BATON ROUGE, La. -- Florida coach Jim McElwain watched his Gators overcome injuries, an extra road game and repeated adversity in the shadow of their own goal line. That should be valuable experience for a feisty football team thatll face long odds again when it meets top-ranked Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game in a couple weeks.Floridas defense stuffed LSUs Derrius Guice on a do-or-die run from the 1-yard line in the final seconds, and the No. 23 Gators held on for a tension-filled 16-10 victory that clinched the Southeastern Conference East Division on Saturday.I cant tell you how proud I am of our players and our staff, and Im happy for our Gator fans who dont think were very good, but all we do is end up back in Atlanta, said McElwain, whose Gators (8-2, 6-2 SEC, No. 21 AP) also won the SEC East last year.The final play capped a defensive struggle in which No. 16 LSU converted a fourth-and-10 play on its final drive, only to get stopped on back-to-back runs from the 1 to end the game. Fullback J.D. Moore came up short on third down.Florida quarterback Austin Appleby completed only seven passes on 17 attempts, but one of his connections went for a pivotal 98-yard touchdown to Tyrie Cleveland. Eddy Piniero scored the rest of Floridas points on field goals of 36, 24 and 34 yards.LSU (6-4, 4-3 SEC) controlled most of the game and held statistical advantages, outgaining Florida 423 yards to 270 and holding possession for 34:02. LSU also led 7-0 after Guices early 1-yard touchdown.But on three occasions, the Tigers failed to score after driving inside Floridas 10 -- the first time because of Guices fumble in the first half and the second time because of a botched field goal in the third quarter. LSUs lone field goal came three failed plays after the Tigers had a first-and-goal from the 4.We just shot ourselves in the foot. We had a lot of opportunities, said LSU interim coach Ed Orgeron, whose prospects of keeping the job long term werent helped by the result.Had the Tigers, who came in as two-touchdown favorites, converted a few more of those opportunities, theyd still be in good shape to get the SECs Sugar Bowl bid.Not anymore.THE TAKEAWAYFlorida: Missing a handful of starters, the Gators played with a lot of heart and relied heavily on their elite defense to pull off the upset.LSU: The Tigers two turnovers and botched field goal turned what could have been a fairly comfortable victory into a losing struggle.VINDICATIONMcElwain sounded eager to revisit questions about whether his program tried to dodge the Tigers when the original game in Florida was postponed by Hurricane Matthew in early October. Florida balked at initial offers to move the game to LSU as the storm approached, or to play at home one or two days after the originally scheduled time. That left the SEC little choice but to postpone the game until both teams could buy out non-league opponents. But LSU refused to give up a home game, forcing Florida to travel if it wanted a shot to play for a conference title.The way I look at it, they got what they deserved -- and it should have been worse, McElwain said.Florida cornerback Jalen Tabor mocked Floridas critics by making light of the matter.We didnt have no courage, he said. I guess out of fear we fought back.TOUGH DAYLSU starting defensive back Donte Jackson was in coverage on Applebys long scoring pass down the right sideline to Cleveland, who then escaped Jacksons grasp after the catch near midfield. After LSU went down 13-10 in the fourth quarter, Jackson fumbled a kickoff return by running into his own teammate, setting up Floridas final field goal.INJURIESLSU lost a key defender in the first half when middle linebacker Kendell Beckwith needed help off the field. He spent the rest of the game on the sideline with his left knee heavily wrapped. LSU star running back Leonard Fournette, who played despite being banged up last week, came out of the game for good after being stopped short on a third-and-goal play in the second half.EMOTIONAL FLARE-UPThe two teams scuffled near the middle of the field about an hour before kickoff. Several people viewing warmups captured video they posted on social media. It was mostly yelling and shoving as coaches and police working security converged quickly to break it up. Some players also acted as peacemakers. One video captured Fournette pushing Florida defensive backs coach Torrian Gray away from a cluster of LSU players and coaches.POLL IMPLICATIONSFlorida is likely to climb back into the Top 20. LSU might not fall out of the poll , but will be punished for its squandered opportunities.UP NEXTFlorida: The Gators renew their non-conference rivalry with Florida State in Tallahassee.LSU: The Tigers visit Texas A&M on Thanksgiving night.Justin Turner Dodgers Jersey . