Anytime you lose to a 23 point underdog at home, there will be plenty of blame to go around. Many fans will focus on the inconsistencies on defense that have plagued the Gators all season long. Others, will agree with Dan Mullen who said “This one was on the offense”. Most games this season, a 51 yard field goal for Florida is automatic. Just not last night.

Every mistake and inadequacy is illuminated in last-second losses. The early season loss at Texas A&M was similar. Would have, could have, and should have permeates the post game analysis. Perhaps the biggest from last night's game was the Marco Wilson unsportsmanlike conduct penalty (for throwing an LSU player’s shoe) when Florida was in excellent position to win the game. Like the Malik Davis fumble at Texas A&M it occurred at the most inopportune time possible. Unlike the Davis fumble, Wilson’s action wasn’t easy to understand. I’ve written often about the challenge today’s athletes face with subrogating personal goals and impulses to the broader goal of team success. Older guys like me, struggle to understand the need for posing, dancing, and yakking after any minor on-field success. We hold our breath and look for penalty flags after every touchdown, interception, first down conversion, or defensive stop. Some officiating crews are picky and others aren’t. Last night’s crew chose to ignore LSU defensive back, Eli Ricks, when he backpedaled into the end zone to taunt Kyle Trask on the early game pick six. They couldn’t ignore Marco Wilson gaffe because the game clock was running and LSU may have wanted to run a play.

The reality, of course, is the Gators wouldn’t have been in position to lose this game if the offense had played with their usual level of precision. Three turnovers, one of them the aforementioned pick six, enabled and energized LSU. On their first possession of the game, Florida was stuffed on fourth down and goal from the LSU 2 yard line. They settled for a field goal, on another possession, after having a first and goal from the LSU 5 yard line. The Gators had 5 red zone possessions in the first half and came away with only 17 points. In the second half, after scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions, Florida managed only a field goal the rest of the way. Their last five possessions were punt, punt, punt, field goal, missed field goal. The Gators had plenty of opportunities to seize control of the game.

Defensively, Florida was their typical feast or famine outfit. In seven LSU series they didn’t allow even one first down. Four other series, however, they allowed long sustained drives for points. All year, when teams can string together a couple of first downs, they end up with a sustained drive and points scored. Against LSU, the most disappointing sequence occurred after Florida scored to take a 17 -14 lead with 2:41 remaining in the first half and then allowed LSU to retake the lead with a nine play, 75 yard drive. Similarly, the defense gave up an 84 yard scoring drive immediately after the offense had taken a 31-27 lead late in the third quarter.

This loss was especially stunning in light of the fact Florida has taken several steps in the right direction this season. The victory over Georgia was important. Reaching the SEC championship game, next week, against Alabama is significant. The LSU loss will take some of the shine off of this season. While most people understand this Gator team is still a step or two away from elite, this loss to a depleted LSU team is a painful reminder of that reality.

The bottom line in Florida’s 42 -28 loss to LSU was that Joe Burrow took Florida’s vaunted defense apart like a precision mechanic. The LSU run game controlled the line of scrimmage and Burrow had ample time to find open receivers on the occasional LSU passing plays. The few times Florida got pressure on Burrow, he escaped to scramble for double digit yardage. LSU had zero turnovers, two punts, and a missed field goal. The remaining possessions all resulted in touchdowns.

Highlights included Kyle Trask’s poise in one of the toughest away venues in college football. The receivers as a unit were more than solid again. Overall Florida competed all the way to the end and gave themselves a chance to win. Absent a couple late, bad breaks, this game might have come down to who had the ball last.

The disappointing pieces were mostly on the defensive side of the ball. Injuries to Greenard and Zuniga impacted Florida’s ability to get any consistent pressure on Burrow. The run defense struggled to get guys in the correct gaps and, consequently, allowed LSU to avoid third and long situations. The few opportunities the Gators had to force punts escaped with Joe Burrow on third down scrambles.

Trask’s single turnover (interception) came when Florida took an end zone shot in a third and short situation, down one score late in the game. Unfortunately, Trask’s primary read (Cleveland) was drug off his route forcing Trask to try a back shoulder throw to a well covered receiver.

Huge game at USC this upcoming week. The Gamecocks, fresh off an upset of Georgia in Athens, will have home field in Columbia. A Gator win returns Florida to a strong position in the SEC east. A loss ends any SEC title hopes. Injuries on both sides will be a factor. Noon kickoff.