Hogs get routine win over Aggies; now it’s on to SEC

FAYETTEVILLE — Things get tougher from here for Arkansas.

After beating New Mexico State 42-24 to move to 2-2 on the season, the celebration over this one will likely be no more than 24 hours … if that.

Although needing a win in the worst way, there wasn’t much about this one that will have anybody too excited.

Mainly because the Razorbacks still do not have a win over a Power 5 conference team.

The earlier win, coupled with this one gives them a 2-0 record against inferior quality teams. You know about TCU and Texas A&M.

“We’re back to an even ballclub,” Bret Bielema said later. “Nobody is more important now than South Carolina.”

No, this one had some bright spots, but also some troubling ones as well.

Devwah Whaley had 119 yards rushing and Austin Allen finally had a game without being officially sacked, but he was hurried on a couple of occasions and hit on a couple of more.

He still completed 19-of-26 passes for 264 yards and three scores and only had one interception.

Defensively, the Hogs gave up 355 yards of total offense, but just 11 on the ground. To be honest, nobody expected the Aggies to run much.

“We knew they were going to throw it around the field quite a bit,” Bielema said. “That quarterback has got a really good arm and a couple of good receivers.”

Honestly, the game could have been closer if New Mexico State hadn’t given up 14 points off turnovers.

But it is a win and that’s something this team hasn’t celebrated in a month.

“Yeah, we haven’t won since our opener,” Bielema said. “I get it. We lost two in a row.”

Allen just sounded relieved as much as anything.

“It’s a lot better than it’s been the past few weeks,” he said.

For Bielema, who’s been saying for five years this team is close (although to what we’re not really sure of yet), sounds like he’s starting get tired of it himself.

“I’m tired of saying could’ve,” he said, “so we tried to change the narrative. We told them at halftime we wanted to change the narrative about being a better — an explosive — second half team and that was a big point of emphasis.”

They didn’t exactly explode on New Mexico State in the second half.

After rolling up 322 yards of offense in the first half, they had just 172 in the second half, but they ate up the clock for over 22 minutes in the second half, a big chunk of it coming on a 16-play, 63-yard scoring drive, holding the ball for 8:51 of the third quarter.

Allen’s 3-yard pass to Jonathan Nance made it 35-17 and, for all intents and purposes, it was over at that point.

Any doubt was removed on the ensuing kickoff when Micahh Smiyh forced a fumble and De’Vion Warren jumped on it at the Aggies 22.

It still took six plays to punch it in, showing some signs of struggle in the red zone again. Chase Hayden got the final yard and it was 42-17 starting the final period.

Now it’s on to a long stretch of SEC games (the final nonconference matchup will be against Coastal Carolina on Nov. 4).

“I’m excited,” Bielema said, although he does remember his first season in Fayetteville when one of Steve Spurrier’s better teams rolled into town and delivered a 52-7 beatdown.

“That was when Coach (Steve Spurrier) was still there,” he said. “If you remember that game, we actually ran for a lot of yards, but we fumbled like five times.

“I remember Coach saying something about ‘you can run for those yards, but you can’t fumble that many times.’ You know, I just wanted to — you know, play golf with him. I thought about that.”

Now they have a little extra time to get ready.

“I think our guys are excited to get into SEC play and see exactly where they are at,” Bielema said. “I do like the fact we can kind of tweak our schedule a little more tomorrow to have more of a jump on South Carolina on a Sunday and have a little more preparation and make it into a great week.”