BATON ROUGE – Cam Little posted a 37-yard overtime field goal to send the Arkansas Razorbacks from southern Louisiana home with a 16-13 victory and the Golden Boot Trophy on Saturday night.
Little’s third basket of the game was scored by the interception of Montaric Brown during LSU’s initial possession of overtime.
Little ran the length of the pitch in celebration as his University of Arkansas teammates chased him and Razorback fans in that corner of the end zone rejoiced.
The Razorbacks (7-3, 3-3 SEC) ended a five-game losing streak in the series and won at LSU for the fourth time to move up to 13-4-1 at Baton Rouge. Arkansas is also 2-0 in trophy games this season with one game remaining in the final against Missouri.
Arkansas defeated LSU (4-6, 2-5) under coach Ed Orgeron, who retired at the end of the season, for the first time in six tries. Arkansas also improved their positioning in the bowls with their first seven-game winning season since 2016.
Arkansas won the overtime draw and chose to play defense as the Tigers chose to play on the noisier end of the field near their student section.
A 10-yard sack from Hayden Henry on LSU quarterback Garrett, rookie Nussmeier on the second try, set a third and 20. But Nussmeier found Malik Nabers in a seam for a 24-yard catch on the Hogs 11 .
The Tigers’ joy was short-lived. On the second try, Nussmeier targeted Devonta Lee on a fade road in the right corner. Brown had an inside position, played the pass perfectly and had the Razorbacks’ third takeaway of the game and his fourth pick of the season.
Arkansas played conservatively with their possession in overtime with three points from KJ Jefferson, the latest to put Little in midfield for the game winner.
The Razorbacks, led 10-3 at halftime, took the lead with a productive third quarter in which it took three straight runs in LSU territory with KJ Jefferson falling out and achieving a passing game that started to gain momentum against repeated LSU blitzes.
After Cade York missed a 55-yard field goal try that would have given LSU a 13-3 lead midway through the third quarter, Arkansas moved up a gear, starting at 37.
In third and 11th, cornerback Dwight McGlothern climbed over De’Vion Warren’s back for pass interference.
After Jefferson and Dominique Johnson’s races shifted the chains, Jefferson finally put the pressure on the Tigers. The tall sophomore smashed a Damone Clark sack attempt, rushed to the line of scrimmage, then spied on Johnson deeply and alone at LSU 18.
Jefferson delivered the pass on target and Johnson beat Jay Ward in the end zone for a 43-yard touchdown. Little’s extra point tied the game at 10-10.
LSU drove near midfield on his next possession. On a first try, Myles Slusher jumped a deep ball from Garrett Nussmeier for Trey Palmer for an interception at 37 of the Hogs.
In the Hogs’ first play, Jefferson dodged the pressure and joined Warren Thompson on a 23-yard back shoulder play. After Jefferson pitched incomplete in the third and sixth, Arkansas sent the placement unit onto the field for what would have been a 53-yard field goal,
The Razorbacks did a fake instead, with incumbent Reid Bauer getting a big block from Luke Jones and flowing 23 yards to LSU 13. The streak broke from there and Cam’s 27-yard placement Little gave Arkansas a 13-10 lead.
The Tigers came right back and tied Cade York’s 55-yard basket on a 48-yard streak that included Tyrion Davis-Price’s 1-yard gain to convert fourth and 1.
LSU played with the defensive fire and aggressiveness it showed in a close loss to No. 2 Alabama last week and kept the Razorbacks out of stride in the first half, keeping them down. Hogs at 78 rushing yards.
After holding LSU on a three and going out to open the game, Arkansas quickly grabbed the momentum for the 26-yard return from the Bryce Stephens punt return to midfield.
The Razorbacks kicked off a gimmicky game in their first snap, with Dominique Johnson taking the hike and handing over to quarterback KJ Jefferson, who hit Blake Kern for an 18-yard reception at LSU 35. The command fizzled out. , but Little came in and threw a 48-yard field goal.
After that, Arkansas had four straight three-offs and Tiger Stadium fans got carried away as the Tigers blitz delayed the Hogs’ offense.
On the other side of the ball, Nussmeier entered quarterback for Max Johnson and the Tigers found some seams in the Arkansas high school to take the lead.
After running 36 yards on his second possession, LSU began to restrict the Razorbacks in a battle of field position, starting two straight drives in Arkansas territory.
The first ended with York’s 34-yard tying field for a 3-3 draw after a 28-yard rush.
An undamaged Micah Baskerville second sack from the left rim stifled an Arkansas streak inside the 20 and Trey Palmer’s 10-yard punt return went to the Hogs 40.
Davis-Price ran for 11 yards on the last play of the first quarter. In the next snap, Arkansas goalie Joe Foucha spun Nussmeier in the backfield for a near-sack, but Nussmeier straightened up and threw into the end zone for Jack Bech for 29 yards. and a 10-3 lead.
The Razorbacks had just 73 yards in the first half, less than their 78 in the first half against Georgia, before Trelon Smith ran for 28 yards on the last play of the half.
