Guice providing additional star power in LSU backfield

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Derrius Guice showed Saturday night that LSU is in good hands next season if his star backfield teammate, Leonard Fournette, departs early for the NFL.

Well, good feet, actually.

The Tigers up-and-coming sophomore rushed for a career-high 252 yards on 21 carries in a 38-10 win over Arkansas. And he capped the remarkable performance with a 96-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, the longest play from scrimmage in school history.

The previous long run was 94 yards by both Sal Nicoio in 1952 and Jesse Fatheree in 1935, while the longest pass play was also 94 yards — from Anthony Jennings to Travin Dural in 2014.

Guice only had two carries for eight yards a week earlier in a 10-0 loss to top-ranked Alabama, something Tigers coach Ed Orgeron was intent on changing against the Razorbacks. Orgeron’s belief in the sophomore paid off, with Guice gaining the second most rushing yards in school history — behind only Fournette’s 284-yard performance against Mississippi earlier this season.

Guice even got more carries than Fournette on Saturday, and the shifty 5-foot-11, 212-pound running back is likely to be considered more of co-lead in LSU’s backfield from here on out.

He clearly has the sense of humor to handle the spotlight.

“The play before (the 96-yard run), I purposely got a run for a loss to get that run,” Guice joked. “I set it up.”

Some other notable performances from across the country as college football’s regular season enters its final weeks:

AIR WATSON: Clemson’s run of success in close games came to an end in a 43-42 loss to Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Despite the setback, Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson added to his record-breaking career by passing for 580 yards — an Atlantic Coast Conference single-game record. The junior also set a school record with 52 completions, topping Cullen Harper’s total of 38 set in 2007, and became the sixth player in ACC history to top 10,000 career yards of total offense.

WILLIMAS’ DAY: Watson wasn’t the only Clemson offensive standout in Saturday’s loss. Junior Mike Williams finished with career highs in both catches (15) and receiving yards (202), and the wide receiver now has 67 catches for 956 yards.

JONES’ WATCH: East Carolina wide receiver Zay Jones settled for a marginal game by his 2016 standards on Saturday, catching 12 passes for 173 yards in a 55-31 loss to SMU. Still, the senior is well on pace to break the FBS record for career catches when the Pirates host Navy next week. Jones, who leads the country with 139 receptions this season, currently has 380 catches for his career — seven away from the record 387 by former teammate Justin Hardy.

DIMICK’S DAY: Utah defensive end Hunter Dimick took over the national lead with 12 sacks thanks to a school-record five sacks in a 49-26 win over Arizona State on Thursday. The senior also tied the school record for career sacks (27) with his effort, and he had a career-high nine tackles in the win.

PICK SEVEN: Florida State defensive back Tarvarus McFadden had his streak of four straight games with an interception snapped in a 45-7 win over Boston College on Friday. That said, the sophomore still leads the country with seven interceptions for the season.

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More AP college football at http://collegefootball.ap.org

LSU’s Derrius Guice (5) rushes the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/11/web1_113528933-4f1769c18c944fde983440b3de4ee606.jpgLSU’s Derrius Guice (5) rushes the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)

LSU’s Leonard Fournette (7) rushes downfield during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/11/web1_113528933-323879e6192c4499b425737aa71cf937.jpgLSU’s Leonard Fournette (7) rushes downfield during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arkansas, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Samantha Baker)

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2016/11/web1_113528933-d9d4ffd1873443e49d0d7793d7abe87f.jpgClemson quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) warms up before an NCAA college football game against Pittsburgh on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt)

By Kurt Voigt

AP Sports Writer

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