LSU pounds Arkansas to wrap up SEC West title

Michael Clayton was one of six players to score touchdowns for the Tigers. AP

BATON ROUGE (AP) -- Matt Mauck made sure the only thing LSU had to worry about was the BCS computers -- not another last-minute comeback by Arkansas.

Mauck threw four touchdown passes in three quarters to send No. 3 LSU into the Southeastern Conference title game and keep the Tigers in contention for the national championship with a 55-24 victory over Arkansas on Friday.

The Razorbacks rallied last year, scoring the winning touchdown with nine seconds left in the game, to knock LSU out of the conference championship game.

"Our idea was, 'Score as many as you can,'" Mauck said. "Our guys played really hard. There's no quit in them."

Mauck threw touchdowns of 10, 2, 22 and 37 yards to help LSU (11-1, 7-1) clinch the SEC West for the second time in three years. Mauck, who left after the third quarter, completed 12 of 19 passes for 186 yards to give the Tigers their second 11-win season ever.

"It's great -- it's a great feeling," LSU receiver Michael Clayton said. "We set out to get in it at the beginning of the season and we finally accomplished that. We've got one more game to make it a dream come true."

LSU will play either Georgia, Tennessee or Florida for the conference championship next Saturday in Atlanta. Not knowing which team the Tigers will face annoyed LSU coach Nick Saban. It's unfair for the other teams to know who to prepare for while LSU has to guess, he said.

"Sunday is our coaches work day," Saban said. "They need to make a decision if they all win. We need to find out who we're going to play."

With a win, the Tigers could have a chance to play for their first national championship since 1958.

LSU is currently third in the BCS standings that determine which two teams will play for the title in the Sugar Bowl but could jump ahead of Southern California with a win over a quality opponent in the season finale.

The Tigers took advantage of sloppy play from Arkansas (8-4, 4-4), which fumbled six times and lost three. Matt Jones struggled, going 4-for-12 for 100 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

"There were so many bad plays on our part that I could not really tell you a turning point," Arkansas free safety Tony Bua said.

For the second straight week, LSU played the highest-scoring team in the SEC. Arkansas, which averaged 35 points a game, took over that spot after the Tigers held Ole Miss to almost 21 points below its average in a 17-14 win.

The Rebels could have won the SEC West had LSU lost to the Razorbacks. But the Tigers dominated, outgaining Arkansas 436-301.

Saban stopped on the way off the field to thank the fans and tell them the title was for them.

DeCori Birmingham scored on a 53-yard swing pass from Jones to put Arkansas up 7-0 after its first possession.

LSU got on the board with a 38-yard field goal by Chris Jackson. The Tigers took advantage of two Arkansas fumbles and an interception to score 21 points, including a 25-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Eric Alexander that gave LSU a 10-7 lead.

The Razorbacks tied it with a 40-yard field goal with 2:01 left in the first quarter.

Mauck hit Clayton with a 10-yard touchdown pass that made it 17-10. It was Clayton's 20th career touchdown reception.

Arkansas running back Cedric Cobbs had early success against the nation's top-rated run defense. He tied the game at 17, running past and through the LSU defensive line for runs of 61 and 20 yards, the latter for a touchdown.

Cobbs' rushing touchdown was only the third against LSU this season. He also became the first 100-yard runner against LSU in 2003. Cobbs finished with 169 yards.

LSU scored 17 points in the final 6:35 of the half. The Tigers went back up 24-17 on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Mauck to Skyler Green.

They stretched their lead on Jackson's 47-yard field goal that made it 27-17. Corey Webster's interception gave LSU another shot and Mauck hit Devery Henderson with a 20-yard scoring pass to make it 34-17 at the break.

"The second quarter was the key, there at the end," Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said. "Things were going good in the first quarter. We jumped on them early. It was a good start, but boy, I'll tell you that second quarter really, really hurt."

LSU scored on all three possessions of the third quarter. The first touchdown was a 37-yard pass from Mauck to David Jones that made it 41-17.

Justin Vincent then scored on runs of 23 and 2 yards to make it 55-17 with 41 seconds left in the quarter. Vincent finished with 119 yards.

Arkansas got a final touchdown on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Birmingham.