College Football Old School Game of the Week: McFadden Leads Arkansas to 3OT Upset Win over #1 LSU

 

Arkansas running back Darren McFadden carried the ball 32 times for 206 yards and run for three TDs while completed three of six passes for 34 yards and threw a TD in Arkansas' upset win over LSU.

When it comes to the greatest running backs in Arkansas Razorbacks football history, it's hard to argue against anyone other than Darren McFadden as the greatest in school history.

In his three years with the Hogs, McFadden rushed for over 1,000 yards in each season to become only the second player in SEC history to do that with the other being Georgia Bulldogs running back Herschel Walker, who McFadden currently runs behind in second place on the all time rushing yards list in SEC with his 4,590 career yards.

McFadden's finest performance as a Arkansas Razorback came in the Hogs' 2007 regular season finale against the #1 LSU Tigers in a  triple overtime classic in "Death Valley".

 Arkansas came into the game with a 7-4 record and unranked in what many observers believed to be a disappointing season for the Hogs as they returned McFadden, plus fellow 1,000 rusher Felix Jones, and fullback Peyton Hillis for the 2007 season following a 10-win season and SEC West division title in 2006.

But after a number of controversies that including the departure of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn as well as several high-ranked recruits, head coach Houston Nutt was on the hot seat when it came to his job security despite a nearly successful 10-year run in Fayetteville.

It seemed likely that Nutt's final game was going to be the Hogs' annual battle with the LSU Tigers over the "Golden Boot" trophy given to the winner of the LSU-Arkansas game.

The Tigers came into the Arkansas game ranked #1 in the AP and coaches polls but most importantly in the BCS rankings as the Tigers came into their game with Arkansas with a 10-1 record with their only loss being a 45-37 triple overtime loss to Kentucky six weeks earlier(To read about that game, click on the link which is highlighted here: https://oldschoolsportsblog.blogspot.com/2021/10/college-football-old-school-game-of.html).

The Tigers had climbed back to the #1 ranking under the direction of head coach Les Miles and an offense with fifth-year senior Matt Flynn at quarterback and the bruising Jacob Hester at running back.

The Tigers had already wrapped up the SEC West division title and were set to play in the SEC Championship Game the following week in Atlanta, but had no margin for error because of their loss to Kentucky, meaning their game against the Hogs was still very important if the Tigers were going to play for a national championship at the end of the season..

The Hogs were set to get the ball to start the game as McFadden received the opening kickoff and returned it 17 yards until he was hit by LSU linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, causing a fumble that was recovered by running back Charles Scott to give the Tigers the football at the Arkansas 25-yard-line.

The Tigers would pick up one 1st down before settling for a 32-yard field goal by Colt David to give LSU a 3-0 lead just 1:41 into the game.

Lightning almost struck twice for the Tigers as McFadden received the ensuing kickoff and again fumbled the football after a hit by Hester, only this time McFadden was able to recover his fumble to give Arkansas the ball at its 29-yard-line.

The Hogs would go three-and-out to give the ball back to LSU, who took over at its 27-yard-line as Hester carried the ball on the first three plays of the drive, gaining a total of 18 yards, which was followed by an eight-yard pass from Flynn to tight end Richard Dickson to put the Tigers at the Arkansas 45-yard-line.

The Tigers would drive to the Arkansas 32-yard-line until they called on David again to attempt a 49-yard field goal which he made to increase the LSU lead to 6-0 midway through the first quarter.

LSU running back Jacob Hester ran for 126 yards on 28 carries and scored two touchdowns.

Both teams would trade punts until the second quarter when the Hogs got the ball at their three-yard-line when they put together their best drive of the first half.

McFadden ran for 12 yards to begin the drive which was followed by a pass interference penalty on LSU cornerback Chevis Jackson giving the Hogs a 1st down at their 30-yard-line.

After the next two plays picked up six yards, the Hogs lined up in the "Wild Hog" formation, which was Arkansas' version of the "Wildcat" formation as McFadden lined up at quarterback and handed the ball off to Jones, who broke loose for a 31-yard run to give Arkansas a 1st down at the LSU 33-yard-line.

Following another 1st down, Arkansas went back to the "Wild Hog" as McFadden completed a five-yard pass to Jones on 1st & 10, then kept the ball on 2nd down and ran it in for a 16-yard touchdown to give the Hogs a 7-6 lead with 7:33 left in the second quarter as the Hogs had driven 97 yards in nine plays.

