For anyone hoping this weekend provided one final splash of BCS anarchy, the Arkansas Razorbacks provided the best puncher’s chance of that happening. The Hogs entered their matchup with No. 1 LSU as the No. 3 ranked team in the country, and a constant thorn in LSU’s side through the years; they’d won three of the last four against LSU, including a shocker in Baton Rouge back in 2007. That game nearly cost the Tigers a shot at the National Championship that year, and another Razorbacks victory this year could’ve done the same in 2011.
But after 60 minutes of football, there is no anarchy, and instead just one strong affirmation of what we already knew: LSU is a damn good football team. The Tigers used a 21-point second quarter to pull ahead of Arkansas, and a 17-0 closing quarter to pull away, in a 41-17 cakewalk final. For whatever doubt there is in college football right now, none of it centers on who’s No. 1. That’s LSU, and as things stand, nobody is really even close.
What’s even scarier for the rest of college football (and more importantly the Georgia Bulldogs, who face LSU in next week’s SEC Championship Game) is the ease with which LSU turned adversity into advantage after they fell behind Arkansas 14-0 early in the first half. After Alonzo Highsmith returned a fumble 47 yards for a score to put the Razorbacks up two touchdowns with just over 12 minutes left in the second quarter, it looked like LSU could be on the ropes, and their undisputed spot at No. 1 in jeopardy.
Instead, LSU put on their hard hats, and went to work. Just five minutes later Kenny Hilliard capped a 14-play, 77-yard drive to make the score 14-7, and when Tyrann Mathieu returned a punt for a touchdown later in the quarter, the rout was on. Russell Shepard closed out the half with a touchdown catch, and Arkansas never got within four points the rest of the game. LSU added two touchdowns and a field goal in the final quarter to turn a somewhat close game into an all-out laugher.
And now for at least one day, the madness that has enveloped college football this year has been put to rest, as LSU has clinched the SEC West, with a perfect 8-0 mark in league play. Included were wins over Alabama and Arkansas, eliminating any concern over a three-way tie at the top the conference standings, and removing any chatter about tie-break scenarios. LSU will play Georgia next week in Atlanta, and even if they lose, will still almost assuredly get a crack at the National Championship Game in New Orleans in early January. And assuming that Alabama beats Auburn tomorrow in the Iron Bowl, it seems almost certain that the two would decide the title, playing for the second time this season. As some of you may happen to remember, the two played “The Game of the Century,” a few weeks ago, with LSU winning a 9-6 bloodbath in overtime. And it looks like a rematch will be in order, with the winner claiming the crystal ball.
Since there really isn’t much more to share about Friday’s game itself, let’s close with a few other random, big picture thoughts from this game:
– First off, we should all give LSU a Les Miles-esque palm-out golf clap. The idea that this team, with this schedule finished 12-0 is simply mind-boggling. The fact that they did it with three tough games in September without their starting quarterback, makes the feat all the more unbelievable.
Yet here we are the day after Thanksgiving, and the unbelievable is reality, as LSU ran the table against what was undoubtedly the toughest schedule in all of college football. Of their 12 wins, seven came against teams that were ranked in the Top 25 when they played, and three (Oregon, Alabama and Arkansas) which were in the top five. Unreal.
– Just for the sake of transparency, I’m going to throw this out there: Coming into this weekend, I really did think that LSU would lose one of the two remaining games on the schedule (assuming that they played in the SEC Championship Game). And while I can’t say I’m questioning them anymore, I’ve got to ask: Does it even matter at this point? Given what LSU has done, and given how everyone else in college football has crumbled like a house of cards around them, can you ever remember a more meaningless SEC Championship Game? Even if they lose, they’re almost assured of playing in the title game. Meaning, one has to wonder if it’s even imperative at this point that they play their starters. As crazy as this sounds, could LSU get away with benching key players to avoid injury?
Now it obviously won’t happen, but it’s still interesting food for thought none the less. The final game of the season in Atlanta is almost always one of the most important of the season. Some years (like in 2009) it even feels like a de-facto National Championship Game.
But in 2011? It’s simply an LSU coronation.
– As for specifics of LSU’s win, well, how about we start with Jordan Jefferson?
Understand that over the years, nobody has made more Jordan Jefferson jokes than I have. Nobody. Yet this season he’s simply been incredible. Looking at his body of work, all Jefferson has done is quietly come back from suspension, quietly earn back playing time and then his starting spot, and has also quietly gotten better each and every game. And he’s done it without messing up the chemistry of a team which was already the No. 1 team in the country when he came back off suspension.
And on Saturday he played as well as any game. He completed 18 of 29 passes, including a few perfectly thrown balls deep. Not to mention that he added 53 yards on the ground as well, which was actually more rushing yards than Arkansas finished with as a team (the Hogs finished with 46). Not too shabby. Granted, most came on one play. Still, a fun fact none the less.
Regardless, one thing is clear: Whether or not LSU would’ve jumped out to a 4-0 start without Jarrett Lee to begin the year is debatable. But they couldn’t have gone 8-0 since without Jefferson doing exactly what he’s done these past eight games.
The kid needs to be commended.
– As for Arkansas, well damn, poor Arkansas. However coming into this game everyone (including me) said that for them to win they needed to protect Tyler Wilson, and well, they definitely didn’t do that. On the first play of the game LSU got pressure right up the middle, and from there poor Wilson spent more time picking grass out of his teeth than Les Miles did. Wilson never had a chance, and we’ll just never know how different this game might’ve been if he’d had just a bit more time to throw.
– On a different note, has the Honey Badger Tyrann Mathieu played his way back into the Heisman discussion?
Chances are you’ll probably say no, but the guy had a game-changing punt return for a touchdown today, added two forced fumbles, and oh by the way, did it all while having to randomly change positions mid-week to take over for injured safety Eric Reid. Again, not too shabby.
Which leads to this: I’m not saying that Tyrann Mathieu should win the Heisman, unless he does something absurd in Atlanta next weekend (like starts throwing touchdown passes in addition to the punt returns and interceptions), but if the award really is given to the players who impacted their team’s success the most, then it’s pretty hard to argue he shouldn’t at least be in New York.
– One more Honey Badger related note: Did anyone else hear Verne Lundquist spit out his worst line in weeks, when he said: “The Honey Badger…he was on the Endangered Species list for about a month. But not anymore.”
Verne, I love ya kid. But that quote was bad.
Really, reaaaaaaaaally bad.
– And finally, did anyone see that postgame handshake between Bobby Petrino and Les Miles? Let’s just Petrino wasn’t happy, and let’s just say I’ve seen divorce proceedings that were more cordial than what transpired at midfield.
Just another college football afternoon in the SEC, huh?
For updates on all his articles, insights and opinions on college football, follow Aaron Torres on Twitter @Aaron_Torres.
