FAYETTEVILLE — LSU bounced back from the post-Alabama blues for the first time in three years to reclaim the Golden Boot in resounding fashion.
Game Sketch
RECORDS: LSU 6-3, 4-2 SEC; Arkansas 6-4, 2-4
STARS: LSU’s Derrius Guice rushed for a career-high 252 yards and 2 touchdowns and Leonard Fournette added 98 yards and 3 touchdowns.
TURNING POINT: After Dwayne Eugene recovered Leonard Fournette’s fumble at the LSU 28 early in the third quarter, the Tigers held Arkansas to a field goal, then LSU stormed down the field for a Fournette touchdown and a 28-10 lead.
KEY STATS: LSU outgained Arkansas 547-291 in total offense, 390-81 in rushing and held the ball 35:11 to the Hogs’ 24:49.
UP NEXT: The Razorbacks travel to Starkville, Miss., to face Mississippi State for a 6 p.m. kickoff at Davis-Wade Stadium.
The No. 24 Tigers jumped out to a three-touchdown lead in the first 20 minutes and rode their ground game past Arkansas 38-10 on Saturday before a crowd of 75,156 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
LSU (6-3, 4-2 SEC) had looked sluggish in consecutive losses to Arkansas (6-4, 2-4) the past two years after losses against Alabama. But interim coach Ed Orgeron lit a fire under the Tigers, whose big lead cleared more than half the fans from the stands halfway through the fourth quarter, much as the Razorbacks did in Tiger Stadium last year.
“Arkansas sees us as an easy victory every time we lose to Bama because we always play them right after,” said LSU tailback Derrius Guice, who rushed for a career-high 252 yards and two touchdowns. “They felt like it was just a tradition to beat us every time we play Bama and lose.”
The sophomore put a stamp on the game with a 96-yard touchdown run, the longest play from scrimmage in LSU history, midway through the fourth quarter. Leonard Fournette added 98 rushing yards, his best total in three games against the Hogs, and three touchdowns.
A sizable contingent of LSU players rocked back and forth on the sideline in the closing seconds, then sprinted across the field to claim the gold-plated Boot trophy in the southwest corner of the field. The Tigers carried the 175-pound trophy, in the shape of Arkansas and Louisiana, to the northeast corner of the stadium to display to their fans.
“We had almost 400 yards rushing to their 81, and I think that was the difference in the game,” Orgeron said. “We outphysicaled them, and that was what we wanted to do. Our guys wanted the Boot and to take that back to Louisiana. Just a great night for us.”
Up next: Mississippi State, Saturday, 6 p.m. Central, Davis-Wade Stadium, Starkville, Miss., ESPN Network
The Tigers shredded the Hogs for 390 rushing yards and won the time of possession by 35:11 to 24:49.
“Give credit to LSU,” Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said. “They obviously came in with a game plan and executed very, very well for four quarters.
“We just do so much better defensively when we’re coming downhill and playing aggressive and resetting the line of scrimmage. At times we did that, but when we didn’t, they gashed us.”
In Arkansas’ four losses to SEC West rivals Texas A&M, Alabama, Auburn and LSU, its opponents have rushed for 1,563 yards — an average of 390.8 per game — 19 touchdowns and an average of 8.7 yards per carry.
LSU outgained the Razorbacks 547-291 in total offense and won the turnover battle 3-2.
Arkansas managed only 81 rushing yards, the second time in three games the Razorbacks had less then 100 yards. Rawleigh Williams had 49 yards to reach 1,004 on the season. It was his first 1,000-yard season, and it gave Coach Bret Bielema a 1,000-yard rusher in all 11 of his seasons as a head coach.
Allen was out of rhythm much of the game. The junior finished 15-of-31 passing for 210 yards, with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions.
Allen insisted he was healthy after the game.
“You never want to go out on a Saturday and play like that,” Allen said. “You get 12 opportunities, and you kind of waste one. I’m kind of sick to my stomach at the way I played.
“I feel like I let the seniors down, let everyone down. Didn’t convert third downs, capitalize in the red zone. We got our tails kicked.”
After Williams took a screen pass 54 yards to the LSU 18 midway through the fourth quarter, Allen’s next pass was picked off by Dwayne Thomas at the 3.
Another play seemed to symbolize the day for the Hogs. After the officials ruled tight end Jeremy Sprinkle had scored on a 10-yard pass, the replay booth overruled the call and spotted the ball on the half yard line. Running back Devwah Whaley fumbled into the end zone on the next snap, and LSU linebacker Kendell Beckwith recovered.
The Razorbacks were playing their fifth consecutive game against a ranked opponent, the first time that has happened in the FBS ranks since Tennessee did it in 2013.
Trailing 21-7 at the half, Arkansas had an opening to get back in contention early in the third quarter when Randy Ramsey stripped the ball from Fournette and Eugene recovered the ball at the Tigers’ 28.
Williams broke loose for an 18-yard run on the next snap to reach the 10-yard line, then rushed for 4 yards on the next snap to push his season total to 1,003 yards. The Tigers stuffed him on second down, and Arden Key broke up Allen’s pass on third down.
Adam McFain’s 24-yard field goal cut Arkansas’ deficit to 21-10.
LSU faced a second and long at the 10 after a holding penalty before a flurry of big plays. Fournette rushed for 17 yards around right end, then Guice got around the left edge for a 38-yard gain. Guice ran for 15 more on the next play, then Ramsey drew a personal foul for a light push on Danny Etling as he ran out of bounds.
Fournette powered in for his third touchdown, a 3-yard burst at right end, two plays later to make it 28-10.
Arkansas did not cross midfield until its fifth possession, after LSU had taken a 21-0 lead. Whaley broke loose around left end and barreled for 34 yards, stiff-arming Jamal Adams to the turf as he was pushed out of bounds on the LSU sideline.
The series looked to be in jeopardy after Keon Hatcher’s false start and a 9-yard sack set up third and 22. Dominique Reed released past LSU corner Tre’Davious White on the left edge, and Allen laid a deep ball perfectly in his hands for a 44-yard touchdown pass with 5:52 left in the first half.