Friday, November 29, 2013

TAT: Top 5 Games in the Arkansas-LSU Rivalry


This article originally appeared on November 29, 2013 on The Arkansas Traveler website, uatrav.com.

5. Jan. 1, 1947 - No. 16 Arkansas 0, No. 8 LSU 0 - Ice Bowl
The Razorbacks entered the 1947 Cotton Bowl as a 10-point underdog to LSU. Despite terrible weather conditions, about 38,000 fans saw Arkansas and LSU battle to a scoreless tie. The field was covered in snow and ice and temperatures were in the 20s during the game.
The Tigers won the statistical battle, picking up 15 first downs to Arkansas’ one. They also outgained the Razorbacks 274 yards to 54. However, Arkansas’ defense came through when it mattered most, stopping LSU in the red zone at the 1-, 6-, 7- and 8-yard line. LSU had a chance to kick a game-winning field goal on the final play of the game, but a bad snap ensured the tie.
4. Nov. 28, 2008 - Arkansas 31, LSU 30 - Miracle on Markham II
Bobby Petrino’s first year did not go very well in the win column, as Arkansas entered the season-ending game against LSU with a 4-7 record and no chance at making a bowl game. The Tigers, however, had a 7-4 record and were guaranteed a spot in a bowl.
The Razorbacks jumped out to a 14-3 first-quarter lead, but LSU scored the next 27 points, before senior quarterback Casey Dick took over. Casey’s younger brother, freshman Nathan Dick had started the game at quarterback, but the older Dick came into the game early in the third quarter.
After pulling within six points, Arkansas faced a fourth-and-1 with 22 seconds remaining. Dick threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to London Crawford, and Alex Tejada’s PAT gave the Razorbacks the 31-30 victory.
3. Nov. 23, 2007 - Arkansas 50, No. 1 LSU 48 - Triple Overtime Shocker
The Tigers came into the 2007 Battle for the Golden Boot with national title hopes. LSU was No. 1 in the BCS standings, while the Razorbacks were 7-4 and unranked.
Surprisingly, Arkansas hung with LSU, playing to a 28-28 tie in regulation. Senior Darren McFadden ran for 206 yards and three touchdowns, while also throwing a touchdown. McFadden gained a lot of those yards by running the famous “Wild Hog” formation.
In the third overtime period, the Razorbacks scored a touchdown and successfully attempted a two-point conversion to give them an 8-point lead. The Tigers answered with a touchdown, but Matt Flynn’s pass was intercepted on their two-point attempt to give Arkansas the 50-48 victory.
The win earned the Razorbacks a spot in the Cotton Bowl, while LSU still made the BCS National Championship game and won the title.
2. Nov. 29, 2002 - Arkansas 21, No. 18 LSU 20 - Miracle on Markham I
The winner of the 2002 matchup would earn a spot in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game. LSU was looking for an outright SEC West title, while Arkansas would tie LSU for the title and advance to the championship game by virtue of a tiebreaker with a win.
The Razorbacks trailed by six points and needed to cover 81 yards in the final 34 seconds to win the game. Sophomore quarterback Matt Jones hit junior Richard Smith for 50 yards, then a few plays later, found sophomore DeCori Birmingham in the corner of the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown with nine seconds left. David Carlton’s PAT gave Arkansas the 21-20 victory.
Birmingham’s catch came in the same corner of the same end zone at War Memorial Stadium that Crawford would catch the game-winning touchdown in six years later.
1. Nov. 27, 2010 - No. 12 Arkansas 31, No. 6 LSU 23 - Sugar Bowl Clincher
Representatives of the Sugar Bowl were at the 2010 Battle for the Golden Boot, with Arkansas and LSU vying for a spot in the BCS bowl game. The Tigers and Razorbacks came into the game with 9-2 and 10-1 records, respectively.
Sophomore Cobi Hamilton burst onto the scene with an 85-yard touchdown reception midway through the second quarter. Then, with Arkansas at its own 20-yard line with six seconds left in the first half, most people assumed junior Ryan Mallett would take a knee and the game would go into halftime at a 14-14 tie. Instead, Mallett hit Hamilton for an 80-yard touchdown as time expired.
The Razorbacks never relinquished the lead, as they forced an LSU fumble with 39 seconds left in the game to clinch the 31-23 victory. Sophomore running back Knile Davis finished the game with 152 yards and one touchdown.
After the game, the War Memorial Stadium P.A. system played Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and fans threw sugar cubes into the air, as Arkansas earned its first BCS-berth in school history.

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