LITTLE ROCK — LSU brought the SEC’s top pass defense into War Memorial Stadium on Saturday, but the Tigers could not stop Cobi Hamilton from making big plays.
Hamilton, a sophomore receiver from Texarkana, became the first Arkansas player to have two touchdown catches of 80 or more yards in the same game as the Razorbacks beat LSU 31-23.
Hamilton’s 80-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Mallett on the last play of the first half gave Arkansas the lead for good, 21-14.
Hamilton and Mallett also connected on an 85-yard touchdown pass earlier in the second quarter, when Mallett found him along the sideline between cornerback Patrick Peterson and free safety Karnell Hatcher
“I’m thankful to Ryan and thankful to the O-line for blocking,” Hamilton said.
“They made it happen. I’m justthankful for the opportunity.”
The only other time Arkansas had two touchdown passes of 80 yards in the same game was in a 31-21 loss to LSU in 1997, when Clint Stoerner had 80-yarders to Anthony Eubanks and Anthony Lucas.
Hamilton earned 14 more receiving yards in two plays (165) than the LSU pass defense’s 151.8-yard average.
“Cobi’s a big-play guy,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said. “And he and Ryan have a lot of chemistry.”
There were six seconds remaining in the first half when Arkansas took possession at its 20.
Hamilton said he expected the Razorbacks to run out the clock, but Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino called for a pass.
“We called a play we like a lot, end cut with post over the top, and when they lined up, I thought, ‘Man, we’ve got a chance here,’ ” Petrino said.
Mallett hit Hamilton in stride at midfield, and LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne and Hatcher collided and knocked each other down as they attempted to make the tackle.
“I heard a collision,” Hamilton said. “But I didn’t really see what happened until after I scored and saw the replay.
“It was pretty amazing. They were coming to kill me, weren’t they?”
Hamilton kept running into the end zone and scored after time had expired.
“I was really expecting a check-down call, but they didn’t back up,” Mallett said. “We took a shot down the field, and Cobi made a heck of a play.”
Arkansas defensive end Jake Bequette was taking off some tape and didn’t watch the play initially. He wasn’t expecting an 80-yard touchdown.
“I didn’t know we had a play for that, but I guess we do,” Bequette said. “I heard a roar and looked up, and there’s Cobi running down the field. That was pretty unbelievable.”
LSU Coach Les Miles said considering what happened, a prevent defense might have been a better option for the Tigers.
“But if they run verticals on a prevent ... we felt like we had a really good call,” Miles said.
“We just didn’t execute.”
Hamilton finished withthree catches for a career-high 164 yards. His career high had been 131 yards on three catches against Mississippi State last season in Little Rock.
“Everybody tells me I love Little Rock, and I do,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton didn’t have a reception in the second half Saturday, but he recovered LSU’s onside kickoff with 1:58 left after the Tigers had kicked a field goal to pull within 31-23.
“I think that was my biggest catch of all,” Hamilton said.
Sports, Pages 34 on 11/28/2010