Arkansas–LSU football rivalry

Arkansas–LSU football rivalry

Arkansas Razorbacks LSU Tigers
First meeting	December 6, 1901 LSU, 15–0
Latest meeting	October 19, 2024 LSU, 34–10
Next meeting	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)

The Arkansas–LSU football rivalry, formally known as the Battle for the Boot^[3] but more recently sometimes informally called the Battle for the Golden Boot, is an American college football rivalry between the Razorbacks of the University of Arkansas and Tigers of Louisiana State University. The first game between the Razorbacks and Tigers was played in 1901. With the admission of Arkansas as a member of the Southeastern 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 after Thanksgiving, but this changed in the 2014 season when Texas A&M was scheduled to play LSU on Thanksgiving. Arkansas is now scheduled to play Missouri during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Arkansas and LSU began playing each other in 1901, with LSU claiming a 15–0 victory in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Between 1906 and 1936 (with the exception of 1918, when LSU did not field a team due to World War I) and again 1953 and 1956, the two teams played each other during regular seasons on a yearly basis. With the annual LSU–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 the State 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 new Southwest 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 new State Fair Stadium.^[1] In 1935, LSU purchased Sheik, its first live royal bengal tiger from the Little Rock Zoo^[5] and formally installed him as Mike 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 the Cotton Bowl Classic twice, on New 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 of 24-karat gold,^[7] and resembles the outline of the states of Arkansas and Louisiana connected, thus making a boot shape. The Boot was created by former Razorback linebacker 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]

