Dick leads Hog rally past LSU 31-30

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Casey Dick came off the bench to start the second half and led Arkansas to a come-from-behind 31-30 win over LSU Friday in War Memorial Stadium.

Dick’s 24-yard pass in the right corner of the end zone with 21 seconds left was the game-winner and capped a rally from a 16-point deficit.

Dick started the second half after his brother Nathan Dick made his second straight start. The senior was 18-of-29 for 197 yards and two touchdowns. He finished his career third on Arkansas’ all-time lists for completions (473), third in pass attempts (850),third in yards (5,856), third in touchdown passes (47) and tied for second in completion percentage (.556).

Arkansas (5-7) dominated the first quarter, but LSU was even more dominant in the second period and controlled the first part of the second half in building a 30-14 lead.

After the Razorbacks closed within 20-24, LSU failed to get a first down on its next two possessions. On its third possession, with 5:31 left, the Tigers (7-5) picked up one first down and punted to the Arkansas 31.

With 2:14 left, Dick led the Hogs 69 yards in 1:53. He converted a third-and-four with a five-yard pass to D.J. Williams and a fourth-and-six with a 21-yarder to Carlton Salters. The touchdown came on fourth-and-one with the clock running and Arkansas out of timeouts.

Freshman Dennis Johnson ran for 127 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Johnson finished with 230 all-purpose yards, including 103 yards on six kickoff returns. Williams finished with eight catches for 51 yards, and Jarius Wright, Lucas Miller and Greg Childs added three receptions each.

Jordan Jefferson led the Tigers in both passing and rushing, but he was limited to 50 yards on 19 carries and 143 yards on 9-of-21 passing, but with scoring passes of 32 and 11 yards.

After allowing 242 yards in the first half, Arkansas gave up just 62 in the second half. The Razorbacks recorded 10 tackles for 52 yards in losses, led by junior tackle Malcolm Sheppard’s 3.5 for 21.

On Arkansas’ second possession of the second half, Dick hit Wright for a 46-yard score on first down to get Arkansas within 30-21 with 7:23 left in the third quarter. A 10-yard sack of Jefferson at the Tiger six by Sheppard and Chris Berezansky forced a 40-yard punt to the LSU 46.

Following the score, Arkansas attempted an onside kick and had a chance for the recovery, but LSU got the ball at the Arkansas 43. The defense held and forced a punt, but LSU downed the ball at the Razorback five. Arkansas moved the ball on that possession, but a sack and a holding penalty had the drive stopped before a defensive personal foul penalty gave the Razorbacks a first down at their 27.

Nine plays later, after reaching the LSU five, Alex Tejada’s 22-yard field goal cut the gap to 30-24 with 12:33 remaining. LSU was penalized four times for 42 yards on the drive

LSU picked up in the second half where it left off in the third quarter. On the first possession of the second half, Jefferson hit Brandon LeFell for a 32-yard score in the right corner of the end zone. The drive covered 44 yards in four plays and two minutes into the second half, the Tigers led 30-14.

Arkansas dominated the first quarter, but LSU was even more impressive in the second. The Tigers led 23-14 at the half following a 31-yard field goal by Colt David with 29 seconds left in the period. The score was set up by a Perry Riley interception, which he returned 17 yards to the Arkansas. 23.

In the first quarter, Arkansas out-gained LSU 178-89 and led 14-3 after scoring on its first two possessions. In the second quarter, LSU out-scored Arkansas 20-0 and out-gained the Hogs 153-3.

LSU took its first lead of the game with 1:17 left in the half on an 11-yard pass from Jefferson to tight end Richard Dixon for a 20-14 Tiger advantage. The big plays in the drive were a 41-yard completion from Jefferson to Demetrius Byrd to the Arkansas 42, and a 15-yard run by Jefferson to the Hog 30 on third-and-13.

LSU cut the margin to 14-13 on a 46-yard David field goal with 6:59 left in the first half. After pinning Arkansas inside its 10 and forcing the Hogs to punt, LSU took over at its 46 and moved to the Razorback 24. Ramon Broadway had a tackle for a one-yard loss, and Sheppard and Matt Harris combined for a four-yard loss before Tramain Thomas broke up a pass and forced the Tigers to settle for three.

LSU cut the margin to 14-10 with 11:25 left in the first half on a five-yard run up the middle by Charles Scott. Jefferson moved the Tigers 73 yards for the score, passing for 41 on a pair of completions and running for 10 on two carries. Keiland Williams had three carries for 20 yards on the drive.

The Razorbacks scored on their first two possessions and led 14-3 just over 10 minutes into the game. Following an LSU field goal, Arkansas moved 81 yards in six plays. After an 18-yard completion to Childs, Johnson burst through the middle for 54 yards to the LSU nine. Three plays later, on fourth-and-one, Nathan Dick hit Andrew Davie in the left side of the end zone for the score with 4:54 left in the quarter.

On the following possession, Broadway’s tackle of Byrd for a six-yard loss on a pass play in the left flat helped force the Tigers to settle for a 40-yard field goal attempt by David, which was wide right.

Arkansas took the opening kick and marched 76 yards in six plays to take a 7-0 lead on Johnson’s 17-yard run around left end just more than three minutes into the game. Johnson had 40 yards on four carries during the drive, and Dick completed passes of 22 yards to Williams and 19 to Miller.

LSU game right back on its possession and got within 7-3 on a 29-yard field goal by David. A skykick and 19-yard return by Kelvin Sheppard gave the Tigers the ball at the Razorback 45. LSU reached the Hog three, but two tackles for loss by Sheppard forced the Tigers to settle for the field goal.

In the second start of his career and his second in two weeks, redshirt freshman Nathan Dick was 7-of-11 for 83 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Last week against Mississippi State, he was 25-of-43 for 333 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.

The win gives Arkansas consecutive victories over LSU for the first time since 1992 and 1993. The Razorbacks beat No. 1-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge last year, 50-48 in triple overtime.