Two weeks ago LSU was riding high as the No. 2 team in the nation, and tops in the SEC. But Saturday night in Death Valley the Tigers’ hopes for a national championship went up in flames against Arkansas in a 31-14 loss.
“When you make mistakes against a quality opponent who can run the football you end up in the back end of the score,” LSU head coach Les Miles said postgame.
For the second straight season the Tigers have followed up a loss to Alabama with a loss to Arkansas the following week. Despite what many fans may think, Miles and the Tigers do not attribute the loss to a Bama “hangover.” 
“It’s not what happened,” said Vadal Alexander. “We worked our butts off this week in practice.”
“Anybody that would think that this is a hangover from the Alabama game is absolutely not true,” Miles said.
In Arkansas’ drubbing of LSU, the Razorbacks used three big touchdown plays, and relentless pressure up front to defeat LSU. The Hogs held Leonard Fournette to just 91 total yards, possibly ending his chances at a Heisman Trophy. 
“We lost, of course everybody is disappointed,” said Fournette. “We just have to keep pushing. The season is not over yet.”
A season that began with so much promise has now become at risk of spiraling out of control for LSU. Back-to-back losses have Tiger fans reeling, but according to Les Miles it hasn’t been because of a lack of effort on the part of his players.
“This is absolutely my fault,” said Miles. “I think the kids played their hearts out. We just didn’t give them the right stuff.”
The Tigers’ preseason goals of a SEC and National Championship seem dashed after their loss to Arkansas. LSU needs to regroup in their last two games as they travel to Oxford to play Ole Miss, and then host Texas A&M in their final home game of 2015.