GAMEDAY: Hogs pull away late for 38-17 win to kick off season

After the turbulent 2020 football season, it’s time for real football with Arkansas and Rice kicking off a new year at Razorback Stadium.

Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and will only be available on ESPN+ but you can listen to the game here at HitThatLine.com (use the black bar at the bottom of the page) or at ESPN Arkansas 95.3 in the River Valley, 99.5 and 95.3 in Northwest Arkansas, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.

Pregame

Wide receiver Treylon Burks, who has missed the last couple of weeks for some reason nobody wants to talk about, was participating in the warmups. He also started the game.

Rice won the opening coin toss and LaDarrius Bishop returned to the ball to the 30 before being stripped and teammates fell on it.

First quarter

After a slow start, Arkansas’ offense got in gear on the second possession and KJ Jefferson did what fans were hoping making plays with his legs.

First, he made a dive to the sticks on third down to keep a drive alive, then scrambled 34 yards untouched up the middle of the field to put the Razorbacks on the board first.

Drive: 80 yards, 8 plays, 2:32. Hogs 7, Rice 0

Second quarter

Rice controlled pretty much the entire frame, blocking a Hogs’ punt to set up a 34-yard field goal by Collin Riccitelli, then Jordan Myers got in from a yard out with 4:19 left in before halftime to cap an eight-play, 41-yard drive and grab a 10-7 lead. Rice 10, Hogs 7

Third quarter

The Owls caught the Hogs’ secondary not paying close attention and Wiley Green found August Pitre wide open for a 41-yard scoring pass. To say wide open might be an understatement because no one else was in the same zip code. Rice 17, Hogs 7

Arkansas answers with a six-play, 57-yard scoring drive using 2:10 of the clock as KJ Jefferson looked as sharp as anyone on his throws and decision-making. Jefferson got his second score of the game on a run up the middle from 5 yards out. Rice 17, Hogs 14

The Hogs finally back even with the Owls after an 11-play, 65-yard drive where Rocket Sanders did a lot of the work and started showing off the talent we heard about all through fall camp. Freshman Cam Little kicked a 34-yard field goal with 18 seconds left to tie the game. Hogs 17, Rice 17

Fourth quarter

Rice finally made a mistake when Green threw a pass that was tipped and picked off by Jalen Catalon who ran 39 yards to the Owls’ 9. After a pass interference penalty gave the Hogs a first down at the 2, Trelon Smith ran in for the easy score and Arkansas took the lead for the first time in the second half with 12:44 to go in the game. Hogs 24, Rice 17

The Hogs added a pair of late touchdowns for the final margin