The Florida Gators have their back against the wall heading into Week 3.
After Florida football coughed up a sloppy 18-16 loss to South Florida, the margin for error is gone—and now Billy Napier has to take his team into Tiger Stadium to face the No. 3 LSU Tigers.
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On paper, this looks like a mismatch. The Tigers have quarterback Garrett Nussmeier playing steady football, a deep receiving corps and a defense that loves to create chaos.
LSU looks like a playoff contender, led by head coach Brian Kelly. They beat Clemson earlier this season 17-10 and are looking for revenge against the Orange and Blue after suffering a loss in Gainesville last year.
But Florida desperately needs to rebound from last week and if they want to shock the world, these three things have to happen.
1. DJ Lagway needs to find his rhythm
Yes, DJ Lagway’s stats—six touchdowns and one interception—don’t look bad. But anyone watching knows the sophomore hasn’t looked comfortable. He’s missed open receivers, been late on reads and has taken way too many hits in the pocket.
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Against LSU’s front seven, hesitation will be deadly. For Florida to have a chance, Lagway has to settle in early, trust his progressions and string together some clean drives. If he looks like the same quarterback from the first two games of the season, this one could get out of hand fast.
2. The defense has to rattle Nussmeier
Nussmeier has been steady through the first two games of the season, and steady might be all LSU needs if Florida’s defense doesn’t show up. The Gators let USF get comfortable late, and it cost them. They can’t afford a repeat against a far more talented LSU team.
The return of Caleb Banks for his first game of the season could give Florida a needed boost up front, but he’ll need help. Rushers like Tyreak Sapp have to collapse the pocket, while the linebackers must keep Tigers running back Caden Durham from taking over on the ground. Last year, Florida held LSU to just 16 points. They’ll need that same kind of disruption if they want to find success tonight.
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3. Stop beating themselves
It’s not just the penalties, it’s the timing of them. Florida racked up 11 flags for 103 yards against South Florida, including two on the final drive that basically handed the Bulls the win. Quite simply, it was a meltdown. Against LSU, any lack of discipline will be exposed instantly.
Napier has preached accountability, but now the Gators have to prove they can actually execute without shooting themselves in the foot.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: 3 things Florida football must do to upset the LSU Tigers in Week 3
