It wasn’t a work of art, but efficient play from all three phases of the game left the Tigers with a “W” in a 20-13 victory.
There was a déjà vu moment for plenty of Tiger fans in Fayetteville, Ark., on this cold Saturday evening as the Razorbacks had a chance to pull off a fourth quarter comeback with under two minutes in regulation.
Only three weeks ago, the Tigers found themselves ahead of rival Alabama before eventually losing on a last minute drive by the Crimson Tide.
Arkansas wasn’t as successful.
With 1:26 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Razorbacks had possession on their own 22 yard line. After driving down to the LSU red zone with six seconds left, an incomplete pass sealed the deal as the clock struck 0:00.
After being shut out in the first half, the Razorbacks came on strong in the third quarter, as they scored on both a field goal and a touchdown.
LSU freshman running back Jeremy Hill answered the Razorbacks’ first three points with six of his own, as his one-yard score gave the Tigers a 14-point lead.
The Tigers passing attack had its moments, as sophomore wide receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, Jr. combined for 187 yards and a touchdown.
Beckham, Jr. partook in one of the more pivotal plays of the game, as LSU needed an offensive player to step up as Arkansas cut the Tigers’ lead down to four with 5:16 remaining in the contest.
Then junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger connected with his second-year receiver for 47 yards, putting LSU into field goal range and placing the pressure back on the Razorbacks’ sideline.
Mettenberger was proficient from the pocket, completing 16-of-29 passes for 217 yards and a score.
Drew Alleman, the usually shaky senior kicker for the Tigers, came through in the clutch on two separate occasions, connecting on a career-long 49-yard field goal in the first quarter. He would tack on another 27-yard field goal to give LSU a 20-13 lead in the fourth.
With the regular season officially finished, the Tigers will now have to wait and hope as Saturday’s games play out.
A number of different options remain open for LSU, including an SEC Championship game appearance if Alabama falls to Auburn and Texas A&M conquers Missouri.
Even without an SEC Championship, the Tigers could still find themselves in a BCS bowl game before the season comes to a close.
LSU head coach Les Miles pumps up his team before the game against Arkansas in Fayetteville on Novembre 23, 2012. The Tigers would hold off a late fourth-quarter drive to beat the Hogs 20-13.
