LITTLE ROCK — Fans fattened by Thanksgiving overindulgence will gather en masse in Little Rock today to see two SEC powers tangle for high stakes and heavy hardware.
No. 5 LSU and No. 12 Arkansas have played nothing but thrillers in recent years in a series dubbed The Battle for the Golden Boot, in which the winner is awarded what is believed to be the heaviest trophy in college football at approximately 175 pounds.
The drama Tigers (10-1, 6-1 SEC) and the Razorbacks (9-2, 5-2) kick off at 2:30 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium.
A victory for LSU would almost certainly clinch a Bowl Championship Series at-large berth, and it would definitely put Coach Les Miles into elite coaching company.
Arkansas, riding a five game winning streak that is its best under Coach Bobby Petrino, needs a victory today and a couple of other pieces to fall into place to claim the program’s first BCS berth.
“We all understand what’s at stake,” Petrino said. “It’ll be fun to go down to Little Rock with a lot at stake.”
LSU was the beneficiary of great good luck in midseason victories over Tennessee and Florida, but the Tigers have been doing more offensive damage lately in support of one of the nation’s toughest defenses. LSU can achieve its sixth 11-victory season, and its fourth under Miles, by beating the Razorbacks.
“We look forward to meaningful games in November, and that’s right where we’re at,” Miles said.
“Coach Bobby Petrino has done a great job there and we know it’s going to be a very competitive game, so we look forward to playing them for the Boot.”
The past three games between the rivals could not have been much tighter. The combined scores were 111-111, including four overtimes.
“It’s a hard-fought game and always decided by a few points, and we’re expecting nothing less than that,” Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette said.
The only game among the past three that did not go into overtime has its own nickname in Arkansas: the Miracle on Markham II, after Casey Dick hit London Crawford with the winning touchdown pass on fourth down with 21 seconds remaining.
LSU got payback last year with a 33-30 overtime victory that included a game-tying field goal drive in the final 1:18 after Joe Adams bounced back from a vicious hit to catch a go-ahead touchdown pass for the Razorbacks.
The teams’ combined records this season - 19-3 - are tied with the 2006 season as the ever for an Arkansas-LSU game. Arkansas was 10-1 and LSU 9-2 in 2006 when the Tigers prevailed 31-26 at War Memorial Stadium.
Arkansas has added balance to its offense, which ranks No. 8 nationally with 491.6 yards per game. Running back Knile Davis, who has rushed for 737 yards and 11 touchdowns in the past six games, has provided a strong ground game to complement quarterback Ryan Mallett and the Hogs’ gifted corps of receivers.
“This Arkansas team is very talented, and they have lost to Auburn and Alabama,” Miles said. “I think they’re better than a 12th-ranked team.”
The Razorbacks will be up against a defense that ranks No. 4 against the pass, No. 5 in total defense and No. 8 in scoring nationally (16.2 ppg). LSU’s Patrick Peterson might be the best cornerback in college football.
“A lot of times you see corners, they aren’t really physical and don’t like to tackle. But he likes to tackle and he likes contact,” Mallett said. But I’m not going to back down from going at him though.”
Miles talked about the difficulty in facing Mallett and the Arkansas passing game.
“The balls are thrown better. The distance on the ball is a little further,” Miles said. “Their route tree is deeper. It is very difficult.”
Another thriller between the SEC West rivals could be in the works today.
“It’s come down to just about the last play in both games [in the LSU series],” Petrino said. “I’m not sure why it’s like that.
“I think it’s the last game of the year and there’s a lot at stake. The guys are well prepared and go out and play with great effort and make a lot of really good plays.”
Sports, Pages 19 on 11/27/2010