Arkansas victories

LSU victories

Tie games

Vacated wins

No. Date Location Winning team Losing team 1 December 6, 1901 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 15 Arkansas 0 2 November 29, 1906 Baton Rouge, LA Tie 6 Tie 6 3 November 6, 1907 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 17 Arkansas 12 4 November 26, 1908 Little Rock, AR LSU 36 Arkansas 4 5 November 13, 1909 Memphis, TN Arkansas 16 LSU 0 6 November 24, 1910 Little Rock, AR Arkansas 51 LSU 0 7 November 30, 1911 Little Rock, AR Arkansas 11 LSU 0 8 November 16, 1912 Little Rock, AR LSU 7 Arkansas 6 9 November 8, 1913 Shreveport, LA LSU 12 Arkansas 7 10 November 7, 1914 Shreveport, LA Arkansas 20 LSU 12 11 November 5, 1915 Shreveport, LA LSU 13 Arkansas 7 12 November 5, 1916 Shreveport, LA LSU 17 Arkansas 7 13 November 3, 1917 Shreveport, LA Arkansas 14 LSU 0 14 October 23, 1919 Shreveport, LA LSU 20 Arkansas 0 15 November 6, 1920 Shreveport, LA LSU 3 Arkansas 0 16 November 5, 1921 Shreveport, LA LSU 10 Arkansas 7 17 October 28, 1922 Shreveport, LA Arkansas 40 LSU 6 18 October 27, 1923 Shreveport, LA Arkansas 26 LSU 13 19 November 1, 1924 Shreveport, LA Arkansas 10 LSU 7 20 October 31, 1925 Shreveport, LA Arkansas 12 LSU 0 21 November 6, 1926 Shreveport, LA LSU 14 Arkansas 0 22 October 29, 1927 Shreveport, LA Arkansas 28 LSU 0 23 November 3, 1928 Shreveport, LA Arkansas 7 LSU 0 24 November 2, 1929 Shreveport, LA Arkansas 32 LSU 0 25 November 1, 1930 Shreveport, LA LSU 27 Arkansas 12 26 October 24, 1931 Shreveport, LA LSU 13 Arkansas 6 27 October 22, 1932 Shreveport, LA LSU 14 Arkansas 0 28 October 21, 1933 Shreveport, LA LSU 20 Arkansas 0 29 October 20, 1934 Shreveport, LA LSU 16 Arkansas 0 30 October 19, 1935 Shreveport, LA LSU 13 Arkansas 7 31 October 24, 1936 Shreveport, LA #13 LSU 19 Arkansas 7 32 January 1, 1947 Dallas, TX Tie 0 Tie 0 33 November 21, 1953 Little Rock, AR LSU 9 Arkansas 8 34 November 20, 1954 Shreveport, LA LSU 7 #9 Arkansas 6 35 November 19, 1955 Little Rock, AR LSU 13 Arkansas 7 36 November 24, 1956 Shreveport, LA LSU 21 Arkansas 7 No. Date Location Winning team Losing team 37 January 1, 1966 Dallas, TX LSU 14 #2 Arkansas 7 38 November 27, 1992 Fayetteville, AR Arkansas 30 LSU 6 39 November 27, 1993 Baton Rouge, LA Arkansas 42 LSU 24 40 November 26, 1994 Little Rock, AR LSU 30 Arkansas 12 41 November 18, 1995 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 28 #14 Arkansas 0 42 November 29, 1996 Little Rock, AR #19 LSU 17 Arkansas 7 43 November 28, 1997 Baton Rouge, LA #17 LSU 31 Arkansas 21 44 November 27, 1998 Little Rock, AR #13 Arkansas 41 LSU 14 45 November 26, 1999 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 35 #17 Arkansas 10 46 November 24, 2000 Little Rock, AR Arkansas 14 #24 LSU 3 47 November 23, 2001 Baton Rouge, LA LSU 41 #24 Arkansas 38 48 November 27, 2002 Little Rock, AR Arkansas 21 #18 LSU 20 49 November 28, 2003 Baton Rouge, LA #3 LSU 55 Arkansas 24 50 November 26, 2004 Little Rock, AR #14 LSU 43 Arkansas 14 51 November 25, 2005 Baton Rouge, LA #3 LSU 19 Arkansas 17 52 November 24, 2006 Little Rock, AR #9 LSU 31 #5 Arkansas 26 53 November 23, 2007 Baton Rouge, LA Arkansas 50 #1 LSU 483OT 54 November 28, 2008 Little Rock, AR Arkansas 31 LSU 30 55 November 28, 2009 Baton Rouge, LA #17 LSU 33 Arkansas 30 56 November 27, 2010 Little Rock, AR #12 Arkansas 31 #6 LSU 23 57 November 25, 2011 Baton Rouge, LA #1 LSU 41 #3 Arkansas 17 58 November 23, 2012* Fayetteville, AR #8 LSU 20 Arkansas 13 59 November 29, 2013* Baton Rouge, LA #15 LSU 31 Arkansas 27 60 November 15, 2014 Fayetteville, AR Arkansas 17 #20 LSU 0 61 November 14, 2015 Baton Rouge, LA Arkansas 31 #9 LSU 14 62 November 12, 2016 Fayetteville, AR #19 LSU 38 Arkansas 10 63 November 11, 2017 Baton Rouge, LA #24 LSU 33 Arkansas 10 64 November 10, 2018 Fayetteville, AR #7 LSU 24 Arkansas 17 65 November 23, 2019 Baton Rouge, LA #1 LSU 56 Arkansas 20 66 November 21, 2020 Fayetteville, AR LSU 27 Arkansas 24 67 November 13, 2021 Baton Rouge, LA #25 Arkansas 16 LSU 13OT 68 November 12, 2022 Fayetteville, AR #7 LSU 13 Arkansas 10 69 September 23, 2023 Baton Rouge, LA #12 LSU 34 Arkansas 31 70 October 19, 2024 Fayetteville, AR #8 LSU 34 Arkansas 10 Series: LSU leads 43–23–2[2] * 2012 and 2013 wins vacated by NCAA.[8]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Razorbacks	0	0	0	0	0
Tigers	0	0	0	0	0

LSU 0 – Arkansas 0

The 1947 Cotton Bowl Classic was played at the end of the 1946 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 the Sugar 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 in first downs and a 271–54 advantage in total yardage, led by quarterback Y. A. Tittle. The Arkansas defense kept the Tiger offense out of the end 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 Razorback Clyde Scott (a future College Football Hall of Famer) tackled LSU receiver Jeff Odom at the Razorback one, preserving the tie. The Tigers then attempted the go-ahead field 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]

	1	2	3	4	Total
Razorbacks	7	0	0	0	7
Tigers	0	14	0	0	14

LSU 14 – Arkansas 7

The two teams played each other on January 1, 1966, in the Cotton Bowl Classic to end the 1965 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 from Jon Brittenum to All-American end Bobby Crockett. Running back Joe LaBruzzo then ran in from three yards out for the Bengal Tigers to tie the game at 7. Razorback QB Brittenum then left the game after suffering a shoulder injury and the Hogs fumbled 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 Razorbacks dropped to 10–1 for the season.^[11]

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP ARK LSU 1 87 ARK Bobby Crockett 19-yard touchdown reception from Harry Wilson, Ronny South kick good 7 0 2 80 LSU Joe LaBruzzo 3-yard touchdown run, Doug Moreau kick good 7 7 2 34 LSU Joe LaBruzzo 1-yard touchdown run, Doug Moreau kick good 7 14 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 7 14

LSU 17 – Arkansas 7

In 1996, the 19th-ranked LSU Tigers won the first "Boot" trophy, 17–7.^[12] For the Tigers, running back Kevin Faulk rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Herb Tyler threw for 191 yards. LSU coach Gerry 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."

