Florida this year. But the drive wouldn’t produce seven points — the Gators had to settle for three when tight end Tevin Westbrook was unable to hold onto a touchdown on third down that would have given Florida the lead.
“You know he didn’t make a play obviously, I’d like to have that one back,” Driskel said. “Physical mistakes happen. We’re gonna be there for him, we’re gonna continue to pick him up because I’m sure he’s feeling down on himself right now. That’s not a play that wins or loses the game.”
Florida got the ball back with 54 seconds left and looked as if it was on its way to set up at least a game-winning field goal. But then Driskel threw a pass over the middle to receiver Latroy Pittman and for a few minutes the game didn’t matter. LSU did indeed intercept it, but after a 23-yard return by Rickey Jefferson, Pittman still lay motionless on the field along with LSU’s Jermauria Rasco got up, Pittman did not.
For five minutes that felt like five hours he was tended to on the field by medical staff before being strapped to a backboard and taken away on a cart, giving thumbs up to the fans in attendance that fallen into an eerie silence.
As the seconds ticked into the single digits, Florida players attempted to lay on the ball to delay the game, but the referees added time back on allowing for former walk-on Delahoussaye to hit a career long 50-yard field goal, his 18th make out of 19 tries leaving three seconds on the clock that didn’t matter much to the Tigers, who stormed the field in premature celebration.
There was still time for Florida to try and harness some of the magic that exists under the hat of the head coach in the purple windbreaker, but Adam Lane was tackled on his attempt the get to daylight on the ensuing kickoff.
“We’ll be OK,” Debose said. “This team is a well knit, team we’re as close as they come, this won’t bother us much. We’re anxious to get back to work on Tuesday or Monday. We’re just gonna look forward, can’t dawn on the past. We fought our hearts out and we left it out on the line, and that’s all we can ask for.”
Lane failed to see Debose behind him on his doomed return attempt. He was clapping his hands trying to get the ball and make something happen, to have one more moment on a night filled with his biggest.
Follow Richard Johnson on Twitter @RagjUF
Redshirt senior wide receiver Andre Debose returns a punt for a touchdown during the first quarter of Florida's 30-27 loss to LSU at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
