Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
HOGS’ DEFENSE scores third touchdown of 2019.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The University of Arkansas defense got in the end zone again Saturday during No. 23 Texas A&M’s 31-27 victory over the Razorbacks.
Arkansas senior linebacker De’Jon Harris scored the first touchdown of his career when he scooped up a fumble by running back Isaiah Spiller — forced by senior defensive end Gabe Richardson — and had a 6-yard return to pull the Razorbacks within 14-10 in the second quarter.
Arkansas has three touchdowns on defense this season, including a 69-yard fumble return by safety Kamren Curl at Ole Miss and cornerback LaDarrius Bishop’s 25-yard fumble return against Colorado State.
The Razorbacks have three fumble returns for touchdowns in a season for the first time since 2017 when Henre Toliver scored against Florida A&M, Kevin Richardson scored against Ole Miss and Briston Guidry scored against Mississippi State.
“I think that’s a credit to how fast and how aggressive that we want to play,” Arkansas Coach Chad Morris said. “We’ve got to continue to stay the course on that and keep working that.
“Any time you can create turnovers, it’s a huge opportunity, huge momentum for you.”
Curl forced the fumble at Ole Miss when he scored. Linebacker Hayden Henry forced the fumble against Colorado State that resulted in Bishop’s touchdown.
“Any time the defense scores a touchdown, it’s good,” Curl said. “I feel like we keep emphasizing turnovers, and any time we can get the ball in our hands and put it in the end zone, that’s what we’re trying to do.”
The Razorbacks have forced 10 turnovers through five games.
Rankled
Arkansas has lost 12 consecutive games to nationally ranked teams after falling to the No. 23 Aggies.
The Razorbacks’ last victory against a ranked team was Nov. 5, 2016, when they beat No. 11 Florida 31-10 in Fayetteville.
Since then, Arkansas has lost to No. 25 LSU 38-10 and No. 22 Virginia Tech 35-24 in 2016; to No. 23 TCU 28-7, No. 1 Alabama 41-9, No. 21 Auburn 52-20, No. 24 LSU 31-10 and No. 16 Mississippi State 28-21 in 2017; and to No. 7 Auburn 34-3, No. 1 Alabama 65-31, No. 13 LSU 24-14 and No. 24 Mississippi State 52-6 in 2018.
Smallest crowd
The announced attendance of 51,441 for Saturday was the lowest in the nine Arkansas-Texas A&M games played at AT&T Stadium. The previous low was 55,383 for last season’s game.
It was the third consecutive season that attendance has been a low for the games in AT&T Stadium after 64,668 was the announced crowd in 2017.
The largest crowd at AT&T Stadium for an Arkansas-Texas A&M game was 71,872 in the teams’ first meeting there in 2009.
Other crowds were 65,622 in 2010, 69,836 in 2011, 68,113 in 2014, 67,339 in 2015 and 67,751 in 2016.
First pick
Arkansas sophomore cornerback Montaric Brown made his first career interception when he picked off a Kellen Mond pass in the end zone during the third quarter and returned it 12 yards.
Back in July
Aggies defensive tackle Justin Madubuike said at SEC media days in July that he was looking forward to playing quarterback Nick Starkel, who transferred from Texas A&M to Arkansas.
“I love Nick, he’s a great guy, but he’s not an Aggie anymore,” Madubuike said. “So we have to put it on him if he steps out on that field. But after that, it’s all love again.”
Madubuike for sure didn’t show Starkel any love on the field.
Arkansas had a second and goal at the Texas A&M 3 in the second quarter when he intercepted a Starkel pass to end the scoring threat. Starkel was injured and did not return to the game while making a tackle on Madubuike after the interception.
SEC lead
Ben Hicks’ 13-yard touchdown pass to Mike Woods with 1:55 left in the second quarter gave Arkansas its first lead against an SEC team in a span of 16 quarters.
It was a short-lived advantage for the Razorbacks as the Aggies scored on Kellen Mond’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Quartney Davis with eight seconds left in the second quarter to regain the lead at 21-17.
Arkansas also led Texas A&M 24-21 on Saturday after three quarters.
Prior to Woods’ touchdown catch, Arkansas last had led an SEC team 7-0 when Rakeem Boyd had a 5-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter against Vanderbilt last season.
The Commodores, who won 45-31, took the lead for good at 14-7 in the second quarter.
Arkansas never led in its final two SEC games last season in losing 52-6 at Mississippi State and 38-0 at Missouri, and never was ahead in a 31-17 loss at Ole Miss in this season’s conference opener.
The Razorbacks fell behind Texas A&M 7-0 in the first quarter before taking their lead in the second quarter.
Take the ball
Arkansas won the coin toss for the fifth time in five games this season, but for a change the Razorbacks chose to take the ball.
The Razorbacks had a solid drive, moving from their 25 to the Texas A&M 34, but they failed to score when Connor Limpert missed a 51-yard field goal attempt.
At least Arkansas didn’t fall behind on the game’s first possession.
When the Razorbacks won the coin toss in the first four games, they deferred and kicked off each time. On the opponents’ first drives, Arkansas fell behind Portland State 3-0, Colorado State 7-0 and San Jose State 7-0. Ole Miss didn’t score on its first possession against Arkansas.
Zebra crossing
Koilan Jackson had a step on Texas A&M linebacker Buddy Johnson as he ran a crossing route on a thirdand-8 play from the Aggies 28 on the second play of the second quarter.
Jackson was knocked over before he could catch Nick Starkel’s pass, but no penalty was thrown. That’s because Jackson was knocked to the ground when he ran into umpire Brian Davis.
Arkansas settled for a field goal by Connor Limpert.
For starters
Receiver Koilan Jackson, a sophomore from Little Rock, made his first career start Saturday. He started in place of Trey Knox, who missed the game because of a hip injury.
Senior offensive lineman Colton Jackson was back in the lineup at starting left tackle after missing last week’s game against San Jose State because he was in concussion protocol.
Freshman receiver Treylon Burks was back in the starting lineup and returning punts after also being sidelined last week because of a concussion.
Cornerback Montaric Brown, who missed last week because of ankle surgery, started Saturday.
Honorary captains
Ron Calcagni, an All-Southwest quarterback who led Arkansas to a 25-4-2 record as a starter from 197678, served as the Razorbacks’ honorary team captain.
Former Dallas Cowboys star safety Kevin Smith, an All-American at Texas A&M in 1991, was honorary team captain for the Aggies.
Star power
Each team had a former superstar player on its sideline.
Johnny Manziel, who was the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner as the Aggies’ quarterback, was on Texas A&M’s sideline.
Darren McFadden, who as an Arkansas running back was the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 2006 and 2007, was on the Razorbacks’ sideline.
Vs. Texas A&M
Texas A&M extended its winning streak to eight games against Arkansas, but the Razorbacks still lead the series 41-32-3. Arkansas last beat Texas A&M 42-38 in 2011.
Flag bearers
Sophomore linebacker Bumper Pool carried the United States flag, and freshman cornerback Malik Chavis carried the Arkansas flag when the Razorbacks ran onto the field.