Hobbit
Senior Member
In a 28-14 victory over Mississippi State today, Arkansas managed to snatch away the last hopes for LSU to go for the much coveted SEC title. Mississippi State, always a wild card in the SEC, managed to shut down Arkansas' usually stellar running game, holding them to far below their season average for rushing yards. However, a 92 yard kickoff return by Darren McFadden and an 87 yard touchdown run off of an interception more than made up for this shortcoming. A 29-yard passing play just before the half gave Arkansas a lead going into the third quarter. Mississippi State never gave up, though, but Arkansas held them scoreless in the second half and a trick play with 2:13 left to go in the third quarter took the game out of Mississippi State's reach. The play itself was masterful. Quarterback Casey Dick handed the ball off to Darren McFadden who reversed it to fellow running back Felix Jones who then reversed it back to Casey Dick who threw it to wide reciever Marcus Monk for the touchdown, and now Arkansas will face #9 LSU on Friday, and in two weeks will face #3 Florida in the SEC championship game in Atlanta's Georgia Dome (home of the Falcons).
In other news, Arkansas got a strength of schedule break today when LSU barely clinched a 23-20 win over Ole Miss in the first overtime. After ending the half with a surprising 14-7 lead, Ole Miss continued to hammer the LSU defense with an additional 2 field goals in the third quarting, bringing LSU into a desperate 20-7 deficit going into the 4th quarter. LSU, though, came out swinging, scoring a touchdown with 8:46 to go in the game and, with only 14 seconds left, scored a third touchdown on fourth and goal from the 5 yard line. An extra point could have won the game for LSU, but Ole Miss, just like Mississippi state against Arkansas, showed that 'never say die' Mississippi attitude and blocked the field goal, bringing the game into overtime. Mississippi opened overtime with a fumble, and when LSU knocked the football between the uprights on their possession, Tigers fans breathed a collective sigh of relief as LSU retained its top 10 status going into its big game on the road in Little Rock.
On a side note, many people are still talking of Arkansas' aspirations to face Ohio State with a national title on the line, but that simply shouldn't happen. USC and Notre Dame would both have to lose. Arkansas would have to beat Florida in the SEC title game. Then there would still be the case people would make for Michigan rematching Ohio State for the title. It's too long a shot. Still, go Hogs. I hope we finish at about #3 or 4.
In other news, Arkansas got a strength of schedule break today when LSU barely clinched a 23-20 win over Ole Miss in the first overtime. After ending the half with a surprising 14-7 lead, Ole Miss continued to hammer the LSU defense with an additional 2 field goals in the third quarting, bringing LSU into a desperate 20-7 deficit going into the 4th quarter. LSU, though, came out swinging, scoring a touchdown with 8:46 to go in the game and, with only 14 seconds left, scored a third touchdown on fourth and goal from the 5 yard line. An extra point could have won the game for LSU, but Ole Miss, just like Mississippi state against Arkansas, showed that 'never say die' Mississippi attitude and blocked the field goal, bringing the game into overtime. Mississippi opened overtime with a fumble, and when LSU knocked the football between the uprights on their possession, Tigers fans breathed a collective sigh of relief as LSU retained its top 10 status going into its big game on the road in Little Rock.
On a side note, many people are still talking of Arkansas' aspirations to face Ohio State with a national title on the line, but that simply shouldn't happen. USC and Notre Dame would both have to lose. Arkansas would have to beat Florida in the SEC title game. Then there would still be the case people would make for Michigan rematching Ohio State for the title. It's too long a shot. Still, go Hogs. I hope we finish at about #3 or 4.
