(Sports Network) An SEC showdown will ensue in Little Rock this weekend between the 12th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks and the sixth-ranked LSU Tigers.
No. 6 LSU Vs. No. 12 Arkansas: Who’s Second-Best In The SEC West?
These two teams have enjoyed tremendous campaigns, combining to win 19 of 22 games thus far, but neither will compete in the SEC Championship Game regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s affair. Both the Tigers and the Razorbacks are members of the SEC West, the same division as unbeaten Auburn, which will face East champ South Carolina in the title game.
Les Miles’ Tigers have been the single most entertaining team in college football this season because of their ability to win close games almost every time out. Of the 10 victories that LSU has posted, six have come by seven or fewer points, and many have been decided in the final minute. Last weekend, the Tigers avoided defeat by besting Ole Miss in a 43-36 final.
“If you look across college football, getting 10 wins is a significant milestone in a season,” said Miles after the victory over Ole Miss. “Now, they get to play for an 11th win.”
Bobby Petrino's Razorbacks have posted five consecutive wins to move to 9-2 overall, including 5-2 against SEC competition. Last weekend, Arkansas showed a tremendous amount of toughness and poise by defeating Mississippi State on the road by a 38-31 final in double overtime.
LSU owns a 34-19-2 series lead over Arkansas, which includes a 33-30 overtime victory over the Razorbacks last season.
The LSU offense produced a tremendously balanced showing against Ole Miss last week, rushing and passing for over 200 yards en route to a total output of 470 yards. Most importantly, the Tigers racked up five offensive touchdowns, good enough to squeak past the Rebels. Stevan Ridley rushed for 89 yards and three scores, while Jordan Jefferson completed 13-of-17 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Jefferson also rushed for 45 yards and a score.
“There was a point in time when I was eight-for-eight and I just felt like I couldn’t be stopped,” said Jefferson. “I just had the hot hand.”
While the LSU offense excelled, the team’s defense played surprisingly poor football against Ole Miss, yielding 420 total yards and five touchdowns to the Rebel offense. The run defense was surprisingly porous, permitting Ole Miss to post 236 yards and four touchdowns on 42 carries. Obviously, a better showing will be needed this weekend against Arkansas.
So far this season, LSU is averaging 29.3 ppg despite a modest output of 336.1 total ypg. Ridley will likely eclipse the 1,000-yard mark this weekend, as he has rushed for 967 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jefferson has completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 1069 yards with only four touchdowns against nine interceptions, but he has run for 349 yards and six scores as well. Jarrett Lee sees some time under center as well, and he is typically a better passer than Jefferson. The team lacks a standout receiver, and that has certainly hindered the offense a bit.
The major reason for LSU's success this season has been the play of a defense that is surrendering only 286.9 total ypg. Opponents are managing just 16.5 ppg against the Tigers, who have allowed only nine passing touchdowns in 11 outings. With 26 takeaways and 28 sacks, LSU has made its fair share of big plays. Kelvin Sheppard paces the club with 98 total tackles, while Drake Nevis is tops with 12.5 TFLs, including six sacks. Nevis has also forced three fumbles.
Arkansas is more than capable of challenging the LSU defense, as the Razorbacks are racking up 37.9 ppg and 491.5 total ypg. Ryan Mallett is one of the nation's finest quarterbacks, and he has completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,272 yards and 27 touchdowns against only nine interceptions. Although Mallett's top target, Greg Childs, suffered a season-ending injury two weeks ago, players such as D.J. Williams and Joe Adams have certainly picked up the slack. As for the ground attack, Knile Davis has been stellar, racking up 1,031 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging seven yards per attempt.
While the Arkansas offense is among the nation’s finest units, the team’s defense is rather mediocre by most standards. The Razorbacks are permitting 22.7 ppg and yielding 343.9 total ypg to opponents. They surrender 4.1 yards per rushing attempt, and 17 of the 28 touchdowns scored by opposing offenses have been of the rushing variety.
In the thrilling win over Mississippi State last weekend, Arkansas finished with 488 total yards, just two yards more than it surrendered. The Razorbacks had five offensive touchdowns in that game, three of which came from the powerful arm of Mallett, and he finished with 305 passing yards. Davis ran for 187 yards and two scores on 30 carries, proving to be a workhorse, and also caught the game-winning touchdown pass in double overtime. That was sweet redemption for the standout, as a fumble by Davis at the end of regulation enabled the Bulldogs to force overtime.
”Knile had a great game, said coach Petrino after the win. “We gave him the ball a bunch, and he just happened to fumble it there.”
Clearly, the defense could have played better, as Arkansas allowed over 200 yards both on the ground and through the air.
LSU has seemingly been the luckiest team in all of college football. That luck will run out this weekend, as Arkansas has the obvious advantage at the quarterback position.
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