The SEC’s two coaches in their first seasons will meet in The Swamp on Saturday when Florida plays host to LSU in a cross-division SEC showdown that always seems to feature intense drama. Both teams are 4-2 after soldiering through ups and downs in the first half of the season while adapting to new regimes.
Florida coach Billy Napier picked up his first conference victory last week as the Gators beat Missouri 24-17, and the LSU game marks a final tune-up before UF takes on No. 1 Georgia on Oct. 29. LSU enters limping after a 40-13 home loss to No. 8 Tennessee, but the Tigers started 2-0 in SEC play under coach Brian Kelly with wins over Mississippi State and Auburn.
Neither team is ranked in this week’s AP poll, but both landed in the “others receiving votes” category; the winner — sporting a 5-2 record — is likely to surge back into the polls on Sunday with some wind in their sails for the season’s second half. Given the similarities between these two rebooting SEC powers and their propensity for playing thrilling games, the Gators and Tigers could produce one of Week 7’s most entertaining games.
How to watch Florida vs. LSU live
Date: Saturday, Oct. 15 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium — Gainesville, Florida
TV: ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Florida vs. LSU: Need to know
Redemption story: One of this season’s top stories of perseverance is playing out at Florida with Jaydon Hill. The redshirt sophomore cornerback earned SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against Missouri in just his second game of the season after rehabilitating the latest in a series of career-hampering knee injuries. Hill pulled down two interceptions against the Tigers, running one back 49 yards for a critical second-quarter touchdown. His second pick came during the second half in the red zone to preserve the Gators lead. At a point in the season when many teams are dealing with injury-related attrition, Hill’s return is a much-needed boost, both on and off the field.
LSU’s offensive line: The Tigers struggled to protect quarterback Jayden Daniels and failed to generate much of a rushing attack in their loss to Tennessee last week amid a couple of key absences on the left side of their offensive line. Starting left tackle Will Campbell missed the game due to a dehydration bout that led to his hospitalization. Then, in the first half,…
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