Late in Saturday’s matchup, it looked like the LSU TIgers (8-2, 5-2 SEC) were going to let the Arkansas Razorbacks (2-8, 0-6 SEC) right back into the ballgame. However, the Tigers were able to hang on for dear life and come away with a 24-17 win in Fayetteville.
After exchanging the ball for much of the first quarter, LSU took the early 7-0 lead with Joe Burrow finding Justin Jefferson for a 40-yard touchdown, his first touchdown pass since the Ole Miss game.
The score remained 7-0 until late in the second quarter when LSU went on a 14-play drive that took over seven minutes off the clock and was capped off by a 12-yard run by Nick Brossette to make it 14-0. A 24-yard field goal by Connor Limpert as time expired made it 14-3 as both teams headed into the locker room for halftime.
It was a slow start for both teams in the second half, but Joe Burrow heated up on the Tigers second drive in the third quarter when he connected with Justin Jefferson on two straight passes to get them down to the Arkansas 13-yard line. Clyde Edwards-Helaire finished the job with a 13-yard touchdown run to make it 21-3.
After a 40-yard field goal from Cole Tracy, the Razorbacks started to fight back with Ty Storey leading them on a quick march down the field that ended with the freshman connecting with Cheyenne O’Grady to make it 24-10. Things continued to turn around for the Hogs late in the game when they stopped Edwards-Helaire on a 4th and 1 and turned that into another seven points when Storey found O’Grady yet again with a 32-yard touchdown pass.
It wasn’t enough though as LSU was able to force the Razorbacks to use their final timeout and were able to salt away the clock to lock up their 19th consecutive eight-win season.
LSU will return to the friendly confines next Saturday when they take on the Rice Owls (1-10) with kickoff set for 6:30 pm.
-Clint Domingue