LSU wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) celebrates his one-handed leaping touchdown catch with teammate tight end Travis Dickson (41) during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/David Quinn)
LSU wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) celebrates his one-handed leaping touchdown catch with teammate tight end Travis Dickson (41) during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/David Quinn)
LSU wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) makes a leaping 22-yard touchdown reception during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/David Quinn)
LSU running back Kenny Hilliard (27) carries the ball past Arkansas linebacker Terrell Williams (25) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Fayetteville, Ark., Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/April L. Brown)
LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger (8) prepares to pass as teammate guard La'el Collins (70) blocks Arkansas defensive tackle Byran Jones (54) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Fayetteville, Ark., Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
Arkansas running back Dennis Johnson (33) is tackled by LSU linebacker Lamin Barrow (57) in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Fayetteville, Ark., Friday, Nov. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) ? Jarvis Landry helped LSU keep an SEC championship within reach.
Landry made a spectacular, reaching, one-handed touchdown catch and the eighth-ranked Tigers held on for a 20-13 win over Arkansas on Friday.
Zach Mettenberger passed for 217 yards and hooked up with Landry for the play of the day with 1:12 left in the first half to put LSU up 10-0. The Tigers (10-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) reached double-digit wins for the sixth time in eight seasons under coach Les Miles.
LSU must now hope for an Alabama loss to Auburn and Texas A&M victory on Saturday in order to reach next weekend's SEC championship game. Even without a division crown, the Tigers could still get an at-large bid to the BCS.
Tyler Wilson was 31 of 52 passing for the Razorbacks (4-8, 2-6), whose fall from preseason top 10 is now complete. The senior set the school record for career passing yards in the loss.
Arkansas' Cobi Hamilton set the school record for receptions in a career with 175.
The Tigers took at 17-3 lead early in the second quarter after a 1-yard touchdown run by Jeremy Hill, who finished with 77 yards rushing on 18 carries. The touchdown followed an 86-yard kickoff return by Michael Ford to the Arkansas 9.
It also appeared to be the clincher for LSU against a Razorbacks team that struggled mightily in its first season following the April firing of former coach Bobby Petrino. Arkansas was 21-5 the last two seasons and entered the season with SEC and national championship expectations, but it was eliminated from the bowl picture following last week's loss at Mississippi State.
The Razorbacks, however, rallied behind the record-setting combination of Wilson and Hamilton.
Wilson passed former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallet's mark of 7,493 yards passing in the second quarter, finishing with 359 yards in the game and 7,765 yards for his career, and his 28-yard touchdown pass to freshman Mekale McKay in the third quarter closed the LSU lead to 17-10.
After forcing a Tigers' punt, the Razorbacks used a key fourth-and-1 conversion to set up another scoring opportunity. Wilson found Jonathan Williams for a 37-yard completion on the fourth down at midfield, helping to set up a second-and-goal at the LSU 1.
Arkansas was unable, however, to find the end zone on its next two plays. Interim coach John L. Smith then elected to kick a 17-yard field goal, which backup kicker John Henson converted to close the Tigers' lead to 17-13.
The Razorbacks couldn't find the end zone again, bringing a likely end to the Arkansas career of Smith ? who was signed to a 10-month contract following Petrino's firing. The Razorbacks had one final chance in the closing seconds, but Wilson's second-down attempt from the LSU 18 was over the head of McKay.
LSU's final score came on a 27-yard field goal by Drew Alleman with 1:26 remaining, giving it a 20-13 lead. The score came after a key third-down completion from Mettenberger to Odell Beckham, who finished with eight catches for 112 yards.
The Tigers led 10-0 at halftime in their first game in Fayetteville since 1992. They did so despite gaining the same 165 yards of total offense as the Razorbacks, whose season-long series of miscues continued in the half.
Arkansas, next to last in the SEC in red-zone offense, squandered three scoring opportunities in the half. Dennis Johnson fumbled near the LSU goal line on the game's opening drive, and kicker Zach Hocker misfired on a pair of field goal attempts before being benched in favor of Henson in the second half.
LSU's first touchdown came late in the first half when Mettenberger found Landry in the back of the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown. Landry had to reach back over his wrong shoulder to stretch out and snare the ball with his right hand, landing well in bounds.
Hamilton finished with 10 catches for 98 yards in his final game at Arkansas, finishing his career with 175 catches. His record broke the former mark of 168 catches, set last year by Minnesota Vikings' rookie Jarius Wright.
LSU was outgained 462-306 by the Razorbacks.
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