Arkansas 38, Ole Miss 37
24-point rally sets UA mark
Arkansas players celebrate with fans Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., after getting their first conference victory of the year.
OXFORD, Miss. — The Arkansas Razorbacks got way down, but Ole Miss could not deliver the knockout in another wild finish between the SEC West rivals Saturday.
The Razorbacks capped what is thought to be the biggest comeback in school history on Connor Limpert’s 34-yard field goal with four seconds left to stun Ole Miss 38-37 before an announced crowd of 55,684 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville rallied from a 24-point deficit — 31-7 early in the second quarter — and won when trailing at halftime for the first time under fifth-year Coach Bret Bielema. It also was the Razorbacks’ first game-winning field goal in regulation in 25 years.
The comeback was the third largest in the FBS this season.
The Razorbacks (3-5, 1-4 SEC) ran their winning streak against Ole Miss (35, 1-4) to four games and snapped a seven-game losing streak against Power 5 teams, dating to a 58-42 victory at Mississippi State on Nov. 18.
The Hogs had lost their past three SEC games by
a combined 141-51. Limpert’s field goal, after he had made three in a row as practice shots after Ole Miss interim Coach Matt Luke called timeouts, gave the Razorbacks their first lead in October.
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” Limpert said. “You can’t get anything better than this.”
The Razorbacks rushed the field seconds after Ole Miss tried several laterals on the ensuing kickoff but could not get past its 36.
“It’s huge to get an SEC win,” Bielema said. “It’s good to get back on track. The character of these guys, it’s worth its weight in gold.
“I know close doesn’t count but in horseshoes and hand grenades, right? But we’re close.”
Arkansas has five victories at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, and four of them have come via frantic finishes, such as its 53-52 overtime triumph two years ago.
Bielema said Limpert and offensive coordinator Dan Enos, whose father died last Sunday, were presented game balls. Enos flew to Michigan after the game to attend his father’s funeral.
“Coach Enos called a hell of a game,” said Arkansas quarterback Cole Kelley, who threw three touchdown passes
and won for the first time in his three starts. “That man is incredible. I mean the man lost his father and he came out here. That was for him. His father was definitely watching over us tonight.”
Kelley directed a 62-yard drive after the Razorbacks took over at their own 22, trailing 37-35 with 4:04 left in the game. The game-winning drive included an 8-yard carry by Devwah Whaley, Cheyenne O’Grady’s 7-yard catch on a third and 6, a pass interference call on Ole Miss cornerback Myles Hartsfield on fourth down, a 19-yard catch by Jonathan Nance after a holding call on Arkansas, a 6-yard Kelley run, and David Williams’ 10-yard run to the Rebels’ 16 to set up Limpert’s game-winning kick.
Ole Miss outgained the Razorbacks 566-449 in total offense, but Arkansas turned its three defensive takeaways into touchdowns, including Kevin Richardson’s scoopand-score 22-yard fumble return on a botched handoff with 6:01 remaining to pull the Hogs within 37-35.
Ole Miss had been one of only nine teams in FBS to lose only one fumble this season before the Razorbacks corralled two against them.
“This is tough on our kids,” Luke said. “They continue to keep bouncing back and fighting back, and we didn’t get it done.”
The Razorbacks got it done
by keeping their wits after quarterback Jordan Ta’amu and the Rebels carved them up during the first 20 minutes of the game. Ole Miss’ fast-tempo offense rocked the Hogs in the early going with four touchdown drives of five plays or less that took 1:11 or less off the clock.
Ole Miss had 380 total yards and looked close to unstoppable when Arkansas safety Santos Ramirez ripped the ball away from Octavious Cooley at the end of a 31-yard catch and run. Ramirez recovered at the Hogs’ 30 with 8:28 left in the second quarter.
Arkansas cashed that in with a 70-yard touchdown drive, capped by Kelley’s 15yard scramble around left end to make it 31-14.
Ta’amu, who completed 20 of 30 passes for 368 yards and accounted for 444 yards and 2 touchdowns, was forced into a key mistake late in the half. The Rebels were on the march again when Arkansas defensive end McTelvin Agim, who was suspended for the first quarter, got pressure on Ta’amu and the junior fired an interception over the middle to Josh Liddell. The Arkansas safety returned it 54 yards to the Ole Miss 21. Three plays later, Kelley found Deon Stewart on a short route over the right side, and he turned it into a 23-yard touchdown with 13 seconds left in the half.
Arkansas outscored the Rebels 31-6 after Ramirez’s takeaway.
“Game changer,” Bielema said. “And to this point — what are we now 3-5 through eight games? — the biggest play of the year. And it just takes one play.”
Said Ramirez: “Things finally started happening on our side and we made some big plays. From that point on, things just kept getting better and better for us.”
Arkansas used a variety of runners to outgain the Rebels 260-198 on the ground, and the Razorbacks made big use of screen plays to backs and tight ends.
T.J. Hammonds rushed for 84 yards on 11 carries in the first extensive action of his career. Williams added 56 yards, Whaley had 52 and Nance, a receiver, had 45 yards on a couple of end arounds.
Kelley threw touchdown passes on screen plays to Whaley for 12 yards in the first quarter and to O’Grady for 9 yards to pull Arkansas within 31-28 early in the third quarter.
The Arkansas defense held long Ole Miss drives to field goals of 36 and 20 yards by Gary Wunderlich through the middle portion of the second half.
Javien Hamilton intercepted a Kelley pass and returned it to the Ole Miss 29 with 6:08 remaining to preserve the Rebels 37-28 lead.