Arkansas–LSU football rivalry

LSU Tigers
Teams	Arkansas Razorbacks LSU Tigers
First meeting	December 6, 1901 LSU, 15–0
Latest meeting	October 19, 2024 LSU, 34–10
Next meeting	November 15, 2025
Trophy	State Fair Stadium Dedication Game trophy (1924)[1] Cotton Bowl Classic trophy (1946, 1965) The Boot trophy (1996–present)
Statistics
Meetings total	70
All-time series	LSU leads, 43–23–2[2]
Trophy series	LSU leads, 18–9
Largest victory	Arkansas, 51–0 (1910) LSU, 56–20 (2019)
Longest win streak	LSU, 7 (1930–1936) Arkansas, 4 (1922–1925)
Current win streak	LSU, 3 (2022–present)

240km
149miles

LSU

Arkansas

   

Locations of Arkansas and LSU

TheArkansas–LSU football rivalry, formally known as theBattle for the Boot^[3] but more recently sometimes informally called theBattle for the Golden Boot, is an Americancollege footballrivalry between theRazorbacks of theUniversity of Arkansas andTigers ofLouisiana State University. The first game between the Razorbacks and Tigers was played in 1901. With the admission of Arkansas as a member of theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) in 1992, the rivalry became an annual game between these members of the SEC Western Division. "The Boot" trophy was first awarded to the game's winner in 1996.

The game was usually played on the Friday afterThanksgiving, but this changed in the 2014 season whenTexas A&M was scheduled to play LSU on Thanksgiving. Arkansas is now scheduled to playMissouri during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Arkansas and LSU began playing each other in 1901, with LSU claiming a 15–0 victory inBaton Rouge, Louisiana. Between 1906 and 1936 (with the exception of 1918, when LSU did not field a team due toWorld War I) and again 1953 and 1956, the two teams played each other during regular seasons on a yearly basis. With the annualLSU–Tulane game being suspended at times during the first decade of the twentieth century, the Arkansas–LSU series occasionally moved into its season finale slot (foreshadowing what would again happen starting in 1992). From 1913 to 1936, the two teams also played each other in theState Fair Classic, until Arkansas canceled its future appearances after dropping seven straight contests to LSU. After the 1914 season, Arkansas and LSU were invited to join the newSouthwest Conference, but LSU declined.^[4] In 1924, the two schools became the first future SEC rivals to play for a trophy, as part of the dedication of Shreveport's newState Fair Stadium.^[1] In 1935, LSU purchased Sheik, its first live royalbengal tiger from theLittle Rock Zoo^[5] and formally installed him asMike I at the State Fair Classic against Arkansas the next year.^[6] In addition, the two teams played each other at the end of the regular season in theCotton Bowl Classic twice, onNew Year's Day of 1947 and 1966.

In 1992, LSU and Arkansas resumed their annual rivalry when Arkansas joined the Southeastern Conference after leaving the SWC. The teams played each other four times in the conference before the introduction of The Boot trophy in 1996. The Razorbacks won 30–6 in 1992—their first win in the series since 1929—and 42–24 in 1993, while the Tigers prevailed 30–12 in 1994 and 28–0 in 1995.

LSU leads the trophy series 19–9, through the 2023 season. Since 1996, the winning team has received the 200-pound, $10,000 "Boot" trophy.^[3] The trophy itself stands a little over four feet tall, is molded out of24-karatgold,^[7] and resembles the outline of the states ofArkansas andLouisiana connected, thus making aboot shape. The Boot was created by former Razorbacklinebacker David Bazzel. According to Bazzel, it was intentionally made "as big and gaudy as possible, because I wanted to create value in it with gold and size," also making it the heaviest true trophy in college football.^[5]

LSU 0 – Arkansas 0

The1947 Cotton Bowl Classic was played at the end of the1946 college football season. It was the first matchup between the rivals since the 1936 State Fair Classic. The game was named the "Ice Bowl" due to the ice, sleet, snow, rain, and sub-20 degree (Fahrenheit) weather which produced horrid playing conditions. The Tigers only accepted the invitation after being snubbed of a bid to theSugar Bowl, and entered the game with a record of 9–1.^[9]

Despite the scoreless tie, the game was still considered an accomplishment due to the tickets selling out weeks in advance and the attendance of the game, which was around 38,000 despite the weather. LSU had the upper-hand most of the game in terms of offensive production, holding a 15–1 edge over the Razorbacks infirst downs and a 271–54 advantage in total yardage, led byquarterbackY. A. Tittle. The Arkansas defense kept the Tiger offense out of theend zone from the Arkansas 1, 6, 7, and 8 yard lines, but Arkansas could not capitalize on any of the stops. The final two plays proved the cold did not stop the teams from having a flair for the dramatic, as RazorbackClyde Scott (a futureCollege Football Hall of Famer) tackled LSU receiver Jeff Odom at the Razorback one, preserving the tie. The Tigers then attempted the go-aheadfield goal, but a bad snap ended the game on the final play. This game marked the second (and last) time the two teams tied.^[10]

LSU 14 – Arkansas 7

The two teams played each other on January 1, 1966, in theCotton Bowl Classic to end the1965 season. Arkansas had won the national championship in the previous year (1964), and came into the game with a 10–0 record (and an overall 22-game winning streak on the line) after winning the 1965 SWC title. The Razorbacks were again looking to win the national championship, and had the number one scoring offense coming into the game, averaging 32.4 points per contest.

Arkansas took the ball to the end zone on the opening drive, capped by a 19-yard toss fromJon Brittenum toAll-AmericanendBobby Crockett.Running back Joe LaBruzzo then ran in from three yards out for the Bengal Tigers to tie the game at 7. RazorbackQB Brittenum then left the game after suffering a shoulder injury and the Hogsfumbled the ball three plays later. LaBruzzo again scored, this time from one yard away, giving the Tigers a 14–7 halftime lead.

