Arkansas football ‘handled physically from the start’ in 34-10 loss to No. 8 LSU

FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas soccer workforce couldn’t recreate home-field magic towards a top-10 workforce Saturday night time. 

Eighth-ranked LSU by no means trailed and pulled away late to defeat the Razorbacks 34-10 in entrance of an introduced attendance of 75,893 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The fourth-largest attendance in stadium historical past was lowered to largely a smattering of visiting followers in purple and gold by sport’s finish.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier was environment friendly with a 22-of-33, 224-yard passing efficiency and operating again Caden Durham ran for 3 touchdowns to steer the Tigers (6-1, 3-0 SEC) to their sixth consecutive victory. LSU received its third sport in a row over Arkansas and received in Fayetteville for the fifth consecutive journey. 

The Razorbacks haven’t defeated the Tigers on their dwelling area since 2014. 

LSU coach Brian Kelly was happy with the efficiency that left the Tigers as one among two undefeated groups in convention play. They’ll play the opposite undefeated workforce subsequent week, 14th-ranked Texas A&M.

“These video games have all the time been shut video games, however to return down right here and play the sort of soccer we did right this moment, which was controlling the road of scrimmage — [Arkansas] had 38 yards speeding — and for us to run the soccer and shut out the sport with [a long drive], these are the belongings you search for in a soccer workforce that’s rising as a contender,” Kelly stated. 

Arkansas (4-3, 2-2) did not win after an open week for the primary time since 2020. The Razorbacks had been enjoying their first sport since a 19-14 victory over then-No. 4 Tennessee on Oct. 5. 

Just like the Volunteers coming off an open date two weeks in the past, the Razorbacks staggered out of the gate Saturday. 

LSU outgained Arkansas 384-277 in complete offensive yards, together with 158-38 on the bottom. Working again Ja’Quinden Jackson was held to a season-low 26 yards on 5 makes an attempt for the Razorbacks whereas battling an ankle damage, however he was the workforce’s main rusher on an evening when Arkansas solely had 19 speeding makes an attempt. 

“We acquired dealt with bodily from the beginning,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman stated on the Razorback Sports activities Community postgame present. 

Durham’s 22-yard landing run capped the sport’s opening drive. The possession was aided by a cross interference and roughing the passer penalty towards Arkansas, however an offensive cross interference penalty nullified a 2-yard landing catch by tight finish Mason Taylor. The Tigers had been whistled for his or her first of seven false begins earlier than they might get off one other snap. 

Dealing with second-and-goal from the 22, Durham broke three sort out makes an attempt and dove to the pylon within the front-left nook of the tip zone. He completed the sport with 101 yards on 21 carries and scored all of his workforce’s touchdowns. 

Damian Ramos added area objectives of 33, 48 and 33 yards within the first half to assist LSU construct a 16-7 halftime lead. Ramos additionally made a 47-yard area aim early within the fourth quarter to place the Tigers forward 27-10. 

Ramos acquired a sport ball and was clutch towards the Razorbacks for the second 12 months in a row. His 20-yard area aim with 5 seconds remaining gave LSU a 34-31 victory within the groups’ assembly final season in Baton Rouge, La. 

“I assumed the sector aim kicks, whereas the sport was nonetheless in stability, helped us keep forward of it and preserve the momentum,” Kelly stated. 

Arkansas minimize the Tigers’ result in 13-7 when Taylen Inexperienced threw a 25-yard landing cross to Andrew Armstrong with 8:25 remaining earlier than halftime. That capped a 9-play, 75-yard drive through which Inexperienced accomplished 5 of 5 passes for 59 yards and scrambled twice for 9 yards. 

Inexperienced didn’t seem slowed by a bruised left knee that brought about him to depart the Tennessee sport early within the fourth quarter. However he was not dynamic (21-of-31 passing for 239 yards) and threw a devastating interception late within the third quarter that basically ended Arkansas’ possibilities for a comeback. 

After Matt Shipley’s 51-yard area aim pulled Arkansas inside 16-10 on the primary possession after halftime, the Razorbacks compelled LSU’s solely punt and took possession at their very own 14 late within the third quarter. 

Inexperienced’s first-down cross was deflected and intercepted by linebacker Whit Weeks, the reigning SEC participant of the week who returned the ball to the Arkansas 2. Durham ran for a landing on the subsequent play and Nussmeier’s 2-point cross to tight finish Trey’Dez Inexperienced put the Tigers forward 24-10. 

LSU received the turnover battle 3-0 and scored 11 factors off of the Razorbacks’ miscues. 

“Fifty offensive snaps and three turnovers,” Pittman stated. “We now have to do higher there.” 

The Tigers put a punctuation mark on the efficiency with a 14-play, 80-yard drive that took 8:22 off the clock within the fourth quarter. Durham’s 1-yard landing run set the ultimate rating with 2:20 remaining. 

Nussmeier transformed a pair of third downs by the air on the ultimate scoring drive. LSU completed 8 of 14 (57.1%) on third down towards an Arkansas protection that allowed a 33.3% conversion fee coming into the sport. 

The 24-point margin of victory was the biggest within the sequence since LSU’s nationwide championship workforce received 56-20 in 2019 because the Razorbacks performed of their first sport below interim head coach Barry Lunney Jr., following Chad Morris’ firing two weeks earlier. 

The earlier 4 video games within the sequence had been determined by a area aim, with LSU successful 3 times. 

Why Arkansas Misplaced

The Razorbacks couldn’t run the ball and couldn’t get off the sector on third down. 

Participant of the Sport: LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier

The junior didn’t throw a landing cross, however he saved the workforce shifting down the sector all night time. Excluding an end-of-half situation, LSU solely punted as soon as.

Nussmeier accomplished 9 of 12 passes for 72 yards on third down, efficiently changing 7 through the sport.

“Nussmeier was actually good,” Pittman stated. 

Boot information

LSU improved to 20-9 towards Arkansas because the groups started enjoying for “The Boot” trophy in 1996. 

The Tigers have received 8 of 9 video games towards the Razorbacks since 2016, and LSU has received 6 of seven video games at Arkansas because the Razorbacks’ dwelling video games within the sequence had been moved away from Little Rock. 

Up Subsequent

Arkansas is scheduled to play at Mississippi State (1-6, 0-4) subsequent Saturday starting at 11:45 a.m.