Jayden Daniels carries LSU past Florida and reinforces his Heisman Trophy case

Maybe Jayden Daniels could have thrown the checkdown to his running back. After all, everyone was covered downfield, and he did not have many other options. But Daniels possesses abilities no else in college football has this season — a combination of speed, elusiveness and vision rarely seen in quarterbacks.

Noticing an opening in the middle of LSU’s offensive line, Daniels pumped once to draw Florida linebacker Scooby Williams out of the hole. With Williams’ back turned, Daniels took off. He outran one outstretched arm, then cut past another defender. Daniels kept running, setting up blocks in front of him, before he strolled into open space and looked over his shoulder at all the people left in his wake.

Is anyone else playing this well? Daniels’ 51-yard touchdown run restored the lead for LSU in a 52-35 win Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. Florida had pulled ahead for the first time after capitalizing on a muffed kickoff, and Daniels took the game into his hands like he has so many times this season, ensuring No. 19 LSU beat Florida for the fifth straight year.

Daniels accounted for 372 yards passing and 234 yards rushing, making him the first player ever in the Football Bowl Subdivision with more than 350 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in the same game. Daniels also broke the Southeastern Conference single-game record with 606 total yards.

At one point Saturday, Daniels joined former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel as the only players in SEC history with 200 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in the same game, then passed him. Manziel reached the mark in the Cotton Bowl after the 2012 season, the year he won the Heisman Trophy.

Once again, LSU (7-3, 5-2 SEC) needed Daniels to play like someone capable of winning the Heisman. Though the defense played well in the first half, at one point making three straight stops, it could not put away Florida (5-5, 3-4) until late in the fourth quarter. The Gators scored three touchdowns in the second half.

LSU led 17-14 at the break. The offense had turned the ball over on downs twice, once after calling three straight shotgun handoffs from the 1-yard line. Part of the difference had come from an 85-yard touchdown run by Daniels, the longest by a quarterback in LSU history. Daniels — who was in concussion protocol this week, thanks to the hit he took from Alabama’s Dallas Turner — kept on a zone read and sprinted down the sideline.

Coming out of halftime, LSU forced a three-and-out. Then Daniels stretched the lead. He scrambled for 27 yards, then found running back Josh Williams for a checkdown that turned into a 45-yard gain, setting up a short touchdown run for Jackson.

But Florida hung around, scoring on a 21-yard run by Jennings native Tervor Etienne, who rushed for three touchdowns. Jackson muffed the ensuing kickoff, and Florida recovered. After four straight runs by Montrell Johnson, quarterback Graham Mertz gave Florida its first lead on a 1-yard run.

Daniels responded with his 51-yard touchdown. And after LSU forced a punt, he dropped a 52-yard completion down the sideline to junior wide receiver Brian Thomas. Two plays later, Daniels tried to find an open receiver. His feet bounced while his head moved around, then he flipped a 6-yard touchdown pass to running back Noah Cain.

Florida still did not go away. Trailing 38-28, it put together a 13-play drive that drained almost seven minutes off the clock. LSU’s lead had been cut to a field goal, but Daniels was in complete control.

On the second play of the next drive, he threw a dart to junior wide receiver Malik Nabers. Nabers stayed in bounds along the sideline and picked up 44 yards. Thomas was called for holding, pushing LSU to the 37-yard line, but on the next play, Daniels led Thomas to the middle of the end zone on a deep ball.

Daniels looked at LSU’s sideline and gently nodded his head.

Thomas and Nabers continued to shine in this game. Thomas finished with 150 yards and two touchdowns. Nabers had 132 yards, giving him his sixth 100-yard game of the year, and he now has 1,284 yards receiving this season.

With a 45-35 lead, Daniels was not done. After LSU forced a turnover on downs to finally put away Florida, Daniels guided his fifth straight touchdown drive of the half. He went over 600 yards during the possession, something never accomplished by another FBS player in all the years of college football.

Who else should be at the Heisman Trophy ceremony with him?