	1	2	3	4	Total
#18 Tigers	7	3	7	3	20
Razorbacks	0	0	7	14	21

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. Arkansas quarterback Matt 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 LSU defensive back Randall 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 the 2002 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 by Georgia, 30–3. The Razorbacks accepted an invitation to the Music City Bowl, where they lost to Minnesota 29–14. The Tigers were invited to the Cotton Bowl, where they lost to Texas 35–20.

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP LSU ARK 1 9:58 86 3:38 LSU Skyler Green 67-yard touchdown reception from Marcus Randall, John Corbello kick good 7 0 2 3:18 57 3:18 LSU 48-yard field goal by John Corbello 10 0 3 13:03 61 4:13 ARK Mark Pierce 1-yard touchdown run, David Carlton kick good 10 7 3 8:26 89 2:06 LSU Marcus Randall 5-yard touchdown run, John Corbello kick good 17 7 4 7:57 80 :24 ARK Fred Talley 56-yard touchdown run, David Carlton kick good 17 14 4 6:23 53 5:40 LSU 29-yard field goal by John Corbello 20 14 4 :34 80 :25 ARK Decori Birmingham 31-yard touchdown reception from Matt Jones, David Carlton kick good 20 21 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 20 21

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 the 2003 SEC Championship Game^[14] (while going on to win the national championship after winning the 2004 Sugar Bowl^[15]), and also went to the 2005 SEC Championship Game.^[16] Arkansas went to the 2006 SEC Championship Game despite losing to LSU in The Boot game.^{[citation needed]}

	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	3OT	Total
Razorbacks	0	7	14	7	7	7	8	50
#1 Tigers	6	0	15	7	7	7	6	48

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 the BCS, and most major polls. The Razorbacks outlasted the Tigers in a grueling three-overtime game for the win. Star running back (and 2007 Heisman 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) at Tiger Stadium.^[17][18] The "Wild Hog" formation (Arkansas' name for the Wildcat 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]}

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP ARK LSU 1 13:19 11 1:35 LSU 32-yard field goal by Colt David 0 3 1 07:16 41 4:31 LSU 49-yard field goal by Colt David 0 6 2 07:33 97 3:23 ARK Darren McFadden 16-yard touchdown run, Alex Tejada kick good 7 6 3 09:49 80 1:46 ARK Darren McFadden 73-yard touchdown run, Alex Tejada kick good 14 6 3 07:48 51 1:52 LSU Jacob Hester 12-yard touchdown run, 2-point run good 14 14 3 05:46 83 1:54 ARK Peyton Hillis 65-yard touchdown run, Alex Tejada kick good 21 14 3 02:22 75 3:18 LSU Demetrius Byrd 7-yard touchdown reception from Matt Flynn, Colt David kick good 21 21 4 05:06 72 2:24 ARK Peyton Hillis 24-yard touchdown reception from Darren McFadden, Alex Tejada kick good 28 21 4 00:57 79 4:02 LSU Demetrius Byrd 2-yard touchdown reception from Matt Flynn, Colt David kick good 28 28 OT1 15:00 25 0:00 LSU Matt Flynn 12-yard touchdown run, Colt David kick good 28 35 OT1 15:00 25 0:00 ARK Peyton Hillis 10-yard touchdown reception from Casey Dick, Alex Tejada kick good 35 35 OT2 15:00 25 0:00 ARK Darren McFadden 9-yard touchdown run, Alex Tejada kick good 42 35 OT2 15:00 25 0:00 LSU Jacob Hester 2-yard touchdown run, Colt David kick good 42 42 OT3 15:00 25 0:00 ARK Peyton Hillis 3-yard touchdown run, 2-point run good 50 42 OT3 15:00 25 0:00 LSU Brandon LaFell 9-yard touchdown reception from Matt Flynn, 2-point pass no good 50 48 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 50 48

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	3	20	7	0	30
Razorbacks	14	0	7	10	31

Arkansas 31 – LSU 30

In 2008, Arkansas quarterback Casey 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 endzone DeCori 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 the 2008 season ranked third in the West (behind Alabama and Ole 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-based The 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]

	1	2	3	4	Total
#5 Tigers	0	14	6	3	23
#12 Razorbacks	7	14	0	10	31

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 back Knile Davis rushed for 152 yards, including nine straight rushes on the final Arkansas drive, and Ryan 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 quarterback Zach 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