Long after the 93,108 fans left Tiger Stadium Saturday, a simple message on the large screen in the north end zone hovered over the field – 12-0.
No. 1 LSU’s game against No. 3 Arkansas was more than a 41-17 victory for the Tigers. It meant more than the Golden Boot trophy returning to Baton Rouge and a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game.
It meant a perfect regular season, the first since 1958, when LSU won its first of three national championships.
“We have done so much together,” said sophomore defensive end Sam Montgomery. “We’ve overcome adversity off the field. The world has doubted us over and over again. We’ve beaten the world and the naysayers. We’ve shut everybody up.”
The rest of the game belonged to the LSU defense. The Tigers allowed 89 yards of total offense in the second half and the Razorback offense held the ball for less than nine minutes in the final frame.
Arkansas junior quarterback Tyler Wilson, who led the SEC in nearly every offensive category heading into the game, found himself scrambling for his life throughout most of the contest. LSU racked up five sacks, led by sophomore defensive end Barkevious Mingo who brought down Wilson twice behind the line.
“[Wilson] wasn’t getting the protection he needed,” Mingo said. “It was forcing him to make some bad decisions. That was the game plan going us.”
LSU’s victory Saturday seemingly clears the path for the Tigers to reach the BCS National Championship. Many expect LSU to reach the title game regardless if they win or lose against Georgia in the SEC Championship.
But the Tigers haven’t considered taking Georgia lightly. They have their sights set on more than being 12-0.
They want a SEC title.
“I just want you to know something,” Miles told the media following the game. “There would be no way that this team could come to Atlanta and not play their