No. 1 LSU powers past No. 3 Arkansas
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Tyrann Mathieu channeled his best Billy Cannon and No. 1 LSU was on its way to another run-away victory in the biggest game at Tiger Stadium in half a century.
Mathieu returned a punt 92 yards for a score and the Tigers punished third-ranked Arkansas with 286 yards rushing, wiping out a 14-point deficit with a 41-17 win Friday at Baton Rouge, La., that secured a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship.
Kenny Hilliard, Spencer Ware and Jordan Jefferson all scored on the ground for LSU (12-0, 8-0), which is 12-0 for the first time and will play No. 13 Georgia next weekend in Atlanta.
A win over the Bulldogs would assure the Tigers their third trip to the BCS title game in nine seasons. Though at this point, LSU might be able to get there even if it loses.
Arkansas (10-2, 6-2) took a surprising 14-0 lead on Tyler Wilson's TD pass to Jarius Wright and Alonzo Highsmith's 47-yard fumble return, but LSU stormed back by scoring 41 of the next 44 points in the game.
The rivalry game known as the battle for "The Boot," a trophy in the shape of Arkansas and Louisiana, marked the first time two teams ranked in the top three had met in Death Valley since 1959, when Cannon's 89-yard punt return lifted No. 1 LSU to a 7-3 win over No. 3 Mississippi.
Cannon also made a game-sealing tackle on defense late in that game. Mathieu, who was playing safety instead of cornerback much of the game because of Eric Reid's injury the previous week, had defensive highlights of his own, forcing two turnovers with strips, one of which he recovered.
He now has six forced fumbles this season. His fifth was a strip of running back Dennis Johnson in LSU territory late in the first half. That set up a touchdown drive that put the Tigers ahead to stay.
LSU trailed 14-7 when Mathieu fielded Dylan Breeding's end-over-end kick at his own 8, started left, made a hard cut straight up field, then angled left again to break into the clear.
No. 8 Houston 48, Tulsa 16: At Tulsa, Okla., Case Keenum threw for 457 yards and five touchdowns — four to Patrick Edwards — and Houston (12-0, 8-0) earned a spot in the Conference USA championship game by beating Tulsa (8-4, 7-1).
No. 22 Nebraska 20, Iowa 7: At Lincoln, Neb., Rex Burkhead ran for 160 yards and a touchdown on a school-record 38 carries and Nebraska (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten) defeated Iowa (7-5, 4-4).
PAC-12
Colorado 17, Utah 14: At Salt Lake City, Coleman Petersen missed a 48-yard field goal try with two seconds remaining as Colorado (3-10, 2-7) escaped with a victory over Utah, ending the Utes’ hopes for a Pac-12 South title and halting the Buffaloes’ school-record 23-game road losing streak.
Petersen missed all three attempts after entering the contest leading the Pac-12 in field goals made with 17. With the loss by Utah (7-5, 4-5), UCLA will represent the South in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game.
California 47, Arizona State 38: At Tempe, Ariz., C.J. Anderson scored three touchdowns and California (7-5, 4-5) ended the regular season with a win over Arizona State (6-6, 4-5 Pac-12).