LSU Defense Saves the Day; Tigers Hold on to Beat Arkansas, 13-10, Wins SEC West Title

Harold Perkins forces a fumble to seal the win / Photo By: David Chivatero

Da Boot Sports
11/12/2022
By: Terrill J. Weil


   FAYETTEVILLE, AR - The 7th ranked Tigers traveled to frigid Fayetteville to take on the 5-4
Arkansas Razorbacks in the 'Battle for the Golden Boot'.. 

   A trip to the SEC Championship Game was also on the line for the Bayou Bengals with a victory combined with a Ole Miss loss to Alabama. 

   Both happened as the Tigers held on to defeat the Razorbacks, 13-10 followed by a 30-24 Alabama win over Ole Miss in Oxford. 

   Your LSU Fighting Tigers are the 2022 SEC Western Division Champions and will play in the
SEC Championship Game in Atlanta on December 3rd. 

   
   Saturday's game came down to the final drive, as Arkansas, trailing 13-10, had the ball 1st and ten at their own 38 yard line. Cade Fortin dropped back to throw and was hit from behind by Harold Perkins Jr. who slapped the ball loose causing a fumble that Mekhi Wingo recovered at the Razorbacks' 44 yard line with only 1:19 left on the clock. 
   With the Hogs out of time outs, Jayden Daniels took a knee in victory formation to end the contest. 

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  With so much on the line, the Tigers surprisingly reverted back to their early game struggles as they sputtered on offense terribly over the first 15 minutes of play. 

   Jayden Daniels uncharacteristically turned the ball over twice. Once on an interception at the Arkansas 40 yard line, then two drives later on a fumble that the Hogs recovered at the LSU ten.  

   Luckily the LSU defense stood tall, holding Arkansas to only a 28 yard Cam Little field goal as the Hogs would take a 3-0 lead into the second quarter. 

   The LSU defense continued to make plays as Harold Perkins Jr. chased down Arkansas quarterback Malik Hornsby, forcing a fumble that BJ Ojulari recovered at the Hogs 37 yard line. 

   The Tigers had to settle for a Damian Ramos 38 yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3 with 9:28 left in the first half.

   LSU would have their best drive of the contest on their next possession, but unfortunately had to settle for another Damian Ramos field goal when the drive stalled deep in Arkansas territory. 
   The 29 yard field goal gave LSU their first lead of the game, 6-3 with 1:51 left on the clock before heading to the halftime break with the 6-3 LSU advantage.


   Both defenses continued to dominate for most of the third quarter before the Tigers were able to start a drive late in the period after a turn over on downs by the Hogs.

   LSU drove 40 yards on five plays to extend their lead to 13-3 on a one yard touchdown run by Josh Williams with 5:25 left in the quarter. The key play of the drive came when Jayden Daniels hit Kayshon Boutte for a 26 yard completion to the one yard line on 1st and ten from the Arkansas 27. 

   A change at quarterback helped give the Razorbacks a spark, as Arkansas traveled 94 yards in ten plays, scoring on a 40 yard touchdown pass from Cade Fortin to Matt Landers to cut the LSU lead to 13-10 with 13:17 left in the contest.

   For the rest of the game the defenses battled it out forcing a combined four punts, a turnover on downs, and finally, a huge game winning fumble with 1:19 left, caused by Harold Perkins Jr. to seal the 13-10 victory for LSU.
   
​   With the win, LSU is now 8-2 overall and 6-1 in SEC play.

   Next up the Tigers will host UAB in Tiger Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 19 for the final home game of the season. Kickoff is set for 8:00pm CST and will be televised on ESPN 2.   

    

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Photos Below By: David Chivatero

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