2024-10-20 11:35:03
FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas football team could not recreate home-field magic against a top-10 team Saturday night.
Eighth-ranked LSU never trailed and pulled away late to defeat the Razorbacks 34-10 in front of an announced attendance of 75,893 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The fourth-largest attendance in stadium history was reduced to mostly a smattering of visiting fans in purple and gold by game’s end.
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was efficient with a 22-of-33, 224-yard passing performance and running back Caden Durham ran for 3 touchdowns to lead the Tigers (6-1, 3-0 SEC) to their sixth consecutive victory. LSU won its third in a row over Arkansas and won its fifth consecutive game in Fayetteville.
The Razorbacks have not defeated the Tigers on their home field since 2014.
LSU coach Brian Kelly was pleased with his team’s performance.
“These games have always been close games, but to come down here and play the kind of football we did today, which was controlling the line of scrimmage — [Arkansas] had 38 yards rushing — and for us to run the football and close out the game with [a long drive], those are the things you look for in a football team that is emerging as a contender,” Kelly said.
Arkansas (4-3, 2-2) failed to win after an open week for the first time since 2020. The Razorbacks were playing their first game since a 19-14 victory over then-No. 4 Tennessee on Oct. 5.
Like the Volunteers coming off an open date two weeks ago, the Razorbacks staggered out of the gate Saturday.
LSU outgained Arkansas 384-277, including 158-38 on the ground. Ja’Quinden Jackson was held to a season-low 26 yards on 5 attempts for the Razorbacks while battling an ankle injury.
“We got handled physically from the start,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said on the Razorback Sports Network postgame show.
Durham’s 22-yard touchdown run capped the game’s opening drive. The possession was aided by a pass interference and roughing the passer penalty against Arkansas, but an offensive pass interference penalty nullified a 2-yard touchdown catch by Mason Taylor. The Tigers were also whistled for their first of seven false starts following the offensive pass interference.
Facing second-and-goal from the 22, Durham broke three tackle attempts and dove to the pylon in the front-left corner of the end zone. He finished the game with 101 yards on 21 carries and scored all of his team’s touchdowns.
Damian Ramos added field goals of 33, 48 and 33 yards in the first half to help LSU build a 16-7 halftime lead. Ramos also made a 47-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to put the Tigers ahead 27-10.
Ramos received a game ball and was clutch against the Razorbacks for the second year in a row. His 20-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining gave LSU a 34-31 victory in the teams’ meeting last season in Baton Rouge, La.
“I thought the field goal kicks, while the game was still in balance, helped us stay ahead of it and keep the momentum,” Kelly said.
Arkansas cut the Tigers’ lead to 13-7 when Taylen Green threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Armstrong with 8:25 remaining before halftime. That capped a 9-play, 75-yard drive in which Green completed 5 of 5 passes for 59 yards and scrambled twice for 9 yards.
Green did not appear slowed by a bruised left knee that caused him to leave the Tennessee game early in the fourth quarter. But he was not dynamic (21-of-31 passing for 239 yards) and threw a devastating interception late in the third quarter that essentially ended Arkansas’ chances for a comeback.
Trailing 16-10, Green’s first-down pass from his own 14 was deflected and intercepted by Whit Weeks who returned the ball to the Arkansas 3. Durham ran for a touchdown on the next play and Nussmeier’s 2-point pass to tight end Trey’Dez Green put the Tigers ahead 24-10.
LSU won the turnover battle 3-0 and scored 11 points off of the Razorbacks’ miscues.
“Fifty offensive snaps and three turnovers,” Pittman said. “We have to do better there.”
The Tigers put a punctuation mark on the performance with a 14-play, 80-yard drive that took 8:22 off the clock in the fourth quarter. Durham’s 1-yard touchdown run set the final score with 2:20 remaining.
Nussmeier converted a pair of third downs through the air on the drive. LSU finished 8 of 14 (57.1%) on third down against an Arkansas defense that allowed a 33.3% conversion rate entering the game.
The 24-point margin of victory was the largest in the series since LSU’s national championship team won 56-20 in 2019 as the Razorbacks played in their first game under interim head coach Barry Lunney Jr., following Chad Morris’ firing two weeks earlier.
The previous four games in the series had been decided by a field goal, with LSU winning three times.
Why Arkansas Lost
The Razorbacks could not run the ball and could not get off the field on third down.
Player of the Game: LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier
The junior did not throw a touchdown pass, but he kept the team moving down the field all night. Excluding an end-of-half scenario, LSU only punted once with Nussmeier leading the offense.
Nussmeier completed 9 of 12 passes for 72 yards on third down, successfully converting 7 during the game.
“Nussmeier was really good,” Pittman said.
Boot data
LSU improved to 20-9 against Arkansas since the teams began playing for “The Boot” trophy in 1996.
The Tigers have won 8 of 9 games against the Razorbacks since 2016, and LSU has won 6 of 7 games at Arkansas since the Razorbacks’ home games in the series were moved away from Little Rock.
Up Next
Arkansas is scheduled to play at Mississippi State (1-6, 0-4) next Saturday beginning at 11:45 a.m.
