FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas dropped its second consecutive low-scoring game at home Saturday.
The Razorbacks lost 13-10 to seventh-ranked LSU in front of 73,750 on a cold day at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Tigers won the Golden Boot trophy for the sixth time in seven seasons, but for the first time since 2020.
Playing without injured quarterback KJ Jefferson, Arkansas (5-5, 2-4 SEC) was held to 249 yards of offense and was unable to capitalize on the best performance by its defense this year.
LSU (8-2, 6-1) had 284 yards on offense — 161 yards below its season average. The Razorbacks sacked LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels seven times.
"I thought our defense played lights out," Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. "It was by far the best game we’ve played all year. We covered well and pressured the quarterback well. For the second week in a row we couldn’t get anything going offensively."
More from WholeHogSports: Pittman, players recap loss to LSU
Third-string Arkansas quarterback Kade Fortin came off the bench in the second half and led the Razorbacks’ only scoring drive. Fortin had passes of 29 yards and 40 yards to Matt Landers on the drive, the latter of which was for a touchdown to cut LSU’s lead to 13-10 with 13:17 remaining.
Arkansas had the ball with multiple chances to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Raheim Sanders ran 14 yards to the LSU 43 with six minutes remaining, but the drive stalled after a short run and a pair of incompletions.
The Razorbacks’ final possession began with 1:35 remaining, but Fortin was stripped by Harold Perkins, a freshman linebacker who had four sacks and forced two fumbles.
LSU coach Brian Kelly said Perkins played the game with the flu.
“He was all over the field and impacted the game, obviously, to the level where we win the game because of his final play, too," Kelly said. "He's a multi-dimensional player....I don’t think there are enough superlatives to talk about this young man as a true freshman. He was awarded the game ball. He got sick before the game. He had the flu, but no problem, four sacks.”
Failed fourth-down attempts hurt Arkansas, including in the first quarter when quarterback Malik Hornsby was tackled for no gain on fourth-and-goal from the LSU 3. A field goal at the time would have given the Razorbacks a 6-0 lead.
Kicker Cam Little kicked a 28-yard field goal earlier in the first quarter to end a 46-yard drive that began when Latavious Brini intercepted Daniels at the Arkansas 38. Brini also recovered a fumble at the LSU 10 later in the quarter — the drive that ended with the failed attempt on fourth down.
More from WholeHogSports: 4th down calls key
Damian Ramos kicked a pair of second-quarter field goals from 38 and 29 yards to give the Tigers a 6-3 lead at halftime.
LSU scored the game’s first touchdown with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter after another instance when Arkansas failed to convert fourth down. On fourth-and-2 from the LSU 48, Hornsby lost his footing on a deep drop back and was tackled at his own 40.
The Tigers hit a 26-yard third-down pass play from Daniels to Kayshon Boutte to the Arkansas 1. Running back Josh Williams ran for a 1-yard touchdown on the next play to put LSU ahead 13-3.
"We found a way to win on the road," Kelly said. "That’s really what this is about in terms of when you play in a league like this, particularly in the SEC West, (you must) find a way. That’s what I’m proud of. I’m proud of our guys for having the mental toughness to battle and find a way to win a football game when we were challenged the way we were today."
Daniels, who was the star of LSU’s 32-31 overtime victory against Alabama last week, completed 8 of 15 passes for 86 yards, and was held to 10 rushing yards due to sacks.
Hornsby was 4-of-9 passing for 24 yards, and rushed 18 times for 37 yards in his first career start. Fortin completed 8 of 13 passes for 92 yards.
"I don’t think I decided to make the change to Fortin until I did," Pittman said. "I just kept thinking we might spin a big play or something of that nature, but it wasn’t happening. We still didn’t protect (Fortin) well either. It’s hard to do and we have to do better.”
Sanders was held to a season-low 46 yards on 12 carries for Arkansas, and the Razorbacks were held to a season-low 133 rushing yards on 46 attempts.
Williams rushed 19 times for 122 yards and 1 touchdown for the Tigers.
Arkansas failed to clinch bowl eligibility on its home field for the second week in a row. The Razorbacks lost 21-19 last week to Liberty.
Arkansas is scheduled to host No. 11 Ole Miss next Saturday in its final home game. The Razorbacks will close the regular season with a Nov. 25 game at Missouri.
The game-time temperature of 34 degrees Saturday was the coldest for an Arkansas home game in eight years. Grounds crew members removed wintry precipitation from the field prior to the game.