LSU Tigers

Florida Gators Make History During Win Over LSU Tigers

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Florida Gators’ victory over the LSU Tigers was significant for more than just the obvious reasons. Jim McElwain and the Gators made history against LSU.

The Florida Gators were the heavy underdogs entering Saturday’s clash with the LSU Tigers. Traveling to Death Valley to play the team that held the Alabama Crimson Tide to 10 points, Florida appeared to be destined for disappointment.

Instead, the Gators’ defense made stand after stand and Jordan Scarlett ran like a star as Florida pulled out a massive 16-10 victory over LSU.

The victory brings Florida’s record to 8-2 overall and 6-2 in SEC play during the 2016 season. Perhaps most importantly, it enabled the Gators to clinch the SEC East and secure a berth in the SEC Championship Game.

In turn, the Gators secured an all-time record 12th appearance in the SEC Championship Game.

.@FloridaGators clinch SEC East; will be 12th appearance in SEC title game, the most by any school (9th time they will have have faced ALA)

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 19, 2016

That wasn’t the only form of history achieved.

Jim McElwain is currently in his second season as head coach of the Florida football team. He went 10-4 overall and 7-1 in the SEC during his first year at the helm, which was good enough for the Gators to win the SEC East.

By winning a second consecutive SEC East title, McElwain has become the first coach in SEC history to make the conference championship game in each of his first two seasons.

If you weren’t a McElwain supporter before, you should be now.

Though it’s early in his Gators career, McElwain has accumulated an impressive record of 18-6 as Florida’s head coach. That includes records of 13-3 in the SEC and 11-1 at The Swamp.

If nothing else, he’s put the Gators on a path towards a successful run under his leadership.

Florida’s next test will be pursuing redemption against Dalvin Cook and the Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee. One game later, the Gators will battle the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game.

It seems unlikely, but if McElwain can lead the Gators to two more wins, his legacy will be secured in Florida football lore.

With or without those wins, McElwain is off to a historic start to his coaching career in Gainesville.