Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Billy Napier saw what millions of television viewers witnessed Saturday night when LSU and Alabama clashed at Bryant-Denny Stadium: two formidable Southeastern Conference football teams battling for postseason positioning.

The Crimson Tide prevailed, with their cause aided by the departure of Tigers star quarterback Jayden Daniels late in the fourth quarterback following a crushing blow from Dallas Turner that resulted in a roughing-the-passer penalty.

"Very competitive all the way until you get into the fourth,'' Napier said Wednesday. "It's back and forth. A lot of really impressive athletes."

Daniels is undoubtedly among the players that impressed Napier, and his availability for Florida's trip to Death Valley for Saturday night's tilt against LSU has been questioned this week. According to LSU coach Brian Kelly, Daniels entered concussion protocol after leaving the game.

However, Daniels performed well during a workout on Wednesday morning. Kelly said Daniels was clocked running at 20 mph and would practice on Wednesday afternoon. If he passes the physical test, Kelly said he would be cleared to return to contact for Thursday's practice.

After transferring from Arizona State, Daniels is having a superb second season at LSU. He leads the nation in total offense (386.8 yards per game). He has thrown for 2,792 yards and 27 touchdowns while adding 684 yards rushing. If Daniels is not cleared by kickoff, backup Garrett Nussmeier is projected to start for the 19th-ranked Tigers (6-3, 4-2).

The unranked Gators (5-4, 3-3) have lost two in a row and could use a break, but they are planning for both scenarios — LSU with Daniels and without.

"Both of these players have experience, and both have done a nice job of moving the offense,'' Napier said. "Nussmeier, because of kind of the flow of the last couple of years, has had an opportunity to play significant snaps and really play at some meaningful times. They both do a good job of making decisions and distributing the ball. Jayden has played as good as any player in the country this year and has had some really impressive performances. Jayden's ability to run is the great equalizer.

"Either way, it's a great challenge there and one that is going to require us to be at our absolute best." LSU's talent on offense stretches far beyond Daniels, most notably the performance of receiver Malik Nabors, who has caught 66 passes for an FBS-leading 1,152 yards and 10 touchdowns. Meanwhile, fellow receiver Brian Thomas has 45 receptions for 768 yards and 11 scores, and running back Logan Diggs ranks seventh in the SEC with 79.4 yards per game.

LSU's offense ranks in the top 10 nationally in seven categories: No. 1 in total offense (544.6), third-down conversions (56.6) and pass efficiency (186.2), No. 2 in passing TDs (28) and first downs (238), No.3 in scoring (45.2) and passing (332.3), and No. 8 in rushing (212.2).

That's a lot of offense for the Gators to attempt to slow down. Florida enters the game allowing 350.4 yards per game, which ranks 44th in the FBS.

However, the Gators have allowed 121 points over the past three games, with a win over South Carolina and back-to-back losses to Georgia and Arkansas.

"At times in this year, I think anytime the offense has consistent success on us, I feel like it's a lot of self-inflicted errors,'' UF cornerback Devin Moore said. "So, just this week of practice, just getting that extra film in, extra recovery, extra technique work in, and just trusting our coaching. Our coaches have been through games like this. Some of them have even played in games like this. They know what it's like.

"And just being able to trust them, trust the technique they have for us and trust the scheme."

The UF defense could receive a boost from the 39-36 overtime loss at home last weekend to Arkansas if defensive linemen Cam Jackson and Tyreak Sapp can return. Both missed the Arkansas game, and coupled with the season-ending knee injury suffered by middle linebacker Shemar James against Georgia, Florida's defense was not far from full strength against the Razorbacks. Reserve linebacker Jack Pyburn, who left the Arkansas game with an injury, announced his season is over with a torn ACL, another hit to UF's depth.

LSU beat Florida 45-35 a season ago in The Swamp, highlighted by a 23-of-32, 349-yard, three-touchdown day from Daniels. The Tigers rolled up 528 yards in their fourth consecutive win in the rivalry.
Kelly is a newcomer to one of the SEC's top rivalries and isn't taking anything for granted on Saturday night.

"An important game for us,'' Kelly said. "This game has always been closely fought. It's a rivalry game, two teams transitioning to build their programs back to national prominence. An important game for both teams."

And as Napier alluded, this is a challenging contest for the Gators. Perhaps more so if Daniels plays.

"The quarterback's a trump card because of the athleticism,'' he said.