Baton Rouge, La. ? 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 Friday over Arkansas.

The Razorbacks rallied last year, scoring the winning touchdown with nine seconds left, 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 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.”

Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones (9) tries to pass as LSU linebacker Lionel Turner (58) tries for the sack. LSU won, 55-24, Friday in Baton Rouge, La.

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.