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BATON ROUGE, La. — Jayden Daniels accounted for 606 total yards and five touchdowns and became the first quarterback in FBS history to have at least 350 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in a game as No. 19 LSU defeated Florida 52-35 on Saturday night.

Daniels continued to make his case for the Heisman Trophy, leading the Tigers (7-3, 5-2 SEC) to touchdowns on five consecutive second-half possessions, completing 17 of 26 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns, and running 12 times for 234 yards and two touchdowns.

“If [Daniels] didn’t win [the Heisman Trophy] tonight, he has got to be the leading candidate,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said. “Unless the Heisman is just about popularity. If you want to be the most popular, then fine, but he is the best player in college football.

“He did something tonight that no one has ever done. If that doesn’t make you the leading candidate, then maybe the Heisman isn’t really for the best player.”

Having been in concussion protocol throughout the week leading up to the game because of an injury suffered last week against Alabama, Daniels was quick to credit his teammates and supporting cast.

“God created me to be tough and get through stuff quickly,” he said. “This was my first concussion to get over, and I did everything they said I needed to do to play and progress daily. It all worked out.

“I try to be as patient as I can in the pocket and let plays open up, but when I see a lane open up, I’m going to be decisive and take it.”

Florida (5-5, 3-4 SEC) took its only lead in the third quarter 28-24 on a 21-yard touchdown run by Trevor Etienne and Graham Mertz‘s 1-yard run.

But Daniels scored from 51 yards out on the ground and then on LSU’s ensuing possession found Noah Cain for a 38-yard touchdown pass to make it 38-28.

His career night continued into the fourth quarter when he connected with Brian Thomas for a 37-yard touchdown to make it 45-35.

Daniels connected with Thomas again late in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.

Thomas had 150 yards on six catches and a pair of scores.

LSU took a 10-point lead early in the second quarter. Damian Ramos had a 28-yard field goal and Daniels added an 85-yard touchdown run, the longest in LSU history for a quarterback, to make it 17-7.

“Usually those guys tire out,” Kelly said of his quarterback’s long run. “Smokey the Bear usually jumps on his back at about 30 yards and lactic acid kicks in and they are gone. [Jayden] kept going. He’s a phenomenal athlete. He’s the best playmaker in the country. I’ve watched them all.

“You can say whatever you want, we are 7-3 and whoever else is undefeated. That doesn’t mean anything. What matters is who is the best player, and he is the best player. A night like tonight kind of solidifies that.”

Both teams scored on their opening possessions. LSU took a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Josh Williams to cap a 7-play, 75-yard drive.

Florida answered, going 75 yards in 8 plays, tying the game at 7 when Mertz found Eugene Wilson III for a 9-yard touchdown.

Etienne led the Gators, rushing for 99 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries.

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Sources: Sooners DT Stone hits transfer portal

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Sources: Sooners DT Stone hits transfer portal

Oklahoma defensive tackle David Stone entered the NCAA transfer portal Friday, sources told ESPN.

Stone, a former five-star recruit and the No. 6 overall player in the ESPN 300 for the 2024 class, made the surprising decision to enter the portal after playing in all 13 games as a true freshman with the Sooners. The 6-foot-3 313-pounder saw limited playing time, playing 88 snaps and recording 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack.

Stone was expected to compete for a more significant role as a sophomore, and Oklahoma coach Brent Venables recently praised him as the Sooners’ most improved defensive tackle this offseason.

The Oklahoma native finished his high school career at IMG Academy in Florida and was a significant recruiting victory for Venables and his coaching staff in August 2023. Stone chose the Sooners over Texas A&M, Oregon, Florida, Miami and Michigan State.

The SEC does not grant immediate eligibility to players who transfer within the conference during the spring transfer window, so Stone would need to sit out the 2025 season if he moves on to another SEC program.

Oklahoma returns its top three defensive tackles from 2024 in Damonic Williams, Gracen Halton and Jayden Jackson. It also added Trent Wilson, the No. 164 recruit in the ESPN 300 for 2025, as an early enrollee this spring.

