FAYETTEVILLE -- The storming of the field at Reynolds Razorback Stadium late Saturday was an impromptu event just more than two years in the making for the Arkansas faithful.
It was technically 763 days (2 years and 33 days), which helps explain why sub-freezing temperature at the end of Arkansas' 17-0 shutout of No. 17 LSU did not deter fans from rushing onto the playing surface to soak in the end of the Razorbacks' 17-game SEC losing streak.
Coach Bret Bielema, grinning ear to ear with his wife, Jen, by his side, was ringed by security personnel, but that didn't stop exuberant well wishers, from rushing up to shake hands, pat his back and shout out thanks.
"Today didn't just happen today," Bielema said. "Today was the process of 24/7 over the last how many ever months to get to where we are.
"I can't say as a 5-5 coach that I enjoyed the championship years somewhere else any more than to see the growth out of some of these guys, and to see the genuine expression at the end of the game there and to see these guys grab me. I think I hugged everybody twice."
Arkansas players sprinted to the LSU sideline at game's end to seize the Golden Boot Trophy, much as former Razorback David Bazzel, the impetus behind the creation of the trophy, exhorted them to do in his emotional Friday talk to the team.
"It was crazy. I wish I had a video camera to videotape all of it," running back Jonathan Williams said.
The Razorbacks had to contend with a large number of fans who streamed onto the playing field during the postgame celebration.
Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen said, with a smile, that it might have been a little harder to evade the fans than it was to escape LSU blitzes.
"They were swarming all over us," Allen said of the fans.
The SEC will release its ruling on Arkansas' violation of the league's competitive playing field rules, said Herb Vincent, the SEC's associate commissioner for communications. The Razorbacks will likely be subject to a $5,000 fine for a first offense of the regulations.
Defensive backs D.J. Dean, Tevin Mitchel and Kevin Richardson were the first Hogs to get their hands on the 175-pound trophy. A photo of Mitchel, standing high on equipment boxes, hands upraised, surrounded by running back Alex Collins, cornerback Carroll Washington, the massive trophy, and a flood of teammates and fans, bounced all over the Internet overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning.
"When you finally get to go to victory offense for the first time against an SEC opponent, I mean, it was a little overwhelming," said offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, who was admittedly overcome with emotion. "It was fun to see our kids that had worked so hard finally get a victory. It was neat. It meant a lot to us."
Defensive coordinator Robb Smith and assistants Clay Jennings, Randy Shannon and Rory Segrest spearheaded a plan that led to Arkansas' first shutout of an SEC opponent in more than 12 years, since a 23-0 victory over South Carolina in 2002.
"Just watching our guys run across the field there, the emotion, the excitement, to get the boot was just -- that's why you do it, for feelings like that at the end of a football game," Smith said. "To watch your guys work through a process and be successful at it, that's a great thing."
The Razorbacks appeared to have a bounce in their steps, as well as smiles on their faces, some of them briefly engaging with reporters as they went about their typical Sunday routine at the Fred Smith Center.
Now, Arkansas must refocus for their home finale in five days. It's opponent, Ole Miss, has had an open date following a a 48-0 victory against Presbyterian, virtually three weeks to back off the SEC grind, get healthier and focus on the Razorbacks.
The Rebels were No. 10 in last week's College Football Playoff rankings and there is a chance for them to move up when the next poll is released Tuesday night. Three teams ranked ahead of the Rebels -- No. 1 Mississippi State, No. 6 Arizona State and No. 9 Auburn -- lost Saturday.
Mississippi State is not likely to drop under Ole Miss, but losses by Arizona State and Auburn will create two openings in the top 10.
Wherever they land, Mississippi will be eighth consecutive ranked opponent Arkansas has faced in SEC play, and the sixth in the top 10.
"I saw some guys down there taking a look at Ole Miss tape already," Smith said. "We'll spend the rest of the day here and clean up some issues that we had last night, move forward and get a jump on Ole Miss today."
Chaney said he's unconcerned about how the emotional release of Saturday night will impact the Razorbacks' preparation for Ole Miss.
"We've had some major disappointments and move on to the next game ... and now, we've had a big win," Chaney said. "It doesn't change. The time between that game and the next game remains constant throughout the week.
"We're just creatures of habit and we'll just continue down that path and I think our kids understand that. They know what's coming down the path at us. Ole Miss is an extremely good defense. Statistics would show that as the video does also."
Bielema said late Saturday that he and assistant coaches Barry Lunney and Sam Pittman had a moment of clarity earlier Saturday while watching other games.
"We knew we were going to play well today," Bielema said. "We had a good feeling about victory and having a chance to win a football game.
"It was kind of funny because we started laughing. We were like, 'Yeah, we're excited to play the No. 17 team in the country. Normally that's not the way you think. But we played some really good teams, and just to have the adversity ... if it's [No.] 1 or 17, they're excited to play the game and these seniors deserved to taste a little bit of success. And then we'll do everything we can to get them another one this week."
Sports on 11/17/2014