Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas 42, N.M. State 24
Hogs find groove by keeping time
Arkansas linebacker De’Jon Harris tackles New Mexico State running back Larry Rose III late in Saturday’s game at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
FAYETTEVILLE — The Arkansas Razorbacks brought no Arlington hangover into an early kickoff Saturday, and their first victory in a month propelled Coach Bret Bielema to lead the team in a Hokey Pokey dance.
The Razorbacks (2-2) scored on six of their first seven possessions and used a formula of contain and control on the potent New Mexico State offense to trample the Aggies 42-24 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium before an announced crowd of 70,727.
Austin Allen passed for 264 yards and three touchdowns, Devwah Whaley rushed for 119 yards and a score, and Jonathan Nance led the receivers with a pair of touchdowns.
The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville showed no ill effects from a gut-wrenching overtime loss to Texas A&M last week.
“I just thought our guys … after the A&M game had a little chip on their shoulder, a little anger,” Bielema said.
“This game was a must win,” Arkansas safety Santos Ramirez said. “We can’t let
New Mexico State come into our home and win. We had to get this win before going back into SEC play, man.”
Arkansas put an emphasis on ball control to offset the Aggies’ big-play offense and succeeded by holding the ball for 41:35 compared to the Aggies at 18:25.
Arkansas celebrated in its locker room for the first time since downing Florida A&M in its season opener 30 days earlier. Bielema debuted the Hokey Pokey to amp up the fun level.
“It was a sight,” Allen said. “It’s a tradition he’s been a part of when it comes to winning, and he wanted to let us try it out. It was funny.
“He showed us the ropes, and hopefully a lot more wins come so we can keep seeing him do it.”
New Mexico State (2-3) unleashed its big-play passing game in bits and spurts but could not establish any sort of run game.
“It was a mismatch up front,” New Mexico State Coach Doug Martin said. “We had a hard time moving them. We just couldn’t get the running game going at all.”
Arkansas piled up 230 rushing yards behind the three-man tailback crew of Whaley, David Williams and Chase Hayden.
Hayden added 48 rushing yards and two touchdowns while Williams chipped in 47 yards on 15 carries.
New Mexico State worked the Hogs for 344 passing yards behind senior quarterback Tyler Rogers (23 of 38) and 6-6 wideout Jaleel Scott, who had nine catches for a career-high 174 yards and a touchdown. The Aggies had nine pass plays of 20-plus yards and several more of 10-plus yards.
“We threw the ball about as well as we can,” Martin said. “I think we’re an exceptional throwing team. I think offensively we can play with just about anybody, but that was a test today.”
Arkansas defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads’ game plan of containing the Aggies’ passing attack and controlling their run game ultimately paid off. New Mexico State ran for just 11 yards on 14 carries.
“I can’t say we played as well as we wanted to on the back end, but we won the game,” Arkansas nickel back Kevin Richardson said. “We stopped them from running the ball. That was one of our main goal going into it.”
Arkansas incorporated multiple playmakers into its balanced attack after the loss of top receiver Jared Corne- “Grant made a great play. lius. Nance caught six pass- I thought he was gonna pick es for 58 yards, Jordan Jones it himself. I just happened to had four catches for 84 yards, be in the area. Those kind and Deon Stewart added four of things helped us turn it catches for 71 yards. around.”
Stewart opened the scor- Allen and the offense ing with a breakaway on a took its next possession 80 screen in the right flank be- yards and scored on Whaley’s hind a key block from Nance 3-yard touchdown on for a 38-yard touchdown to the final play of the first cap an 80-yard drive on Ar- quarter. kansas’ first series. After another hold by
Allen threw late on a deep the Arkansas defense, the crossing route to tight end Razorbacks responded with Cheyenne O’Grady on Ar- a 61-yard touchdown drive kansas’ second possession, capped by Allen’s 31-yard leading to a leaping intercep- strike to Nance on a deep tion by DeMarcus Owens. post to grab a 21-0 lead.
Rogers led an eight-play The Aggies’ defense drive from his 9 to the Ar- could not get off the field kansas 15. The series includ- enough the rest of the way ed back-to-back throws of to give Rogers and the offense 25 yards to O.J. Clark and 21 a chance for a comeback. yards to Scott.
However, Rogers put a Arkansas sealed the victory little too much air under a by keeping the ball for throw down the middle for a stretch of 11:26 in the second running back Larry Rose in half after Rogers threw the end zone, and retreating a 9-yard touchdown to O.J. linebacker Grant Morgan Clark on the first possession leaped to tip the ball away. of the third quarter to draw Richardson scooped up the the Aggies within 28-17. carom just before it reached Arkansas responded with the turf for a takeaway. a 16-play march, which ended
Combined with an 11-yard on Allen’s 3-yard slant McTelvin Agim sack that pass for a touchdown to doused New Mexico State’s Nance against tight coverage. first possession, the Ra- zorbacks got the edge they Micahh Smith forced a needed to stay two steps fumble on the ensuing kickoff ahead of the Aggies the rest return, DeVion Warren of the way. recovered for the Hogs, and
“Those were big stops,” Hayden’s 1-yard touchdown Richardson said. “Guys up run on the first play of the front just tried to get pres- fourth quarter put Arkansas sure. ahead 42-17.