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QB Browne returns to Purdue after brief UNC stint

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QB Browne returns to Purdue after brief UNC stint

Quarterback Ryan Browne has decided to transfer back to Purdue after joining North Carolina earlier this offseason.

Browne committed to rejoining the Boilermakers on Friday after entering his name in the NCAA transfer portal Wednesday.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound redshirt sophomore started two games for Purdue in 2024 but moved on amid the program’s head coaching change and went through spring practice under new Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick.

North Carolina landed a commitment from South Alabama transfer quarterback Gio Lopez on Thursday.

Browne and freshman Bryce Baker were North Carolina’s lone scholarship quarterbacks available for spring practice and were competing with three walk-ons while sixth-year senior Max Johnson recovers from a broken leg.

Browne threw for 636 yards, rushed for 240 yards and scored four touchdowns while appearing in nine games as Hudson Card’s backup over the past two seasons at Purdue, earning starts in losses to Illinois and Oregon.

By returning to West Lafayette, Browne will get an opportunity to compete for a starting job with Arkansas transfer Malachi Singleton, Washington State transfer Evans Chuba and Bennett Meredith, a former Arizona State transfer.

The Boilermakers lost one quarterback, EJ Colson, to the transfer portal earlier this week.

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U-M’s Underwood has up-and-down spring game

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U-M's Underwood has up-and-down spring game

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood showed glimpses of the growing pains he will experience as a freshman and flashes of the promise that made him the nation’s top-rated high school football recruit in the Wolverines’ spring game Saturday.

Underwood was 12 of 26 for 187 yards with a scrimmage-ending, 88-yard pass to tight end Jalen Hoffman on a reverse flea-flicker in a 17-0 win for the Blue over the Maize.

He also recovered his fumble, had a pair of delay-of-game penalties, several errant throws – high and wide – and some dropped. Underwood lost 12 yards on two sacks and gained 17 yards on three runs.

“He did well,” coach Sherrone Moore said. “Made some really, good throws and had some things we need to clean up and get better at.”

As the Wolverines wrapped up spring football in front of about 40,000 fans at the Big House, all eyes were on Underwood and he has become comfortable with that.

“It’s just the pressure that came with my arm,” Underwood told The Detroit News earlier this spring. “I can’t stop that.”

Underwood was sacked on his first snap and his first completion went for a loss. He did throw some darts, usually in the flat, and was quick enough to escape collapsed pockets to pick up yardage with his feet.

Underwood is expected to compete with sophomore Jadyn Davis and Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene for playing time ahead of the season-opening game on Aug. 30 at home against Fresno State.

“It’s a battle,” Moore said. “It’s going to go all the way to fall camp.”

Underwood is motivated to start and kick off a legacy-building career with lofty goals.

“A couple of Heismans and at least one natty,” Underwood said last month in an interview on the Rich Eisen Show.

Underwood knows there will be people doubting he can live up to the hype.

‘He’s just a freshman. He won’t be good enough,'” Underwood said. “I might keep that chip my whole three years.”

He attended at Belleville High School, which is about 15 miles east of Ann Arbor, and flipped his commitment to Michigan after telling LSU coaches last year he intended to play there.

Tom Brady, a former Wolverine and seven-time Super Bowl winner, talked with Underwood during the school’s recruitment via FaceTime and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, one of the world’s richest people, also connected with him.

Jay Underwood told the Wall Street Journal that his son is expected to make more than $15 million at Michigan, but that doesn’t guarantee he will take the first snap next fall.

“He wants to earn everything,” Moore has said. “He doesn’t want to be given anything.”

Hoffman said Underwood has simply blended in with his teammates.

“He’s really humble, like not a big head, ego, nothing like that,” he said. “Comes into work and every day, he wants to get better every day. He’s not riding off his success in high school. He’s really trying to be one of those top players in college football.”

Underwood participated in practices with the team before it beat Alabama in a bowl game, enrolled in classes in January and gained a lot experience in 14 private practices before a public scrimmage.

“Football is football,” he told MLive.com. “School is a little bit more overwhelming now.”

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