BATON ROUGE – LSU and Arkansas square off on Saturday here in Tiger Stadium in the annual “Battle for the Boot” where there will be much more at stake than a trophy as the ninth-ranked Tigers look to keep its chances for a berth in the College Football Playoff alive.
Kickoff between the Tigers and Razorbacks is scheduled for 6:21 p.m. on ESPN where Brad Nessler (play by play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) will be on the call.
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The game will also be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network with Patrick Wright calling the action along with former LSU great Doug Moreau (analyst) and Tiger special teams sensation Gordy Rush reporting from the sidelines.
For the second straight week, Wright will fill in for Hawthorne, who missed his first LSU football game last week since taking over as Voice of the Tigers in 1984. Hawthorne underwent a successful medical procedure two weeks ago and is expected to be back in the booth for LSU’s season-finale against Texas A&M on Nov. 28.
LSU goes into the Arkansas game ranked No. 9 in the nation in all three major polls – College Football Playoff ranking, Amway/USA Today Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25. The Tigers are coming off their first loss of the season a week ago, falling to Alabama, 30-16, in Tuscaloosa.
The Tigers bring a 7-1 overall mark and a 4-1 league record into the game. Under Les Miles, LSU is 27-2 in games following a loss. The Tigers are also 48-5 in night games in Tiger Stadium and 49-4 as a Top 10 team in Death Valley. The Tigers are 9-2-1 against the Razorbacks in Tiger Stadium.
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The Razorbacks (5-4 overall, 3-2 in SEC) are currently playing their best football of the season as they have won three straight and four of their last five, which includes a 53-52 overtime win over Ole Miss last week in Oxford. Since opening the season 1-3, the Razorbacks have reeled off wins over Tennessee (24-20), Auburn (54-46 4OT), and Tennessee-Martin (63-28). The only loss for Arkansas since the beginning of October came at Alabama by a 27-14 count.
A year ago, freezing temperatures and a stingy Arkansas defense were too much for LSU to overcome as the Tigers dropped a 17-0 decision to the Razorbacks in Fayetteville. The shutout was just the second for LSU under Miles and allowed Arkansas to snap a three-game winning streak in the series by the Tigers. The victory also sent the “Boot” back to Fayetteville for the first time since 2010.
“We have a good football team with a lot still left to play for,” LSU coach Miles said. “We’re a team that, if you stay once defeated, that at the back end of this things, you can just never tell. There’s too much to play for over these final three weeks of the regular season.
“We had really good week of preparation. I like the energy that we’ve had on the practice field and the way the players mastered the game plan. This is a hard working group of guys. They have put last week behind them and our focus is strictly on Saturday against Arkansas.”
LSU brings the nation’s top rusher in Leonard Fournette into the contest as the sophomore has accumulated 1,383 yards and 16 touchdowns in eight games this year. Fournette is averaging 172.9 yards per game and is on pace to shatter every single-season LSU rushing record.
Fournette is not LSU’s only offensive weapon as sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris has completed 81-of-147 passes for 1,226 yards, 10 touchdowns and just one interception. His pass efficiency rating of 146.2 ranks fifth in the SEC.
Travin Dural (26 rec., 503 yards, 3 TDs) and Malachi Dupre (23 rec., 420 yards, 5 TDs) are LSU’s top receiving threats, while true freshman Derrius Guice is second on the team in rushing with 316 yards to go with a pair of TDs.
The Tigers offense is averaging 36.0 points and 430.5 total yards (277.2 rushing, 153.2 passing) a game. LSU ranks first in the SEC in rushing yards a contest and they will face an Arkansas defense that is allowing 129.4 yards a game. Overall, Arkansas is allowing 29.4 points and ranks No. 12 in the SEC in total defense, giving up 413.0 yards a contest.
Against Arkansas, the Tigers will face a Razorback team that statistically is one of the best in the SEC at throwing the football. Quarterback Brandon Allen ranks second in the SEC in passing yards (2,476), touchdowns (21) and passing yards per game (275.1). Allen leads the league in pass efficiency with a 164.7 rating as he’s completed 174-of-268 passes with just five interceptions.
Allen also has the luxury of playing behind one of the best, and biggest, offensive lines in the SEC. The Razorbacks have given up just 10 sacks this year.
When the Razorbacks aren’t throwing the ball, they turn to running back Alex Collins, who is just the third player in SEC history to begin a career with three straight 1,000-yard seasons. Collins currently third in the SEC in rushing with 1,068 yards and 12 TDs.
“This will be a great challenge, but one that our guys are looking forward to,” Miles said of facing a very powerful Arkansas offense. “Arkansas has a very talented offense with a big line, a very nice back and a quality quarterback.
“We like our front seven and think they matchup with anyone in our league. It’s going to be fun to watch them go against this Arkansas offense.”
Defensively, the Tigers are allowing 23.5 points and 330.6 total yards (113.2 rushing, 217.4 passing). LSU has allowed just one first quarter touchdown all season and the Tigers have held its first eight opponents to just 64 first half points.
Linebackers Kendell Beckwith (62 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss) and Deion Jones (60 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 5 QB hurries, 2 interceptions) are LSU’s top producers on defense. Defensive end Lewis Neal leads the Tigers and ranks among the best in the SEC in tackles for loss (8.0) and sacks (2.0).
“There is always extra incentive in this game as we are playing to win back the Boot,” Miles said. “The Boot is a prideful trophy to our team and it’s a big part of the tradition between LSU and Arkansas.
“The LSU-Arkansas game seems to always be an exciting game with some twists and turns that you don’t expect. Our football team is ready for the challenge and excited to be back in Tiger Stadium for this SEC Western Division matchup.”