Arkansas 63, UT-Martin 28
Collins scores 4 in 1st half, then one more
FAYETTEVILLE — Alex Collins became the first Arkansas football player to score five touchdowns in a game in more than 20 years during Saturday’s 63-28 victory over Tennessee-Martin at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
It was opportune timing by Arkansas’ junior running back.
Collins had drawn the ire of Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema for his performance in last week’s 54-46 victory over Auburn when he rushed for 105
yards but fumbled twice and was late for breakfast on the morning of the game.
“Alex I think responded really well to last week,” Bielema said.
Collins rushed for a season-high 173 yards Saturday as Arkansas (4-4) overcame
a porous defensive effort on homecoming before an announced crowd of 64,206.
Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen completed 14 of 19 passes for 265 yards and 2 touchdowns and was voted by media as the winner of the Crip Hall Award, given to the team’s top senior on homecoming.
Collins scored four short-yardage touchdowns in the first half and capped his day with a 63-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to put Arkansas ahead 56-21. His five touchdowns were
the most by a Razorback since Madre Hill rushed for six touchdowns in 1995 in a 51-21 victory over South Carolina.
“We just kept getting great field position, and when they called my number I’m like getting really excited,” Collins said. “I was trying to fight as hard as I could to get touchdowns.”
Bielema said Collins had been dealing with a big toe injury.
“Nike worked great with us and got him some special shoes Wednesday and he really felt comfortable Thursday,” Bielema said. “I thought as fresh as his legs were he might have a big day today.”
Collins, who posted his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season and the 13th of his career, said he was disappointed in himself for the fumbles last week and was determined to have better ball security against the FCS-level Skyhawks.
“He knows that he kind of dropped the ball, so to speak, I guess in the last game,” Allen said. “He was working on it all week, ball security and all that, and he had a great
day today. Five touchdowns … is just ridiculous. Not one time was the ball loose, which was big.”
Tennessee-Martin (5-3) could not match talent with the Razorbacks, but senior quarterback Jarod Neal completed 30 of 43 passes for 380 yards and 1 touchdown against the Arkansas secondary.
“We didn’t play very well,” said Arkansas linebacker Brooks Ellis, who had one of the team’s two interceptions. “It’s very frustrating. We’ve
got to come to work tomorrow and be ready to play Ole Miss.”
The Skyhawks’ 519 total yards were a season-high against Arkansas, but the Razorbacks countered with a season-best 591 yards.
The rout set the stage for Arkansas’ final four-game all-SEC finish that begins Saturday at Ole Miss, which beat the Skyhawks 76-3 in the season opener.
Arkansas had trouble shaking the plucky Skyhawks, who converted 6 of 11 third-down plays and ran for 139 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Tennessee-Martin made things interesting for a minute early in the second half by slicing through the Arkansas defense on a six-play touchdown drive to open the half. Trent Garland’s 1-yard touchdown run pulled the Skyhawks within 35-21 early in the quarter.
Arkansas faced a thirdand-6 play moments later and Allen hung in the pocket long enough for Dominique Reed to break open over the deep middle. Allen stood in and took a shot as he delivered, but he completed the Hogs’ longest touchdown pass of the season, a 71-yard play to Reed for a 42-21 Arkansas lead.
Reed has scored a touchdown in four consecutive games.
Allen also hit Damon Mitchell with a 49-yard deeppass touchdown, the only non-Collins touchdown for the Hogs in the first half and Mitchell’s first career score.
“We needed those,” Allen said. “They were going to do what they could to stop the run, putting eight or nine guys in the box and leaving one-on-ones outside. My receivers did a great job getting open.”