What a day for the LSU football team! In another high-scoring affair, coach Brian Kelly and the Tigers came away with a victory over Florida Saturday evening 52-35. The most crucial aspect, however, might have been Heisman candidate quarterback Jayden Daniels, who put on a performance unlike any weāve seen before.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels makes FBS history
Itās not often you get to watch a football player make FBS history. Tonight, thatās exactly what LSU football fans had the privilege of seeing tonight with quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Coming off a head injury one week ago vs. Alabama, it was uncertain whether we would see the star quarterback play today against Florida.
However, see him, we would, as quarterback Jayden Daniels would not only play, but he would go on to have a historic night vs. the Gators.
Coming off the major win, coach Brian Kelly knew precisely where the highlighter was focused.
āI know you want to talk about Jayden Daniels,āĀ Kelly began during Saturdayās postgame press conference.Ā āHeās pretty good. Matter of fact, he set an FBS record tonight, as you know, where he threw for 350 yards and rushed for 200. So, just an amazing, amazing accomplishment.ā
Tonight, quarterback Jayden Daniels put on a performance, pure and simple. Through four quarters, the 5th-year senior threw the ball 26 times for 372 yards and three touchdowns, completing 65 percent of his passes.
As if that werenāt enough, he also ran the ball 12 times for 234 yards and two touchdowns, averaging an unheard-of 19.5 yards per carry. As it turns out, this would end up being FBS history, as he became the first player to ever pass for 350 yards while also running for 200.
JD5 for Heisman?
Itās important to remember quarterback Jayden Daniels is no āone-hit wonder.ā This is something heās been doing all year long.
Through 10 games, the LSU football star has been simply unstoppable. Heās also having by far the best season of his career, recordingĀ 4,082 total yards and 38 touchdowns.
Not only that, but this might be one of the best performances weāve seen in college football history. So what exactly does that mean for the star quarterbackās chances at the Heisman? Coach Brian Kelly said it best himself in postgame following their victory over Florida:
āIf he didnāt win it tonight, heās gotta be the leading candidate.ā
āHeās the best player in college football. He did something tonight that no oneās ever done,āĀ the head coach continued.Ā āSo if that doesnāt make you the leading candidate, then maybe the Heisman is not really for the best player. Maybe itās for the most popular player.ā
For context, in 2019, quarterback Joe Burrow totaled 6,039 yards and 65 touchdowns. While JD5 might not exactly touch those numbers, heās been one of the best players in the FBS in 2023.
Right now, his main competition comes primarily from the West Coast with players like Washingtonās Michael Penix Jr and Oregonās Bo Nix. However, despite their elite seasons thus far, they canāt compare with that of LSU football quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Through 10 games, Penix Jr has recordedĀ 3,506 yards and 30 touchdowns. Slightly south of Washington, Nix has justĀ 2,839 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Even more notably, without Daniels, coach Brian Kelly, and the Tigers would be struggling much more than they are right now. As things stand, the team is 7-3 and very much in contention for a potential New Yearās Six bowl.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels has been about as good as any player in FBS thus far in 2023. After watching tonightās LSU vs. Florida game, if you have a Heisman ballot and arenāt seriously considering him as your No. 1, itās time to go back to the drawing board.
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