Rebels manage to add another score, hang on for win as Hogs sputter

OXFORD, Miss. — Get ready for a quarterback change.

Arkansas sputtered offensively in the first half with Ben Hicks starting his second game, then Nick Starkel came on in the second half, but there was not a whole lot of improvement until it was too late in a 31-17 loss to Ole Miss.

That evens the Razorbacks’ record at 1-1, but kicks off the SEC schedule 0-1 after an 0-8 league record last year and will start to increase the discontent among the Razorback fans.

Hicks was 7-of-16 for 98 yards and no touchdowns in the first half. The offense was simply lacking the ability to get into the end zone.

Starkel came in and didn’t make a lot of improvement in getting into the end zone until just over a minute to play on a 6-yard pass to Koilan Jackson, but it was too little too late.

He finished the night 17-of-24 with that lone touchdown.

Rebels running back Scottie Phillips gashed the Arkansas defense for 143 yards and two touchdowns, a lot of it in the fourth quarter.

On the other hand, the Hogs couldn’t run the ball, getting just 61 net yards all night. Rakeem Boyd had 67 yards, but disappeared with the Arkansas running game in the second half.

It will be an interesting week.

4Q-1:21: Koilan Jackson hauls in a 6-yard scoring pass from Nick Starkel to make it a little closer as Starkel leads a seven-play, 81-yard drive against an Ole Miss defense that was just looking to not give up a huge play.

Ole Miss 31, Hogs 17

4Q-6:03: Scottie Phillips breaks free for a 26-yard scoring run to put the dagger into the Hogs. The gap is too big to overcome.

Ole Miss 31, Hogs 10

4Q-11:09: Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral answered Arkansas’ score with a 46-yard scoring pass to Elijah Moore after a quick five-play, 74-yard drive to open a two-touchdown edge.

Ole Miss 24, Hogs 10

4Q-13:31: Kamren Curl forced a fumble on a 5-yard run by Ole Miss’ Octavius Cooley, then picks it up and avoids tacklers for a 69-yard touchdown return and Hogs have life.

Ole Miss 17, Hogs 10

3Q-2:33: After coming on a blitz untouched, Hogs’ linebacker Zach Williams grabbed Matt Corral’s facemask to give the Rebels new life and they scored on a 1-yard run to open a two-touchdown lead.

Ole Miss 17, Hogs 3

Nick Starkel started the second half for Arkansas against Ole Miss, but had a three-and-out to open, then a nine-play, 44-yard drive ended a yard short.

He had hit a key pass to Trey Knox, then an apparent penalty against Ole Miss after a first down catch by C.J. O’Grady was moved back to fourth-and-1 with no penalty and Rakeem Boyd was stuffed short of the marker.

Connor Limpert hooked a 43-yard field goal attempt 50 seconds left in the first half after Arkansas had moved downfield on a miracle pass from Ben Hicks to Trey Knox.

The Razorbacks’ offense has sputtered like an old car running half the cylinders with some bad gas as Hicks has overthrown two passes that likely would have been scoring plays and both have allowed Ole Miss to keep momentum.

At the half, Ole Miss has put up 240 yards while holding the Hogs to just 137 with just 38 yards on the ground as the Rebels are crashing inside, shutting down the run game and getting consistent pressure on Hicks.

2Q-2:24: Luke Logan hits a 33-yard field goal as Ole Miss’ offense works to hit the outside and if Hogs’ defense doesn’t do better setting the edge, it’s going to be a long night.

Ole Miss 10, Hogs 3

2Q-8;19: Connor Limpert bounces a field goal off the left upright to get the Hogs on the scoreboard after a no-call on a defensive holding or pass interference call as C.J. O’Grady was turning upfield.

Ole Miss 7, Hogs 3

1Q-8:41: Ole Miss gets on the board first on a 2-yard pass from quarterback Matt Corral to Elijah Davis to cap a 13-play, 85-yard drive, taking advantage of a big missed tackle by cornerback Jarques McClellion on Davis earlier.

Ole Miss 7, Arkansas 0

Arkansas won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, then stopped Ole Miss without a first down as things are under way in Oxford.