FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When it came down to needing to make a drive at the end to win a game, Arkansas couldn’t do it and BYU walks out of Razorback Stadium with a shocking 38-31 win over Saturday night before over 74,000.
The Razorbacks got the ball back with 68 yards to go and less than two minutes and in a drive that had some promising plays, in the end three holding calls and an illegal procedure on an offensive line Sam Pittman said all week was coming together showed there are a lot of questions left bfore starting SEC play next Saturday night at LSU and indications on the answers aren’t looking great right now.
Arkansas’ game with BYU is bigger than many originally thought when making those summer picks. The Cougars’s 2-0 record to start the season is identical to the Razorbacks’ same start and will be the biggest non-conference challenge for both teams.
The Hogs are looking for answers with the running game and there are still questions about a go-to No. 1 receiver. The new defense under Travis Williams will be tested for the first time, especially in the secondary.
We’ll have the complete scoring blog here and maybe other information as the game progresses.
1Q 13:21: Well, that didn’t take long. The Hogs took the opening kickoff and needed just three plays before AJ Green took off up the right sideline for a 55-yard scoring jaunt. That was about as good of a start as Sam Pittman could have wanted. Hogs 7, BYU 0
1Q 11:29: After the Cougars can’t do anything on offense, going three-and-0ut, they make the mistake of punting to Isaiah Sategna, who brought the ball across the field for an 88-yard punt return for a score. He was never touched. Hogs 14, BYU 0
1Q 8:28: This time BYU didn’t take long after exchanging punts and Max Fletcher’s 54-yard punt out of the back of the end zone, the Cougars only needed two plays for Parker Kingston to hit Deion Smith down the left sideline for an easy score. Hogs 14, BYU 7
1Q 2:24: Okay, this one has gotten wild and we’re not even done with the first quarter. After BYU was the benefactor of a pass interference call against Luke Hasz that had Pittman jumping up and down, the Cougars needed just one play before LJ Martin broke free over the right side for a 45-yard scoring run. Hogs 14, BYU 14
2Q 12:54: In just over a quarter of game time, the Hogs have managed to blow a 14-0 lead, with BYU getting a three-and-out stop, then 10 plays to move 70 yards and score on a 1-yard run by Martin. The Cougars have their first lead of the game. BYU 21, Hogs 14
2Q 1:43: This finally slowed down some. The Hogs are finally able to get some momentum back just before halftime with quarterback KJ Jefferson finding Luke Hasz open just over the goal-line near the boundary for a 19-yard touchdown. Hogs 21, BYU 21
Halftime: The Hogs’ Hudson Clark jumps on a loose ball to set up the offense, but the drive stalls inside the 10 and Cam Little kicks his first field goal of the year from 26 yards out and a lead — somehow — at halftime. Hogs 24, BYU 21
3Q 11:41: Hogs come out after halftime similar to starting the game, but this time with a methodical 53-yard march that Green converted into a 7-yard scoring run to get a little cushion. Hogs 31, BYU 21
3Q 4:43: BYU manages to stop the bleeding for a bit with a drive to set up a 41-yard field goal by Will Ferrin and chip into the Hogs’ double-digit lead. Hogs 31, BYU 24
3Q 1:52: Okay, game is on once again. Hogs’ Jefferson throws his first interception of the season and BYU converts it into a 20-yard scoring pass completion from quarterback Kedon Slovis to Kingston. Game on in the fourth? Hogs 31, BYU 31
4Q 8:00: BYU not going away, which doesn’t appear to be what Hogs really expected. Cougars go 69 yards in nine plays to re-take the lead on a 7-yard pass to Aidan Robbins from Slovis. It’s crunch time for the Hogs. BYU 38, Hogs 31
