LIVE BLOG: Hogs close out winning season 39-26 Liberty Bowl win

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Arkansas will get a final chance to finish season with a winning record in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against Texas Tech. The only question is how will all the players seeing their most action of the season will do.

The transfer portal has hit both teams hard. The Red Raiders are even having to go with a new quarterback after the starter underwent shoulder surgery.

1Q 11:28: After a 70-yard run by Rodney Hill through a gaping hole in the middle, Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green got in around the right side having to get past one defender, sticking the ball at the corner. Hogs 7, Tech 0

1Q 8:19: The Red Raiders put together a drive and Will Hammond threw a short pass to Caleb Douglas, who broke a tackle and went 40 yards. The Razorbacks’ defense stiffened and Geno Garcia kicked a 37-yard field goal and both defenses not playing sharp. Hogs 7, Tech 3

1Q 7:14: After bouncing in and out of the transfer portal Braylen Russell scores on a 1-yard run after a 56-yard pass to Isaac TeSlaa, who is having a big night early with two catches for 74 yards. He came within a yard of scoring, going airborn but the foot coming down before the ball crossed the plane of the goalline. Hogs 14, Tech 3

1Q 2:31: Apparently the Red Raiders’ secondary didn’t look at any tape on a Bobby Petrino offense, which features a lot of crossing routes almost every pass. The Razorbacks have now hit several in the game, the latest being a 94-yard scoring pass to Dazmin James. It is the longest pass completion in the history of the Liberty Bowl. The Razorbacks have 260 yards of total offense before the end of the quarter and Green is 3-of-3 passing for 168 yards and a touchdown plus one that came within a yard of scoring. All of the completions have been on crossing routes. Hogs 21, Tech 3

THE LONGEST TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION IN PROGRAM HISTORY pic.twitter.com/bzSFEps2YW

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) December 28, 2024

2Q 13:32: The Red Raiders get points from their defense after a punt buried the Hogs near their own end zone. After an illegal procedure penalty backed them up even more, Green was tackled in the end by Isaac Smith. Hogs 21, Tech 5

2Q 11:15: Texas Tech gets a big play of it’s own finally that ends up in the end zone. J’Koby Williams breaks through the line and out-runs the entire Razorbacks’ secondary untouched for a 54-yard run. Hogs 21, Tech 12

2Q 1:58: If you thought this was going to turn into an Arkansas blowout, the second quarter destroyed that. Texas Tech drives 98 yards in eight plays including a highlight 47-yard catch by Douglas, who went up and over Razorbacks’ defensive back Jaheim Singletary and took the ball away. Jaylin Conyers scored a couple of plays later around left end from the 2. It’s now a close game. Hogs 21, Tech 19

2Q :00: Razorbacks go to halftime on a positive note, answering the Red Raiders’ touchdown with a 53-yard drive in 11 plays, using 1;58 before having to settle for a 40-yard field goal by Matthew Shipley. Hogs 24, Tech 19

Good from 40 pic.twitter.com/6WQpdf6qPS

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) December 28, 2024

3Q 10:52: After halftime, the Razorbacks get some big runs by Green, who is their leading rusher of the game, and the offense takes the kickoff and goes 78 yards in 10 plays before Shipley kicks a 34-yard field goal. Hogs 27, Tech 19

Opening the second half with three pic.twitter.com/Jk8CDOnpJw

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) December 28, 2024

3Q 7:07: This is starting to look like the first quarter. With Tyrell Reed’s 47-yard scoring catch and run on a pass from Green, the Razorbacks have seven plays of 40 yards or more. Hogs 34, Tech 19

First catch, first touchdown! pic.twitter.com/y1pso9ZHdb

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) December 28, 2024

4Q 14:21: Okay, now things are just starting to get weird. After a Razorback punt is fair-caught at the 2-yard line, the Red Raiders give back the safety they had earlier. There probably weren’t many fans that had two safeties in one game on their bingo card, but that’s exactly what happened when Hammond was sacked in the end zone by Anton Juncaj. Hogs 36, Tech 19

DEFENSE SCORES TOO pic.twitter.com/3zqsoJdeNO

— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) December 28, 2024

4Q 5:12: Shipley likely puts game out of reach with a 43-yard field goal. Hogs 39, Tech 19

4Q 3:06: Red Raiders add late touchdown in furious drive to try and get back in game with Hammond throwing a 15-yard scoring pass to Coy Eakin, but it’s likely way too little too late. Hogs 39, Tech 26