Those would be the last points of the first half as both teams would trade punts until the end of the half with Arkansas on top 7-6 as the two teams went into the locker room for the halftime break.

The Tigers would get the ball to start the second half as they drove from their 38-yard-line to the Arkansas 40-yard-line until they punted the ball back to the Hogs, who took over at their 20-yard-line following a touchback on the punt.

The Hogs picked up one 1st down before facing a 2nd & 14 at their 27-yard-line when lined up in the "Wild Hog" again, McFadden took the direct snap, ran toward his left and outraced the LSU defense for a 73-yard touchdown which increased Arkansas' lead to 14-6 with 9:49 left in the third quarter.

The Tigers needed a spark and would get it on the ensuing kickoff as Chad Jones' 33-yard-return gave LSU the ball at its 49-yard-line to begin its next drive.

Flynn would come out firing as he completed back-to-back passes to Demetrius Byrd for 19 yards, then hit Dickson for eight more yards to give LSU a 1st down at the Arkansas 24-yard-line.

Hester would get the call on the next play running for nine yards before being stopped for no gain to set up 3rd & 1 when Flynn kept it himself to run for three yards and a 1st down at the Arkansas 12-yard-line.

Following an incomplete pass, Flynn handed the ball off to Hester, who broke through three Arkansas tacklers to punch it in for the 12-yard touchdown to bring the Tigers to within two points at 14-12 as Miles decided to go for two.

Flynn would run it in for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 14 with 7:48 left in the third quarter.

Arkansas would get the ball back at its 17-yard-line and drive to their 35-yard-line when the "Wild Hog" struck again as McFadden handed the ball off to Hillis, who busted through the middle for a 65-yard touchdown to give Arkansas a 21-14 lead with 5:46 left in the third quarter.

Arkansas fullback Peyton Hillis had 11 carries for 89 yards and two touchdowns plus caught five passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns.

Back came the Tigers as they would drive 75 yards in 10 plays with the drive culminating in a seven-yard touchdown pass from Flynn to Byrd to tie the game at 21 with 2:22 remaining in the third quarter.

The two teams would trade punts as the game moved into the fourth quarter when the Tigers had the ball at their 46-yard-line when Flynn connected with Hester on a 54-yard touchdown pass, only to have called back because of an ineligible receiver downfield.

The Tigers would eventually punt giving the Hogs the ball at their 28-yard-line as  Arkansas came out in the "Wild Hog" formation to start the drive with McFadden running for seven yards, then throwing an incomplete pass to force a 3rd & 3 where McFadden handed the ball off to Jones who exploded for a 30-yard run to give the Hogs a 1st down at the LSU 35-yard-line.

Then after two runs by McFadden picked up 11 yards, McFadden lined up at quarterback and fired a pass a 24-yard touchdown pass to Hillis to give Arkansas a 28-21 lead with 5:06 remaining in regulation.

The Tigers got the ball back at their 21-yard-line needing a touchdown in hopes of sending the game into overtime or tying to give them a chance to win before the end of regulation.

After an incomplete pass on 1st down, Hester carried the ball on the next two plays picking up 16 yards for a LSU 1st down at its 37-yard-line.

A six-yard pass to Dickson followed by a three-yard run by Hester set up 3rd & 1 when Flynn threw an incomplete pass to force 4th & 1 with the Tigers at their 46-yard-line.

Miles decided to go for it and was awarded with a 1st down as Keiland Williams ran for two yards to give LSU a 1st down at its 48-yard-line as Flynn would connect with Early Doucet for nine yards to put LSU in Arkansas territory at the Hogs' 43-yard-line.

On the next play, Flynn connected with Dickson for 35 yards to give LSU 1st & goal at the Arkansas eight-yard-line with less than two minutes to go.

An incomplete pass on 1st down, followed by a two-yard run by Flynn, then a four-yard run by Hester set up a do-or-die 4th down at the Arkansas two-yard-line.

That is when Flynn found Byrd in the middle of the end zone for a two-yard touchdown that along with David's extra point tied the game at 28-28 with 57 seconds to go in regulation.

That was still enough time for the Hogs to drive down the field and get the game-winning score, especially after Jones returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards to the Arkansas 48-yard-line.

