ARKANSAS 31, NO. 9 LSU 14

Bayou bashing: Arkansas kicks in early to retain boot

Arkansas wide receiver Dominique Reed runs away from Louisiana State safety Jamal Adams for a score on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, during the first quarter at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

BATON ROUGE -- Arkansas unleashed a big-play offense and got a big boost with five sacks from its previously dormant pass rush to stun No. 9 LSU 31-14 on Saturday.

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The Razorbacks (6-4, 4-2 SEC) became bowl eligible in style, winning their fourth consecutive game in dominating fashion over the Tigers (7-2, 4-2 SEC) before a crowd of 101,699 at Tiger Stadium.

Many in the crowd booed as the Razorbacks took control in the second half and the stadium was nearly empty as Arkansas cornerback D.J. Dean intercepted a pass from Brandon Harris in the end zone with 3:26 remaining to seal the game and hand LSU Coach Les Miles with a rare night loss in Death Valley.

Arkansas has defeated LSU in back-to-back seasons and eliminated the Tigers from the SEC West race. The Razorbacks could still tie for the West title by winning out, but would lose tiebreaker scenarios to either Alabama heads up or to Ole Miss in a three-way tie.

Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema improved to 2-1 against LSU.

"That was awesome right there at the end to see a lot of Arkansas people out there smiling ear to ear," Bielema said. "To get two in a row on LSU, especially with one over here at night -- what we heard about all week -- truly does represent what we're all about."

The Razorbacks, who shutout ranked LSU and Ole Miss teams at home last season, swept the ranked Rebels and Tigers again, this time on the road.

"That was a really, really fun game," Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen said. "It's a huge momentum builder for our team. We're starting to hit our stride here late in the season. We're playing really well."

Miles fell to 48-6 in night games at Death Valley and the Tigers lost consecutive games for just the third time under Miles. Arkansas has delivered that second loss all three times.

"We faltered at the start of the game and got into no rhythm," Miles said. "Anybody who would think that this was a hangover from the Alabama game, that is absolutely not true."

The Tigers lost back-to-back games by double digits for the first time since 1999.

Arkansas disrupted Harris from the outset and finished with a season-high five sacks. Deatrich Wise manhandled any LSU offensive tackle who opposed him and posted a career-best 2 1/2 sacks, broke up two passes with crunching blindside hits and also logged a hurry. The Razorbacks came into the game with an SEC-low eight sacks.

Arkansas, which led 21-0 late in the second quarter, cashed in on three chunk-play touchdowns of 52 yards or longer and got a key defensive play to take its three-touchdown lead.

Dominique Reed opened the scoring with a tackle-breaking 52-yard score on Arkansas' second drive. Alex Collins added an 80-yard breakaway score in the second quarter then Louisiana native Jared Cornelius applied the dagger, a 69-yard end around touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

"As you could see, they didn't really expect it," Cornelius said. "I got around the corner and looked and nobody was there."

Reed cleared out the final LSU defender 60 yards downfield to pave Cornelius' route to the end zone.

"I think we'll look at that defensive film and except for three plays they played their butts off," Miles said.

Arkansas rushed for 299 yards against an LSU defense that ranked third in the SEC in allowing 113.2 rushing yards per game.

Collins overcame a first-series fumble to run for 141 yards and 2 touchdowns on 16 carries for his eighth 100-yard game of the season.

"Alex responds to challenges," Bielema said. "He's a fighter. I love him to death. He's a kid who I think is giving us his all every day, every way."

Kody Walker added 88 yards on 17 yards for the Razorbacks.

Arkansas, with offensive coordinator Dan Enos in a play-calling rhythm once again, racked up 440 total yards on an LSU defense that had been allowing 330 yards per game.

"Coach Enos and our coaches have just really focused in on who our playmakers are and have done a tremendous job getting the ball in their hands," Bielema said.

Arkansas held NCAA rushing leader Leonard Fournette to 91 yards on 19 carries.

Coming off a 442-yard, 6-touchdown performance at Ole Miss, Allen completed 9 of 16 passes for 141 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.

Harris completed 21 of 35 passes for 271 yards, but he was stripped on a 14-yard sack by Dre Greenlaw in the second quarter and Brooks Ellis returned the fumble 4 yards to the Tigers' 11.

Collins darted through a gap up the middle for a 5-yard touchdown to give Arkansas a 21-0 lead with 3:55 left in the first half.

The Tigers put together a late first-half touchdown drive as Harris completed 8 of 9 passes to pull within 21-7 on Malachi Dupre's deflected 5-yard touchdown catch.

LSU pulled within a touchdown early in the third quarter. Travin Dural caught a 25-yard pass on the first play of the second half, then Fournette got busy shredding tacklers. Fournette churned for 38 yards on three carries, then scored on a 2-yard toss play to make it 21-14. The Tigers became the fourth consecutive Arkansas opponent to open the second half with a touchdown drive.

The Razorbacks responded quickly after Reed returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards to the Arkansas 44. Allen guided a 48-yard drive that ended on Cole Hedlund's 25-yard field goal for a 24-14 lead.

Arkansas seized the early momentum when Reed took a short curl, broke outside, stiff-armed Dwayne Thomas to the grass and raced 52 yards for a touchdown on the Hogs' second possession. Two drives later, Collins bolted up the middle on a power play and took it 80 yards for a score to put LSU on its heels.

Sports on 11/15/2015