Neither team scored in the second half, and Arkansas ended the game on the LSU 24 yard line. Razorback Bobby Crockett set a bowl record with 10 catches for 129 yards, but it was not enough as the Tigers edged Arkansas for the win, 14–7. The Tigers improved their final record to 8–3, while the Razorbacksdropped to 10–1 for the season.^[11]

LSU 17 – Arkansas 7

In 1996, the 19th-ranked LSU Tigers won the first "Boot" trophy, 17–7.^[12] For the Tigers, running backKevin Faulk rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown and quarterbackHerb Tyler threw for 191 yards. LSU coachGerry DiNardo was quoted after the game as saying, "Obviously it was a great win. I feel we had a terrific first half. In the second half the defense didn't play as well as it should and the offense didn't score."

Arkansas 21 – LSU 20

Trailing 20–14 with 34 seconds left, the Razorbacks (8–3, 4–3 SEC) got the ball at their own 19. ArkansasquarterbackMatt Jones completed a 50-yard pass to Richard Smith on the first play. After one pass incompletion, Jones threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to DeCori Birmingham, who leaped over LSUdefensive backRandall Gay, with nine seconds left on the game clock. Arkansas was penalized 15 yards for excessive celebration, moving the go-ahead extra point to the 18 yard line. Arkansas kicker David Carlton barely made the 35-yard extra point (which was long enough, but curved left) to give Arkansas the 21–20 win and the opportunity to go to the2002 SEC Championship Game^[13] as the SEC Western Division's top seeded co-champion. LSU had already clinched a share of the SEC Western Division title going into the game but would have advanced to the conference championship game if it had won. The finish is considered by Arkansas fans as one of the all-time greatest finishes in Razorback history. The Razorbacks, however, were embarrassed in the SEC Championship Game byGeorgia, 30–3. The Razorbacks accepted an invitation to theMusic City Bowl, where they lost toMinnesota 29–14. The Tigers were invited to theCotton Bowl, where they lost toTexas 35–20.

The LSU Tigers won The Boot Trophy four consecutive times between the 2003 and 2006 contests, while also staying at or near the top of the SEC Western Division standings. LSU won the2003 SEC Championship Game^[14] (while going on to win the national championship after winning the2004 Sugar Bowl^[15]), and also went to the2005 SEC Championship Game.^[16] Arkansas went to the2006 SEC Championship Game despite losing to LSU in The Boot game.^{[citation needed]}

Arkansas 50 – LSU 48 (3OT)

Coming into the November 23, 2007, game, which was played in Baton Rouge, LSU was ranked #1 in the country in theBCS, and most major polls. The Razorbacks outlasted the Tigers in a grueling three-overtime game for the win. Star running back (and 2007Heisman Trophy runner-up)Darren McFadden rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns, and threw for one touchdown to lift Arkansas to a 50–48 victory in front of 92,606 people (the official attendance) atTiger Stadium.^[17][18] The "Wild Hog" formation (Arkansas' name for theWildcat formation) was run prominently in the game, led by McFadden, in which he was a triple threat to run, hand off, or throw.^{[citation needed]}

Arkansas 31 – LSU 30

In 2008, Arkansas quarterbackCasey Dick threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver London Crawford on a fourth-down (with one yard to go) situation with only 22 seconds remaining on the game clock to give the Razorbacks a 31–30 victory over the Tigers at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.^[19] Coincidentally, Crawford caught it in the same corner in the same endzoneDeCori Birmingham had scored the game winner six years earlier. The Razorbacks had trailed, 30–14, early in the third quarter when Casey replaced his younger brother, Nathan, at quarterback. LSU incurred several penalties that aided Arkansas in the winning drive, which included converting twice on fourth down.^[20]

Coming into the game, both teams were unranked and out of contention for the SEC West title. LSU finished the2008 season ranked third in the West (behindAlabama andOle Miss) and was bowl-bound. Arkansas finished 4th in the division and was out of contention for a bowl game.

Because of the similarities between this outcome and the 2002 game, some, such as Fayetteville-basedThe Morning News, called this game the "Miracle on Markham II".^[21] Other columnists and news sources, citing less of the impact or flair of the Miracle on Markham, have suggested other titles, such as "Madness on Markham".^[22] Quarterback for the Razorbacks at the time,Casey Dick, reluctantly stated, “That’s fine with me,”when asked about the "Miracle on Markham II" title for the game.^[23]

In a top-fifteen matchup in War Memorial Stadium, Arkansas regained The Boot trophy with a 31–23 season-defining victory.^[24] The Razorbacks’ offense recorded 464 total yards of offense against the Tigers, who had the top-ranked defense in the SEC entering the contest.^[25] Arkansas's sophomore running backKnile Davis rushed for 152 yards, including nine straight rushes on the final Arkansas drive, andRyan Mallett broke the school record of 60 career touchdown passes in the contest.^[26] Cobi Hamilton of Arkansas had three catches for 164 yards and two touchdowns of 80 or more yards, including a long score with six seconds remaining before halftime.Stevan Ridley had two rushing scores for LSU. Arkansas ended their season with 10–3 record and LSU ended their season with an 11–2 record.

With starting quarterbackZach Mettenberger sidelined by a knee injury in the fourth quarter, an unlikely, last-minute 99.5-yard winning touchdown drive was achieved by a true freshman back-up QB (Anthony Jennings) to hand #15 LSU the victory, 31–27. The win was sealed with a 49-yard TD pass to another freshman,Travin Dural, with just 1:15 remaining.^[27]

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games

• College football rivalries in the United States
• Arkansas Razorbacks football
• LSU Tigers football

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