Big drive helps set the tone

BATON ROUGE — The odds didn’t look good of Arkansas scoring when it got the ball for its fifth possession against LSU.

LSU came into the game leading the SEC and ranking second in the nation in total defense, holding opponents to an average of 257. 6 yards per game, and the Razorbacks were backed up to their 3-yard line, where the Tigers had downed a punt.

“It was a battle of field position,” Arkansas junior center Jonathan Luigs said. “We knew we had to at least get the ball off our goal line.”

The Razorbacks did a lot better than that. They drove 97 yards in nine plays, capped by Darren McFadden’s 16-yard touchdown run, to take a 7-6 lead with 7: 33 left in the second quarter.

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“We had good play-calling and everybody executed,” Luigs said. “It helped us get on track the rest of the way.”

The 97-yard drive was the longest for a touchdown by the Razorbacks this season, surpassing the 84-yarders they had against Alabama and Tennessee.

“It was a gigantic drive,” Arkansas offensive coordinator David Lee said. “We had to get something going.

“ We pieced some things together and Darren did a great job.”

McFadden started the drive with a 12-yard run to give the Razorbacks some breathing room and just their second first down of the game.

LSU helped with a pass interference call, and the Razorbacks got another big play on Felix Jones’ 31-yard run.

Scoring record Arkansas has now scored a season-record 478 points, breaking the mark of 436 in 2003, when the Razorbacks also did some overtime work in beating Kentucky 71-63 (seven OTs ) and Alabama (34-31 in two OTs. ) Junior tailback Darren McFadden provided the recordsetting points on his 73-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. On that run, McFadden also broke his school single-season rushing record (he now has 1, 725 ) and extended his school records for 100-yard games in a season (nine ) and career (21 ). Bringing back Boot Arkansas has a nice area in its football museum in the Broyles Complex set aside for displaying the Boot, a gold trophy shaped like the states of Arkansas and Louisiana. Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, that space had been empty for the past four years while LSU was winning in the series. But the Boot was flown back to Fayetteville with the team after Friday’s game.

Hogs do it again Arkansas snapped LSU’s 18-game November winning streak. Before Friday, the Tigers hadn’t lost in November since 2002, when the Razorbacks beat them on Nov. 29 at Little Rock, 21-20, on Matt Jones’ last-second touchdown pass to DeCori Birmingham. LSU also had a 19-game home winning streak broken. The last visiting team to win at Tiger Stadium had been Tennessee on Sept. 26, 2005. Ball control Arkansas cornerback Matterral Richardson’s interception on a two-point conversion attempt clinched the Razorbacks’ victory. But technically, it wasn’t a turnover. The Razorbacks suffered just one turnover, when Darren McFadden lost the ball returning a kickoff on the game’s opening play and LSU recovered. That means the Razorbacks and Tigers combined for 172 offensive snaps — 77 by Arkansas and 95 by LSU — without either team suffering a turnover.

First time When Arkansas held LSU to two field goals in the first half, it marked the only half of play this season in which the Tigers didn’t score a touchdown.

Injury report Senior defensive end Chris Wade started in place of sophomore Malcolm Sheppard, who didn’t play because of an ankle injury. Junior offensive tackle Jose Valdez also missed the game because of an ankle injury. He was replaced by senior Robert Felton, who moved from guard to start at tackle. Redshirt freshman DeMarcus Love started at guard in Felton’s usual spot. Senior free safety Matt Hewitt had sore ribs after the game, but should be ready to play in the Razorbacks’ bowl game.

Thumbs up To Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick, for throwing a mean block on LSU safety Chad Jones 50 yards downfield to help make sure Darren McFadden finished his 73-yard touchdown run. To Arkansas offensive coordinator David Lee for coming up with that 73-yard play out of the WildHog halftime adjustments. To Arkansas senior fullback Peyton Hillis for catching, running and blocking his way into a high NFL Draft spot. To the Razorbacks’ defense, for keeping Arkansas in the game in the first half despite LSU enjoying such favorable field position.

Thumbs down To LSU receiver Early Doucet for drawing an illegal formation penalty that negated a long touchdown pass by the Tigers. To LSU’s No. 2-rated national run defense, which gave up 385 rushing yards. That’s 307 more than its average. To Arkansas’ Jeremy Davis for shanking punts of 22 and 23 yards out of bounds.