No. 11 Florida Too Much for Eighth-Ranked LSU--Even on Off Night, 20-0

Eleventh-ranked Florida wasn’t playing up to par when it shut out eighth-ranked Louisiana State, 20-0, in a Southeastern Conference game at Baton Rouge Saturday night, Florida Coach Galen Hall said.

“I’m glad the football team played as well as they did on an off night,” Hall said after the Gators had beaten the Tigers.

Hall said he was worried about the play of his quarterback, Kerwin Bell, who was intercepted three times, twice in the end zone.

LSU Coach Bill Arnsparger defended quarterback Jeff Wickersham, who appeared to be having a sub-par game of his own.

“We just stunk out the joint on pass protection,” he said, “It was embarrassing not to be able to protect the passer any better than we did.”

Wickersham was sacked seven times for more than 50 yards. He completed 17 of 35 passes for 145 yards and was intercepted twice.

Florida running back Neal Anderson took a handoff from Bell and threw it to wide receiver Ray McDonald for Florida’s first touchdown, which came in the first quarter.

Jeff Dawson kicked a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter and a 25-yard field goal with just over four minutes left in the game.

Fullback John L. Williams ran 29 yards for a touchdown later in the fourth quarter to cap the Gators’ scoring.

Anderson ran for 123 yards in 22 carries, bringing his career mark to 2,670--a Florida record. Williams carried 18 times for 84 yards.

Bell completed 13 of 24 passes for 154 yards but threw 3 interceptions.

Florida shut down vaunted LSU running back Dalton Hilliard, who had been averaging more than 100 yards a game. Hilliard rushed 14 times for 35 yards.

His running mate, Garry James, rushed only twice for three yards. Overall, the Tigers’ rushing game was held to a minus-10 yards.

The fifth-largest crowd in Tiger Stadium history, 78,598, watched as the Tigers were shut out for the first time since 1980, when Florida State beat LSU, 16-0.

On Saturday, LSU got inside the Florida 50-yard line only twice during the game. The Gators played ball control and held on for nearly 34 1/2 minutes.

Florida is 3-0-1, 2-0 in the SEC, while LSU drops to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the conference.