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. Stitched Dodgers Jerseys . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. https://www.cheapdodgersonline.com/105h-kyle-garlick-jersey-dodgers.html . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. Ramon Martinez Jersey . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Keibert Ruiz Jersey . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay.PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin believes LeVeon Bell and DeAngelo Williams can be on the field at the same time.Tomlin didnt say backfield, however. And theres a difference. A big one.Bells return from a three-game suspension for violating the leagues substance abuse policy gives the Steelers (2-1) one of the best running back combinations in the NFL. It also allows offensive coordinator Todd Haley to get creative in figuring out how to keep both of them involved.The proof came during practice on Wednesday, when Bell went streaking down the sideline and hauled in a rainbow from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger while remembering to keep his two feet inbounds.I want to be a player for all aspects of the game, Bell said. I want to catch short passes, downfield, whatever it may be.Bell hauled in 82 passes during his breakout season in 2014, obliterating the club record for receptions by a running back. At 6-foot-2 he presents a matchup problem for opposing defenses and has spent the last three years taking copious mental notes as All-Pro teammate Antonio Brown became one of the best wide receivers in the game. There are worse examples to follow. A lot worse.I just watch him and how to release in different situations, Bell said. I try to put that in my game.Bell grew up in Ohio idolizing Randy Moss having his uncle throw passes to him. If things had gone a different way, maybe Bell would have followed the future Hall of Famers path. Bells body made the choice for him. He grew to 245 pounds during his college career at Michigan State, though hes trimmed down considerably as a pro and and spent the last couple of offseasons focusing on his agility. His Instagram feed is sprinkled with the occasional video of Bells feet a blur underneath him as he weaves around obstacles like a bulkier version of Brown getting loose in an opposing secondary.Im sure if he went receiver full-time, lost a couple of pounds, hed be fantastic, Pittsburgh wide receiver Markus Wheaton said.Bell certainly was in 2014, though the majority of his hookups with Roethlisberger were screens or simple flares out of the backfield. Not so much anymore. Bell believes he can be a threat going deep and the coaches seem to aagree.dddddddddddd Haley expanded Bells role in the passing game during organized team activities and minicamp, though Roethlisberger stressed that doesnt mean Bell can bail on his day job: taking a handoff and dancing upfield as often as possible.Were not going to take the RB off the front of his name and put WR, Roethlisberger said. But I definitely think that hes one of our best receivers.And Williams remains one of the most effective running backs around, even at 33. He ranks seventh in the league in yards rushing even with a 21-yard performance in last weeks loss to Philadelphia. Williams has long since taken his ego out of the equation, saying the starting job is Bells whenever Bell is available.The two-back system would work here, but Bell is so dynamic when he plays the game I dont want him to come off the field, Williams said.The feeling is mutual. If things work out, maybe Williams and Bell become the millennial version of Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier. Maybe.Hes a guy who should be out there, Bell said of Williams. Whether Im a receiver blocking for him, or if Im at receiver and hes in protection and Im running routes, whatever it may be. You want to give teams different looks, make them not sure what personnel to be out there.Thats kind of the point.We can mix it up, Wheaton said. We can go big guys and spread them out with him and create matchup problems.Regardless, Bell is simply relieved to be talking about football and not the off-the-field issues -- health and otherwise -- that have dogged him for the last 12 months.Last year we started to get into me moving around and things like that, we want that to continue to grow, Bell said. I dont want to fall off what Ive learned already. I should be fine. Ill accept the workload and Ill be ready.Game notesG Ramon Foster (chest), S Robert Golden (hamstring), S Sean Davis (back), LB Ryan Shazier (knee) and WR Eli Rogers (toe) did not practice on Wednesday. LB Lawrence Timmons, who left the Eagles game with a puncture wound, was a full participant.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '