LSU delivers final blow in a shootout with Arkansas

One year ago, LSU and Arkansas played a 13-6 matchup where both defenses gave the opposing offenses fits.

This time around, the story took a 180-degree turn.

Beyond Arkansas letting the clock run out before halftime, the two teams combined for scores on 11 straight drives – which culminated with LSU kicking a field goal in the final seconds to take the 34-31 lead.

Here’s how the game unfolded in a wild back-and-forth night on the bayou.

FIRST QUARTER

(LSU wins the toss, defers to second half)

Both LSU and Arkansas traded a pair of three-and-outs across the first three minutes, then LSU’s Jay Bramblett had just a 36-yard punt to give the Razorbacks the ball near midfield.

Arkansas made good on the field position with a couple key third downs. While LSU was getting pressure on quarterback KJ Jefferson, he converted a pair of third downs on a 25-yard run and 7-yard pass. Runs on first and second down gave Arkansas a first-and-goal.

It appeared Luke Hasz was going to get into the end zone on an open touchdown, but he had to adjust to make the catch and was taken down at the 1-yard line by Major Burns. Arkansas got hit with a false start on the next play, and LSU ultimately buckled in to force the field goal.

Arkansas 3, LSU 0 – 5:56 remaining in first quarter

After trading three-and-outs to start the game, the two teams traded interceptions to close out the first quarter.

First, LSU transfer cornerback Dwight McGlothern picked off Jayden Daniels. On the next play, LSU safety Andre Sam picked off KJ Jefferson.

Malik Nabers converted a third down with a 15-yard catch, and LSU converted another first down as time expired when Aaron Anderson took a short pass for nine yards.

SECOND QUARTER

LSU began the second quarter down 3-0, but the Tigers had crossed midfield. Still, there were hiccups.

Daniels was sacked, and an incomplete pass to Brian Thomas Jr. brought 3rd-and-18 from the 47-yard line. Arkansas played it safe and gave up the dump-off throw to running back Josh Williams, which forced LSU into another punt – this time inside Arkansas territory. Bramblett’s was nearly downed at the 1-yard line, but the Tigers weren’t able to come up with the special teams play that resulted in a touchback.

Arkansas had a huge play right away when Andrew Armstrong took it 22 yards on the catch-and-run, and it would have gone for more had freshman Whit Weeks not chased the play down from the other side of the field.

The Razorbacks quickly crossed midfield, and after a Major Bruns was hit with a holding call, Arkansas used four straight runs to get back inside the 15-yard line. Armstrong turned in another big catch to convert a third down, but after the Razorbacks set up for a 1st-and-Goal from the 6-yard line, the Tigers allowed just one yard as freshmen Whit Weeks and Da’Shawn Womack hurried Jefferson’s third down throw.

Once more, Arkansas had to settle for three points after getting inside the 10-yard line.

Arkansas 6, LSU 0 – 6:33 remaining in second quarter

LSU was finally able to get on the scoreboard thanks to a huge run from Josh Williams that gained 41 yards, then tacked on 10 more yards for a face mask call on the Razorbacks. The Tigers were inside the 10-yard line, but the offensestalled out after running back John Emery was stuffed on a second down run before Jayden Daniels was brought down for the sack on third down.

Damian Ramos came on to hit the 24-yard field goal on 4th-and-Goal from the 7-yard line.

Arkansas 6, LSU 3 – 4:02 remaining in second quarter

Bend but don’t break defense only lasts so long.

Arkansas countered LSU’s first points of the game with an 8-play, 75-yard drive that took 3:14 off the clock and left the Tigers with less than a minute on offense. The dagger came on a 19-yard strike to the end zone where Jefferson hit Tyrone Broden for a touchdown. The initial call was incomplete, but an officials review overturned the call for the score.

Arkansas 13, LSU 3 – 0:48 remaining in second quarter

Before that final drive to close out the half, LSU was losing by double-digits, Daniels was 7-for-13 passing for 70 yards and an interception and was getting sacked to the point where he’s averaging 2 yards on seven carries. That’s far from his norm.

LSU needed a spark. Was it time to go to backup QB Garrett Nussmeier in the second half?

Right away, Daniels answered with a 26-yard pass to Brian Thomas, a timeout, then immediately scored on a 49-yard touchdown pass to Thomas. 

Suddenly, it was just a three point game.

Arkansas 13, LSU 10 – 0:23 remaining in second quarter

Arkansas got near midfield on a couple quick plays, but Harold Perkins ended the half with a big sack on Jefferson. From there, the Razorbacks were content with letting the clock run out on the half.

HALFTIME: Arkansas 13, LSU 10

THIRD QUARTER

LSU only needed 18 seconds to score before halftime on a 49-yard touchdown pass to Brian Thomas Jr.

When the second half started, the Tigers needed just one minute to add another score. And once again, it came on a 49-yard touchdown pass to Thomas. Arkansas jumped offsides before the snap, which gave Daniels a free play. The deep ball to Thomas was under thrown, but the junior wide receiver made an impressive play coming back on the ball, then reeling it in after it was tipped. He then cut his way past a defender and into the end zone to give LSU the team’s first lead of the game.

LSU 17, Arkansas 13 – 14:00 remaining in third quarter

Arkansas countered LSU’s quick scoring drives by keeping the offense on the field for more than eight minutes.

The Razorbacks pulled off a fake field goal on 4th-and-2 from the 19-yard line, but the Tigers buckled in to force a red-zone field goal for the third time on the night.

On third down, true freshman Da’Shawn Womack logged his first career sack when he joined Harold Perkins to bring down KJ Jefferson on 3rd-and-16. Arkansas hit the 40-yard field goal to cut the lead to one point.

LSU 17, Arkansas 16 – 5:44 remaining in third quarter

LSU took the ball back and turned up the pace once again, quickly moving down the field on a combination of runs by Jayden Daniels, Kaleb Jackson and Logan Diggs and completions to Mason Taylor and Brian Thomas.

On 2nd-and-5, Daniels found a wide open Malik Nabers across the middle for the eight-yard touchdowns.

Nine plays and 75 yards later, the Tigers scored a third touchdown over the past three offensive series.

LSU 24, Arkansas 16 – 1:40 remaining in third quarter

Arkansas was able to convert a third down to close out the final minutes of the third quarter as the Tigers took an 8-point lead into the fourth.

FOURTH QUARTER

A pair of false starts on Arkansas backed the Razorbacks up as Tiger Stadium got loud, but KJ Jefferson picked up 14 yards on 2nd-and-20 before keeping the play alive on third down and finding Luke Hasz on a busted coverage for the 59-yard touchdown.

Even after a false start on the two-point conversion, Jefferson found Hasz again to tie the game from eight yards out.

LSU 24, Arkansas 24 – 14:11 remaining in the fourth quarter

LSU had scored points on four possessions in a row, including three straight touchdowns.

The Tigers started fast, hitting tight end Mason Taylor for a 20-yard gain before Logan Diggs came up with a big 12-yard run on 3rd-and-6.

LSU faced another third down right away, but an offsides call on Arkansas moved the chains without a snap needed from the Tigers.

After getting into the red zone, LSU offensive lineman Emery Jones got hit with a block in the back that pushed the Tigers back to 2nd-and-17.

Then, Daniels delivered his best throw of the game, finding Malik Nabers in the corner of the end zone for the 20-yard touchdown strike.

LSU 31, Arkansas 24 – 9:43 remaining in fourth quarter

Toss out Arkansas letting the clock run out after getting the ball with 26 seconds left before halftime, and the past 9 offensive possessions have seen LSU and Arkansas combine for nine scores. Six of the nine drives ended in touchdowns.

Who could get a key stop in the final 10 minutes?

Arkansas quickly ran into a 3rd-and-9 after a false start, but LSU couldn’t get home to the quarterback and Jefferson avoided the pressure to find his check down throw. Rashad Dubison hauled it in, made LSU safety Andre Sam miss and ran 26 yards for the first down.

Arkansas converted another third down, then hit a deep strike for a touchdown – but it was called back on a holding call. When it felt like the penalty – and points off the board – might derail the Razorbacks, Jefferson hit a wide open Luke Hasz for a 33-yard gain.

The Razorbacks continued to shoot themselves in the foot with penalties when the offense got hit with a delay of game as the five-minute mark neared. That led to a 3rd-and-18 after an incompletion, but Harold Perkins was hit with a roughing the passer call that extended the drive with a free first down.

Once again, a wide open Hasz reeled in Jefferson’s pass and walked in for an 11-yard touchdown.

LSU 31, Arkansas 31 – 5:06 remaining in fourth quarter

LSU immediately picked up 36 yards by going to the air on first down as Daniels found a wide open Nabers to get the Tigers past midfield. Diggs carried it five yards to set up a 3rd-and-4, and LSU went to Mr. Reliable as Nabers got open and hauled in the first down.

With a little more than two minutes left, Diggs busted off a 21-yard run to the 7-yard line.

Arkansas didn’t have any timeouts remaining, so the Tigers were in a position to milk the clock as the called a timeout to regroup with 1:44 left on the clock and 1st-and-Goal. LSU spent another timeout at the :59 mark as the Tigers faced a 2nd-and-Goal from the 4-yard line.

LSU ultimately decided to bleed the clock and settle for a field goal with seven seconds left, which Damian Ramos stepped in to convert from 20 yards out to take the lead.

LSU 34, Arkansas 31 – 0:07 remaining in the fourth quarter

With just seven seconds remaining, Jefferson heaved it deep but was intercepted by LSU cornerback Zy Alexander as time expired.

FINAL: LSU 34, Arkansas 31