The Florida Gators can come from behind and beat the unhappy LSU Tigers on Saturday night and then head to the SEC Championship with a place in the college football playoff spot.
They’re not shoe-in, but with the SEC title game win against Alabama they may have held the door on their feet. Before a play at the end of the game could keep LSU’s movement alive, the Tigers launched a 57-yard field goal that would eventually be a 37-34 game winner.
In this ridiculous SEC game of “natural” cross-cutting rivals this play is called the infamous “Shoe Toss” or “Shoe Throw”.
Photo by Frederick Breiten / Getty Images
First, the system here. The game in Keynesville, Florida was tied at 34-34, and Gators stopped LSU a third late. Marco Wilson of Florida helped teammate Cole Taylor tackle the LSU ball carrier, and an LSU punt will definitely come next. However, while coping, Wilson injured an LSU cleat in his grip — the cleat came off the tiger player’s leg.
Then, out of the blue, Wilson flew the cleat down. The Gators were called up to impose a 15-yard incompetent penalty for throwing the cleat 20 yards down, and the LSU received a new fall. LSU moved the ball down, and Sophomore Gate York opened the 57-yard field goal with 23 seconds left.
Here is a video of how everything was minimized at the end of the Saturday night game.
After the game, Florida coach Dan Mullen said he had never seen the penalty imposed. On Sunday, during a telecommuting call to preview this week’s SEC Championship game with No. 1 Alabama in Atlanta, the Gators coach spoke with Wilson late Saturday night and said Wilson was “disappointed”.
“It’s a shame. It’s very unfortunate in that situation. I do not think there is any motive for slander, and it’s not like he’s throwing it away or doing anything about it,” Mullen said. “It’s a great play, he thought it was a game – winning play. He threw a kind of shoe and went to celebrate with his teammates. Unfortunately, it’s a penalty. . “
Mullen said he did not realize a penalty would cost the Florida game, and that Wilson may have felt the same way.
“I (Marco) know, he’s going to see things, and he’s certainly not the reason we lost the game,” Mullen said. “There are many, many factors within that. It’s an unfortunate moment in that situation because it’s a crucial moment in the game.”
Florida withdrew the ball, and quarterback Kyle Trask positioned the Gators in a last-ditch effort to build the players. However, the 51-yard field goal attempt missed a bit wide on the left, sending Florida to a second loss this season. Their other loss came in the last second field goal against Texas A&M, which ranks 5th in the country.
LSU, last year’s national champion, needed a win on Saturday to avoid a failed record. The Tigers (4-5) need a win at home against Ole Miss this Saturday to avoid a losing record.
The SEC schedule builds “natural competitors” in regional crossover games. That means there is a team from the other division where teams play each season. As for Eastern Division Florida, their shortcut is West Division rival LSU.