October 3, 1987
Florida at Louisiana State
First-year coach Mike Archer & the 7th ranked, 3-0-1 Louisiana State Tigers hosted the 19th ranked, 3-1 Florida Gators of coach Galen Hall. The Tigers rallied with 10 point in the 4th quarter & Florida’s PK Robert McGinty missed a 37-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the game with 0:15 left as Louisiana State claimed The Belt with a 13-10 win over the Gators. It was the first win for the Tigers over Florida since 1979. Things started better for McGinty as he gave Florida a 3-0 lead in the 1st quarter when he hit a 50-yard field goal for the only points of the quarter for either team. The Tigers tied the game at 3-3 when PK David Browndyke hit a 31-yard field goal in the 2nd quarter. Florida’s All-SEC RB Emmitt Smith put the Gators in front at the half when he scored on a 7-yard touchdown run. Neither team was able to score in the 3rd quarter with McGinty missing a 42-yard field goal attempt. The 4th quarter belonged to the Tigers as RB Harvey Williams tied the game at 10-10 early in the quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run to finish a 74-yard drive. Browndyke’s 24-yard field goal with 5:34 accounted for the final points but Louisiana State had to withstand the final drive of Florida. The Gators drove to the Louisiana State 20-yard line before a brisk wind helped push McGinty’s tying field goal attempt wide to the right. Louisiana State’s All-SEC QB Tommy Hodson threw for 223 yards while All-American WR Wendell Davis had 8 catches for 102 yards. Florida’s QB Kerwin Bell threw for 104 yards with an interception & Smith rushed for 184 yards with his touchdown. The Gators finished the season 6-6 while the Tigers finished 10-1-1 & ranked 5th nationally. Florida would play for The Belt again in 1988.
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