LSU survives late Arkansas rally attempt for 24-17 rebound victory

LSU survived a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns by Arkansas on Saturday to finally churn out the final minutes of a 24-17 rebound from last week's loss to Alabama.

After trailing by as much as 24-3, the Razorbacks (2-8, 2-5) drew back within one score with 5:27 still remaining.

But the No. 7 Tigers (8-2, 5-2) proceeded to grind the air right back out of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium with three timely first downs for one of its most successful drives of the contest.

Junior quarterback Joe Burrow completed 15 of 21 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown, including career highs of 117 yards on six catches by sophomore receiver Justin Jefferson.

Senior Nick Brossette and sophomore Clyde Edwards-Helaire added 90 yards on 23 rushes and 56 yards on 17 attempts, respectively, and one score each.

LSU capitalized on good early field position to strike first.

The Tigers started their second possession at the Arkansas 40-yard line, and Burrow found Jefferson deep on first down for the 7-0 lead.

That connection marked the team's first touchdown since Brossette's first-quarter run against Mississippi State on Oct. 20 and first through the air since Burrow and Jefferson's third quarter connection Sept. 29 against Ole Miss.

The other three of LSU's first four drives managed just 20 combined yards on 13 plays, though, until the Tigers could finally move the football again midway through the second quarter.

Edwards-Helaire rushed the ball the first six plays of the next scoring drive, capped by a 12-yard power to the end zone by Brossette.

The duo carried the ball a combined 13 times on the 14-play drive for 61 of its 77 yards.

Arkansas finally snapped the ball in LSU territory for the first time thanks to a Burrow fumble in the last minute of the opening half.

Junior quarterback Ty Storey and company gained possession at the Tigers' 33 with 21 seconds remaining until the midway mark and settled for a 24-yard field goal by junior kicker Connor Limpert and a 14-3 deficit.

The Tigers added a 13-yard Edwards-Helaire run and 40-yard Cole Tracy field goal in the third quarter to extend their lead to 24-3.

The Razorbacks finally reached the end zone in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, as Storey found junior tight end Cheyenne O'Grady from 11 yards out.

LSU still appeared poised to shut the door on its hosts after sophomore cornerback Kary Vincent Jr. intercepted Storey on the next Arkansas drive.

The Tigers moved the ball down to the Razorbacks' 25, but failed to convert a fourth-and-1.

And Storey and the offense marched back the other way, where he found O'Grady again for a 32-yard strike to trim the margin to 24-17.

Story finished 19-for-38 with 200 yards, the two touchdowns and one interception.

O'Grady's two scores highlighted a six-catch, 75-yard performance.

But the LSU defense controlled the evening far more often than not, including holding Arkansas to just 16 total rushing yards and 2-for-12 (16.7 percent) on third-down attempts.

Sophomore safety Grant Delpit was again among the leaders with six tackles, one sack, two pass breakups and one fumble recovery.

Vincent recorded three tackles, one sack and two breakups to go with his interception.

Junior linebacker Michael Divinity Jr. added four tackles, a hurry and a forced fumble.