The LSU Tigers enter Week 3 with a 2-0 record and ranked as the No. 3 team in the country. The Tigers are set to battle the Florida Gators in the SEC opener on Saturday night, and LSU fans are looking for revenge after last year's loss in The Swamp.
Despite LSU's 2-0 start, there is still plenty of room for improvement heading into Week 3. The defense has been great, while the offense has seen some struggles early on in 2025. With that in mind, here are three things that LSU needs to focus on against Florida.
A faster start on offense
This is a point of emphasis that was needed heading into last week's matchup against Louisiana Tech. The Tigers started slow on offense again, as their first two drives against the Bulldogs resulted in an interception and a missed field goal. So far this season, LSU has scored just seven first quarter points and 13 first half points. It's now Week 3, which means the offense has had time to gel and get into a rhythm. That needs to be evident on Saturday night against the Gators.
Furthermore, Tiger fans are eager to see if Joe Sloan has made the necessary adjustments to put the Tiger offense in a better position to succeed. Going along with that thought, Garrett Nussmeier needs to be accurate early on. Nussmeier missed several throws in the first quarter against Louisiana Tech, which included his interception on LSU's opening drive.
Win the turnover battle
LSU lost the turnover battle to Clemson 2-1 and Louisiana Tech 1-0. In last season's matchup against Florida, LSU lost the turnover battle 1-0. Heading into SEC play, winning the turnover battle is a must for LSU against Florida on Saturday. LSU's defense has looked much-improved from last season, and while they've created just one turnover so far this season, that hasn't told the whole story.
Mansoor Delane's interception of Cade Klubnik came at a critical point in LSU's season opening win at Clemson. It gave the Tigers momentum in the third quarter of a closely-contested battle. Last week, Louisiana Tech didn't take many chances on offense. LSU's talent advantage on the outside prevented the Bulldogs from opening up the playbook, which led to a more conservative offensive attack. Florida QB DJ Lagway is a strong deep-ball thrower, but he has proved to be inconsistent. If he has some errant throws down the field, LSU needs to take advantage.
Stymie Florida's pass rush
The LSU offensive line allowed just one sack against Clemson's elite defensive front in Week 1. After losing starting center Braelin Moore on the first play against Louisiana Tech in Week 2, the LSU offensive line wasn't the same. The running game couldn't get going and Nussmeier was sacked three times. Brian Kelly says that Moore is good to go for Saturday, and his return will be a welcome sight for Tiger fans.
In last year's loss to Florida at The Swamp, LSU allowed seven sacks. In the nine games prior, LSU had allowed just six sacks. Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks generated a season-high nine pressures to go along with one sack. After missing the first two games of the season, Banks is slated to make his 2025 debut on Saturday. Holding Banks and the Florida pass rush in check will go a long way in LSU getting to 3-0.