It has become a one-game season for both the LSU Tigers (8-3, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) and the Arkansas Razorbacks (8-3, 4-3 SEC) who are playing this Friday at 1:30 p.m. in Little Rock, Ark., for the rights to represent the West in the SEC Championship game.
When the ball is kicked off in War Memorial Stadium, these two teams also will battle for “The Boot,” a 24-karat gold trophy that has been awarded to the winner of this game for the past six seasons.
The 21st-ranked Tigers have had control of “The Boot” for the past year.
LSU holds a 4-2 record against Arkansas since the inception of “The Boot” and a 6-4 advantage since the Razorbacks joined the SEC in 1992.
“This is a big game for us,” said LSU linebacker Bradie James. “Having a chance to go to the SEC Championship game is a goal that everybody in the SEC sets out early in the year.”
To reach that goal, the Tigers will attempt something that has not been accomplished in five years, because the last time the Razorbacks lost in Little Rock was in 1997, to Tennessee.
With Houston Nutt as Arkansas head coach, the Razorbacks have accumulated a 13-0 record in War Memorial Stadium, including the past two over the Tigers when they traveled north on the day after Thanksgiving.
“It’s going to be a hostile environment,” James said. “And, you have all of that turkey and dressing in your stomach. You’re kind of full.”
LSU head coach Nick Saban said the most important aspect of this game is the matchup between the Arkansas run offense — 243 yards per game — and the LSU defense — ranked fourth in the country.
The Razorbacks utilize the option offense, allowing them to post the 10th-best rushing offense in the country.
Quarterback Matt Jones leads the Arkansas offense and is the active rushing leader among SEC quarterbacks with 1,145 career rushing yards.
Fred Talley leads the team in rushing with 917 yards — 83.4 yards per game and 6.1 yards per carry — ranking him third in the conference.
“Against the option, everybody has an assignment,” said cornerback Corey Webster. “The defensive backs come up for run support, and as long as we don’t let the ball get outside of us, it will be all right.”
The home team has won the past five games in this rivalry, and since 1992, the average margin of victory is 17.4 points.
Last season’s 41-38 LSU win was the first game since the Razorbacks joined the SEC that the score was within 10 points.
Because this usually is the last game of the season, the LSU-Arkansas game usually has SEC Championship implications, but none have ever been as clear cut as this year.
“Our focus is not going to be on any type of championship,” said right tackle Rodney Reed. “We’ve been successful by not focusing on results. Every play is magnified now. You really have to focus on each play to be successful, and if you start focusing on a championship, you’re focusing on the wrong things.”
Running back LaBrandon Toefield said that is difficult, considering the facts of the game.
“I think everybody is thinking about [a championship],” he said. “But we just have to go out, play like this is our last game and lay it all on the line. And I think we’re going to do that.”
James said this will be a physical game, the type of game that middle linebackers enjoy to play in.
“This game really counts,” he said. “The philosophy here is ‘big players step up in big games.'”
He said the team needs to prepare well for the game, but when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, even the leaders of the team take a step back.
“You can’t tell anybody to stop eating turkey and dressing,” he said. “That’s not fair.”