Of course Les Miles installed a fake field goal just to beat Florida

In 2010, LSU beat Florida thanks to a fourth-quarter fake field goal. In 2015, LSU beat Florida thanks to a fourth-quarter fake field goal. Like a squirrel buries nuts in thousands of holes to ensure it survives the winter, Les Miles stores away fake field goals in the recesses of his hat to ensure he can beat Florida.

Florida did a lot of things right against LSU on the road in Death Valley at night.

A week after starting QB Will Grier’s season-ending suspension, Treon Harris was filling in reasonably well, with some nice throws, two touchdowns, and no picks. Leonard Fournette had 180 yards rushing, but no 40-yard gains and a somewhat acceptable 5.8 yards per carry. Antonio Callaway had a miracle one-handed snag for a huge gain and a punt return TD. Florida had LSU tied at 28 in the fourth quarter.

Then, Les Miles called this:

As far as fake field goals go, it’s not a particularly complex fake. There’s only one passing route -- the kicker, Trent Domingue, who never acts for a second like he’s trying to kick. The holder, backup QB Brad Kragthorpe, doesn’t move at all, making it clear he’s either passing or ... just sitting there.

The entire left side of LSU’s line acts like turnstiles, letting Florida rushers through. They head downfield to block, almost like a screen for the kicker. But even though the holder doesn’t move, all three defenders who break through sprint toward the holder. None of them bats an eye at the kicker, the only option for Kragthorpe to throw to. They just sprint towards a man with no intention of moving.

So when the throw comes to Domingue, he bobbles it for a second, but he’s got open field ahead of him. If just one of the Florida defenders peeled off to get the kicker, this play probably doesn’t work.

Miles must have known from film that Florida’s edge rushers on field goals pursued relentlessly instead of looking up or playing safe. After the game, Miles told ESPN he installed the play especially for the matchup against the Gators:

Florida played about as well as Florida can expect to play. But Les Miles had the perfect play to run, and it ended up being the deciding factor in the 35-28 win.