No. 8 Razorbacks upset
Warhawks of tiny Sun Belt topple SEC giant in OT for biggest stunner of young season
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Junior Kolton Browning made the most of his return to Arkansas.
Browning’s 16-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 lifted Louisiana-Monroe to a 34-31 overtime victory against the No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium.
Browning accounted for 481 yards of total offense and four touchdowns to lead the Warhawks (1-0) to their first win against a Southeastern Conference team since defeating Alabama in 2007.
Browning made his first career start in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium two years ago as a freshman, a 31-7 loss by the Warhawks. He showed his maturity and then some in his return, helping Louisiana-Monroe outgain Arkansas, 550-377, in total yards.
The Razorbacks (1-1) played the second half without quarterback Tyler Wilson, who suffered a head injury after taking several big hits in the first half.
Wilson, who also missed the second half against New Mexico last season with concussion-like symptoms, was 11-of20 passing for 196 yards and two touchdowns before leaving this game at halftime.
The Warhawks trailed, 28-7, midway through the third quarter before rallying behind Browning, a second-team Sun Belt Conference quarterback from a season ago. He found Brent Leonard for a 23-yard touchdown pass on fourthandwith 55 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score at 28-28.
Leonard finished with 11 catches for 112 yards receiving.
Browning was 42 of 67 for 412 yards passing, and he had 69 yards rushing on 16 carries — his final one a winding, winning scramble in overtime around and through the Arkansas defense.
The Razorbacks led, 28-7, midway through the third quarter after freshman quarterback Brandon Allen connected with MeKale McKay for a 13-yard touchdown. Allen, filling in for the injured Wilson, finished 6-of-20 passing for 85 yards.
The Razorbacks had little offense after that, though they managed to take a 34-31 lead in overtime after a 37-yard field goal by Zach Hocker.
Senior Cobi Hamilton led Arkansas with 99 yards receiving and a touchdown on six catches. He has eight touchdown catches in seven career games in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium.
The Razorbacks started slowly for the second game in a row, even with Wilson in the lineup in the first half.
Arkansas struggled at times in a season-opening win a week ago against Jacksonville State, allowing 163 yards passing in the first half to the Division I-AA Gamecocks. The Razorbacks’ defensive woes continued Saturday.
Browning was at the center of Arkansas’ frustrations, avoiding the Razorbacks time and again. His 4-yard touchdown pass to Centarius Donald put the Warhawks up, 7-0, in the first half, and he closed Arkansas’ lead to 28-21 early in the fourth quarter with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Steed.