In a battle between the interim head coaches, the LSU Tigers defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks by a score of 23-22 on Saturday afternoon. LSU now moves to 6-4 overall and 3-4 in SEC play this season. For a program that entered the 2025 season with National Championship aspirations, reaching bowl eligibility wasn't supposed to be this much of an accomplishment. But after such a tumultuous season, reaching six wins brings some much-needed positivity to the LSU Football program.
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Associate head coach and running backs coach Frank Wilson took over for Brian Kelly on an interim basis following Kelly's firing on October 26. After falling to Alabama 20-9 last week, Wilson was still searching for his first LSU win heading into Saturday's matchup against Arkansas. After LSU fell behind in the first half, the Tigers were able to squeak out a 23-22 victory in an emotional win for Wilson.
Frank Wilson gets emotional first win as LSU's interim head coach
A New Orleans native, Wilson has been engrained in Louisiana football for his entire life. He is in his second stint at LSU, as he first came to Baton Rouge as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator from 2010-15. When Brian Kelly was hired in 2021, Wilson returned to the Tigers as the associate head coach and running backs coach. He got the opportunity to lead the program on an interim basis when Kelly was fired.
Wilson is well-respected across all of college football, and is especially beloved by his players. That love was evident as the clocked ticked down and Wilson secured his first win at Death Valley. The head coach was showered with a Gatorade bath in the closing seconds of the game.
LSU interim coach Frank Wilson gets a Gatorade bath as he wins the first SEC game ever involving 2 interim coaches. pic.twitter.com/nbvmc3SKgj
— Connor O'Gara (@cjogara) November 15, 2025
When being interviewed by SEC Network's Alyssa Lang on the field after the game, Wilson's emotions were all full display. When asked about what the win means to him, Wilson took a second in reflection before answering with a single word: "Everything."
Big time emotion from Frank Wilson. pic.twitter.com/FVVzHQdBGY
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 15, 2025
To put the icing on the cake, Saturday's win keeps The Golden Boot in Baton Rouge. LSU has now won nine of the last ten meetings with Arkansas. The Razorbacks bring their best against the Tigers, and Wilson was able to lead his team to a much-needed rivalry win.
In a rocky 2025 campaign, Saturday's win brought smiles to the faces of Tiger fans everywhere. Wilson will now prepare his team to face Western Kentucky next weekend and Oklahoma in the regular season finale on Nov. 29.