25 Cheers for 25 Years: The LSU Goal Line Stand

Cece Jefferson #96 of the Florida Gators celebrates after Florida stopped the LSU Tigers on fourth down to win the game at Tiger Stadium on November 19, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Florida won 16-10. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

​In the closing seconds of a November afternoon in Baton Rouge, everything came down to one play.

LSU was a yard away from the end zone, the clock was going down, and 102,000 fans in Death Valley were roaring. If the Tigers punched it in, Florida’s season was likely over.

But on the Florida sideline, there wasn’t panic.

“It’s us against the world… We’re all we got and we’re all we need.” That was quarterback Austin Appleby’s steadying message before the play.

The Gators were beat up. Down nearly a dozen starters, especially on decimated defense.

This game had extra spice because it had already been rescheduled once because of Hurricane Matthew. The athletic directors at Florida and LSU threw shots at one another leading up to the game. Florida - LSU is always a weird game, but these outside tensions made it even more interesting.

The first half was ugly. Florida had just 60 total yards.

LSU led 7-3 at halftime and looked to use its run game to wear down the Gators.

But early in the third quarter, Appleby dropped back near his own goal line and launched a deep shot to freshman Tyrie Cleveland. He caught it, broke a tackle, and sprinted 98 yards the other way. Just like that, Florida had life—and the lead.

LSU tied it up quickly, but fan favorite kicker Eddy Pineiro gave the Gators a 16-10 cushion with two clutch fourth-quarter field goals. The defense was holding the Tigers, and then came the final drive.

It was a wild one as LSU had to convert a 4th-and-10 and then had three chances to win the game inside the five yard line. It was 1st-and-goal from the 7. LSU were stopped short. Then ran it again. Then again. Now it was 4th-and-goal from inside the one.

Florida called timeout. The entire defense got together. The talk wasn’t about the fundamentals or the play — it was about pride. They knew what was coming.

“We knew it was going to be a run,” defensive end CeCe Jefferson said. “As soon as they started contact, we had to start driving our feet.”

LSU handed it to their bruiser running back Derrius Guice. He tried to leap into the end zone and never got there.

Marcell Harris came flying in. Caleb Brantley. Jordan Sherit. Taven Bryan. They all met Guice at the goal line and drove him back. The ball popped out. Time ran out. Game over.

Gators radio legend Mick Hubert screamed the call: “He didn’t get there! He did not get there! The Gators have stopped him, and the Gators have won the game!”

In a sold out Death Valley, Tiger fans were silent.

“That was special,” Brantley said. “To win the East on a goal-line stand? That’s crazy. Total team effort, too.”

The Gators celebrated like they’d just won a championship and in a way, the team had. The win secured the SEC East and sent them back to Atlanta.

Afterward, Jim McElwain had something to say to all the doubters.

“It just shocks me that someone would question the Gators,” he said with an edge. “The way I see it, they got what they deserved.”

The players didn’t let LSU forget the pregame talk. Corner Jalen Tabor smiled and said, “Oh, we were scared. Terrified. I guess out of fear, we fought back.”

Quincy Wilson grinned, chimed in, “Clearly, we were scared.”

The locker room was a party. Florida players mocked LSU and had fun celebrating the SEC East clincher.

Years later, that goal-line stand still gets brought up. A wounded team, counted out and taunted, went into one of the loudest stadiums in the country and fought back. With the season on the line, the Gators stood their ground and didn’t back down.