LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu sparked the lackluster LSU Tigers to a 41-17 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks Friday, shutting the door on the Hogs' BCS hopes.
The Honey Badger returned a punt 92 yards for a game-tying score and the Tigers turned to the ground game, churning out big yards and running throug Arkansas for 286 yards rushing, wiping out a 14-point deficit with a 41-17 win that put them in the SEC championship.
"I could hear my teammates in my ear saying, 'Man, we need you to go make a play,'" Mathieu said. "I was able to help the momentum really go in our favor.
"You have no idea how bad I just wanted to go out there and make a big play for our team. I was fortunate enough to be able to do that."
LSU had to doubt itself at first as Arkansas scored first then popped the ball loose from Michael Ford and scored on a defensive touchdown to take a 14-0 lead early. But the Honey Badger took what he wanted, namely a 92-yard punt return for TD. Game on.
The LSU ground game came alive as Kenny Hilliard, Spencer Ware and Jordan Jefferson all scored on the ground for LSU (12-0, 8-0 SEC), which is 12-0 for the first time and will play No. 13 Georgia next weekend in Atlanta.
A win over the Bulldog and the Tigers will play for the BCS title against Okahoma State or Alabama. And you know what? The Tigers might get there even with a loss.
"That was a huge turning point in the game," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said after the contest in which he was caught by CBS cameras mouthing dirty words at LSU coach Les Miles (watch video below). "We were trying to get the ball punted to the sideline, but he miss-hit it a bit and punted it to the middle. ... (Mathieu) made a great cut and made us miss at the point of attack. He made a great play."
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