However, the Tigers would force the Hogs to turn it over on downs as Dick's 4th down pass intended for Lucas Miller fell incomplete to give LSU a chance at a "Hail Mary" pass with three seconds to go.

Flynn's pass would fall incomplete to send the game into overtime with the game tied at 28.

LSU got the ball first in the overtime period as Williams ran for 13 yards on 1st down, then following an incomplete pass, Flynn ran it in for a 12-yard touchdown to give LSU a 35-28 lead as the Hogs were set to get the ball for their overtime possession.

LSU quarterback Matt Flynn completed 22 of 47 passes for 209 yards and threw three TDs while running the ball nine times for 27 yards and one TD.

McFadden completed a five-yard pass to Jones to start the overtime possession then was stopped for no gain on 2nd down to set up 3rd & 5 when Dick went back in at quarterback.

An illegal procedure penalty and an incomplete pass forced a 4th & 10 at the LSU 25-yard-line when Dick completed a 13-yard pass to Hillis to give Arkansas a 1st down at the LSU 12-yard-line.

Then on 3rd & 8 from the 10-yard-line, Dick connected with Hillis again, this time for a 12-yard touchdown that with the extra point made it a 35-35 game and send the game into a second overtime.

The Hogs had the ball first in the second overtime period as Jones began the drive with a 16-yard run, which was followed by a nine-yard touchdown run by McFadden to give Arkansas a 42-35 lead.

LSU's possession began with a four-yard run by Williams, followed by a 12-yard pass from Flynn to Dickson to give the Tigers a 1st down at the Arkansas' nine-yard-line when Hester carried the ball for seven yards on 1st & goal, then ran it in for a two-yard touchdown to send the game to a third overtime with the scored tied at 42.

A six-yard run by Jones, followed by an one-yard run by Hillis, then a three-yard run by Jones gave the Hogs a 1st down at the 15-yard-line when Arkansas went back to the "Wild Hog" formation as McFadden handed the ball off to Hillis, who ran for only two yards on 1st down.

McFadden would then run for 10 yards on 2nd down to set up 1st & goal at the three-yard-line when McFadden handed the ball off to Hillis, who busted though for a three-yard touchdown.

Now that the game had entered a third overtime period, the Hogs had to go for two following the touchdown, which they got as Jones ran it into the end zone to give Arkansas a 50-42 lead.

The Tigers' triple overtime possession began with a 12-yard pass from Flynn to Doucet, followed by a four-yard run by Hester to set up 2nd & 6 when Flynn hit Brandon LaFell for the nine-yard touchdown to bring LSU to within two at 50-48.

Now needing to make the two-point conversion to send the game to a fourth overtime, Flynn dropped back and fired a pass intended for Byrd at the back of the end zone, only to have Arkansas cornerback Matterral Richardson step in front of Byrd to make the interception to end the game and give the Hogs a 50-48 victory.

The loss seemingly ended the Tigers' national championship hopes as they fell to 10-2 and drop from #1 to #7 in the following week's BCS rankings.

But following a 21-14 win over Tennessee in the SEC Championship Game, plus losses by Missouri and West Virginia the following week, the Tigers jumped all the way to #2 in the final BCS rankings, earning them a trip to the BCS Championship Game where they faced the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes as LSU would knock off the Buckeyes 38-24 to claim the Tigers' second national title in five years.

Despite the win over #1 LSU, Nutt decided to resign as Arkansas head coach three days later, where he was replaced by defensive coordinator Reggie Herring who coached the Hogs in their bowl game, a 38-7 loss to Missouri in the Cotton Bowl, dropping Arkansas to a 8-5 record to finish the season.

Nutt would sign with the Ole Miss Rebels to became their head coach where he lead the Rebels to back-to-back Cotton Bowl wins in his first two seasons until two straight losing seasons led to his firing following the 2011 season.

As for McFadden, who would finish 2nd in the Heisman Trophy race behind eventual winner Tim Tebow as McFadden finished the 2007 season with 1,830 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.

McFadden would be chosen as the #4 overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in the 2008 NFL Draft as he would rush for 4,247 yards and 25 touchdowns in seven seasons, then signed with the Dallas Cowboys before the 2015 season in which he ran for 1,089 yards and scored three touchdowns that year.

Two years later, McFadden would retire from the NFL after a 10-year career and then would be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

The Hogs celebrate with the Golden Boot Trophy following their upset win over #1 LSU.