FAYETTEVILLE — Hogs’ rise helped by computers
Arkansas jumped from No. 12 to No. 7 in the Bowl Championship Series standings on Sunday after tripping No. 5 LSU 31-23 to cap off the regular season.
The Razorbacks came in at No. 8 in the two human polls that make up two-thirds of the BCS formula - Harris Interactive and USA Today Coaches - but jumped from No. 10 to No. 5 in the computer rankings.
Arkansas had been No.
12 in all the human polls before beating LSU, even though it was No. 10 with the computers.
The Razorbacks (10-2) are in line for a Sugar Bowl berth if Auburn wins the SEC championship game on Saturday over South Carolina to claim a spot in the BCS National Championship game.
A Sugar Bowl berth would be Arkansas’ first BCS bowl selection since the format was introduced in 1998 and the Razorbacks’ most prestigious bowl invitation since back-to-back Cotton Bowl berths in 1988-1989.
Arkansas’ No. 7 ranking is its highest in Bobby Petrino’s three seasons, topping the No. 10 ranking it held earlier this season, and its best since reaching No. 5 late in the 2006 season.
LSU dropped to No. 10 in the BCS rankings and will probably be in line for a Capital One or Cotton Bowl berth.
The Razorbacks posted their second 10-victory season since joining the SEC in 1992. They finished 10-4 in the 2006 season.
D.J.’s day
Tight end D.J. Williams, who tweeted Sunday that he hopes Nike comes up with a Pro Combat uniform for the Razorbacks’ bowl game, had three receptions for 28 yards against LSU.
The senior from Little Rock will need six receptions in Arkansas’ bowl game to eclipse Anthony Eubanks’ school-record 153 catches.
Williams will have a month to heal up from a left shoulder stinger that sent him to the sidelines in pain at least twice on Saturday.
Williams, a finalist for the Mackey Award, now has 147 receptions for 1,817 yards, easily the best among active NCAA tight ends.
Time issues
LSU failed on an onside kick with 1:58 to play, then used its final timeout to stop the clock at the 1:51 mark with Arkansas facing second-and-12.
The Razorbacks had a chance to run the clock down to about 20 seconds before punting, but after Knile Davis was tackled on second down, referee Steve Shaw chose to call an injury timeout on Davis.
The ruling meant Shaw did not restart the game clock before Arkansas’ third-down play with 1:41 remaining, drawing boos from the War Memorial crowd.
“He said that because Knile went down, he decided that it was an injury and he has the right to not wind the clock back up,” Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said.
“I thought it was a bad call, but you can’t do nothing about the referee’s call,” Davis said. “We had to go out there and finish the game.”
Arkansas wound up punting with 57 seconds left, and after LSU punt returner Patrick Peterson drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Kickoff crisis
Arkansas’ kickoff coverage team struggled, allowing returns of 55 and 54 yards by Patrick Peterson to set up one touchdown drive and one field goal drive for the Tigers.
Kicker Alex Tejada had to make touchdown-saving tackles on each of Peterson’s long returns.
“Special teams, we hung on,” Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino said. “That No. 7 [Peterson] is pretty darn good.”Held to 3
LSU trailed 21-17 but looked to be in perfect position to take the lead after nailing Arkansas punter Dylan Breeding at the Hogs’ 9-yard line after a bobbled punt snap.
Linebacker Terrell Williams tackled LSU tailback Stevan Ridley on a swing pass at the 3 on first down, then Zach Stadther and Damario Ambrose combined to stuff Ridley for no gain on second down.
Jordan Jefferson threw a fade for DeAngelo Peterson on third down, but safety Tramain Thomas broke up the pass to force a field goal.
“That was a heck of a deal,” defensive end Jake Bequette said. “If they had gotten seven points there, the whole outlook of the game changes.”
Onside onslaught
Receiver Cobi Hamilton fielded LSU’s high-bouncing onside kick attempt with1:58 remaining, then took a drilling as the Tigers pounced on him.
“Some guys said that was the biggest play of the game, and I agree,” Hamilton said.
“I took a pretty good shot on that.”
Big bang theory
Cobi Hamilton heard the crash beside him at the 50-yard line, but Arkansas’ speedy receiver had scoring on his mind as the Razorbacks hit LSU with an 80-yard touchdown on the last play of the first half.
Hamilton caught a deep post from Ryan Mallett near midfield, eluded colliding LSU defensive backs Morris Claiborne and Karnell Hatcher, juked Patrick Peterson and followed receiver Jarius Wright’s screening of Peterson into the end zone for the touchdown.
“Every play in the game was big, but that was a big time play,” said Claiborne, who said he took a bad angle on the route and wound up laid out on the turf after having the wind knocked out of him.
Sports, Pages 19 on 11/29/2010