FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — — LSU coach Brian Kelly said Harold Perkins Jr.. he reminded him of Michael Jordan after the seventh-seeded Tigers beat Arkansas 13-10 on Saturday.
The rookie linebacker, whose stripping of the Arkansas quarterback Cade Fortin with 1:17 remaining he clinched victory and kept LSU College Football Playoff hopes alive, he had the flu before the teams started, the coach said.
When Kelly told Perkins that his effort against the Razorbacks reminded him of MJ against the Jazz in 1997, Kelly said the teenager responded, “Who’s MJ?”
Perkins finished with two forced fumbles, four sacks and eight tackles. his teammate mekhi wingo pounced on the fumble at Arkansas 44 to secure the win for LSU (8-2, 6-1 Southeastern Conference).
LSU’s defense allowed 249 yards to the Arkansas offense, which was down to their third quarterback late in the game.
The Razorbacks (5-5, 2-4) tried to bounce back in the fourth quarter when Fortin came on in the third quarter to replace an ineffective Malik Hornsby. Fortin threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to matt landers with 13:12 remaining to bring Arkansas to three.
But LSU’s offense was slightly better, gaining 284 yards, more than 150 below its season average. joseph williams he rushed for 122 of those yards and scored the Tigers’ only touchdown, a yard, late in the third quarter to give LSU a 10-point lead. Only one of the Tigers’ 13 drives yielded more than 40 yards.
“We are far from a finished product,” Kelly said. “I don’t think anyone in that locker room thinks we’ve made it.”
Arkansas fired LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels seven times, limiting the top running back in the SEC at the position to 10 yards on 19 carries. Daniels completed 8 of 15 passes for 86 yards and an interception.
“I think the defense played so well that it gave us a chance. They kept us at it,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “I thought when Landers got the long, we were going to come together and it seemed like it was the same story. He just couldn’t seem to find a way to be consistent.”
LSU forced Arkansas’s hand by stifling Hornsby, who rushed for 37 yards on 18 carries and finished 4 of 9 passes for 24 yards. daniel found Kayshon Boutte for a 26-yard gain on a single pass, one play before Williams’ touchdown with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter.
The Razorbacks were without their usual starting quarterback, jefferson, announcing minutes before kickoff that Jefferson would not play due to a shoulder injury. Fortin was 8 of 13 for 92 yards with the touchdown and fumble lost.
LSU can clinch the SEC West and a spot in the SEC Championship with a season finale victory in two weeks against Texas A&M.
“We have a lot of work to do this trip, but we are still finding ways to win football games,” Kelly said.
LIKE THE OLD DAYS
Arkansas’ 249 yards are the fewest LSU has allowed an SEC opponent to win since Texas A&M managed just 169 in 2019. LSU won the national championship that season.
THE NUMBER OF INJURIES
Arkansas entered Saturday with the 13th-best outing in total offense on FBS. Jefferson had thrown for 17 touchdowns against three interceptions and rushed for 425 yards and six touchdowns.
LSU was able to pack their defense in the box without Jefferson behind center.
“He doesn’t seem to be very successful at any of that at the moment,” Pittman said. “And part of that is they have to respect that the quarterback is going to pull the ball and throw it and if they don’t, you’re in trouble.”
SURVEY IMPLICATIONS
LSU isn’t likely to jump given the margin of victory, but the Tigers won a game they couldn’t afford to lose.
THE TO GO
LSU: It looked a lot different on Saturday than it did in last week’s win over Alabama. LSU’s college football playoff hopes may depend on which team shows up for each game.
Arkansas: Remained a game short of bowl eligibility, dropping to .500 in Sam Pittman’s third season. Arkansas won nine games last year.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
LSU: receives the UAB on November 19.
Arkansas: Hosts Ole Miss on November 19 in its final home game of the season.
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