Hogs win Outback Bowl! Did Cincy Belong? 3 Up, 3 Down; WBB falls to Lady Vols and much more. Call or text, 877-377-6963
Guest- Connor O’Gara
Democrat-Gazette’s Tom Murphy on exceeding expectations
Razorbacks’ nine wins more than anybody expected and going forward to keep that where fans want it every year.
Bud Light Seltzer Morning Rush Podcast: “Ain’t no way Arkansas gets to 9 wins”
Tye & Tommy on the win over Penn State, Matt Corral’s injury, first time duck hunting and more!
Hogs’ Mike Neighbors: ‘We found a way to get back in it’ in loss
Considering No. 7 Tennessee started fast and finished stronger, a 70-63 win over Arkansas wasn’t that surprising.
“The start was troublesome,” Razorbacks coach Mike Neighbors said later. “They got in the flow right off.”
The Lady Vols jumped out to an 8-0 lead early. The Razorbacks couldn’t get a shot to fall, but didn’t let them get knocked out in the first quarter.
“We found a way to get back in it,” Neighbors said.
By the end of the first quarter, the Hogs had cut the lead to 20-17.
Tennessee answered every challenge, which is probably what Neighbors expected from the seventh-ranked team.
“Their aggressiveness, their ability to draw foul after foul after foul really mounts up on you,” Neighbors said. “It changes how you play defensively and offensively.”
The Hogs held a 48-45 edge after the third quarter, then the Lady Vols took over, won the final period convincingly (25-15) and it was over.
Arkansas had five players foul out in the game.
Amber Ramirez led Arkansas with 26 points and six rebounds. Makayla Daniels also had 11 points while Sasha Goforth supplied nine, her first game not being in double figures in seven games.
Tennessee had five players scoring in double figures with Tamari Key’s 17 points leading the way.
The Lady Vols out-rebounded Arkansas, 50-36, and converted 23 of 36 free throws. The Hogs hit 9 of 11 free throws and had a significant advantage in turnovers, 20-9, including eight steals.
The Hogs only managed a slim edge in points off those turnovers, 14-10.
“You expect to have more there,” Neighbors said.
Hogs High Points
• Ramirez’s 26-point game was the 17th 20+ point game of her career.
• The 26 points were also her season-high.
• Goforth blocked five shots, a new career-high. It was her fourth game this season with 3-plus rejections.
• Samara Spencer matched her career-best on the glass, pulling down six boards.
Next game
Arkansas travels to Vanderbilt on Thursday in a 7:30 p.m. matchup on the SEC Network.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
Mike Neighbors after playing No. 7 Tennessee close before falling late
Getting behind early didn’t help, but Hogs did come back, take brief lead late before falling, 70-63.
Amber Ramirez, Rylee Langerman recapping loss to Tennessee
Letting Lady Vols break away on 8-0 run to start game key in loss to open SEC schedule Sunday.
Pair of Razorbacks won’t be coming back for bonus season
There are two more players that won’t be returning to Arkansas next season.
Cornerback Montaric Brown and running back Trelon Smith made announcements on social media they won’t be coming back after the Razorbacks’ 24-10 win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl on Saturday.
Brown made his announcement via Twitter:
2️⃣1️⃣ Signing out ❤️✌? Thank you Razorback nation ? pic.twitter.com/RudnL0eUJp
— Montaric Brown (@lockdown_2121) January 1, 2022
Brown led the Razorbacks and tied for the SEC regular-season lead with five interceptions. He had seven in his Arkansas career.
This season, Brown became the first Razorback with five or more interceptions in a season since Tramain Thomas in 2011, and the first Arkansas cornerback to receive first-team All-SEC recognition by the league’s coaches since 2003.
Smith, who started the season as the No. 1 running back, saw his playing time drop with the emergence of Dominique Johnson, Rakeem Sanders and AJ Sanders, made his announcement via his Instagram account:
View this post on Instagram
Smith transferred to the Hogs from Arizona State and survived a coaching change before he ever got on the field.
He rushed for 598 yards and five touchdowns in 13 games this season. He led the Razorbacks in rushing with 710 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2020.
Sam Pittman on Hogs winning Outback Bowl over Penn State, 24-10
Trailing at halftime, he just reminded team of opener against Rice and wasn’t making a mountain out of a molehill.
KJ Jefferson after winning MVP award in 24-10 win over Penn State
Razorbacks dominate Outback Bowl behind Jefferson, who ran for more yards that he got passing on Saturday.
GAMEDAY LIVE: Hogs’ offense takes control, defense seals 24-10 win
It never was that close and Arkansas fans can celebrate.
The final score of 24-10 didn’t give a good clue of the Razorbacks’ domination in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla., on Saturday.
It is the most number of wins by the Hogs in a season in a decade since an 11-2 run in 2011.
Penn State couldn’t stop a methodical Hogs’ passing game and KJ Jefferson had a game that will launch him into the national conversation next season when ranking quarterbacks.
Jefferson only threw for 90 yards with none of the wide receivers doing anything to answer the question of who will step up and replace Treylon Burks, who is headed to the NFL.
But he ran for 110 before giving way to Malik Hornsby, who ran for another 67 yards before some kneel-downs at the end
The Hogs got on the board first in the game on a 3-yard run by Rocket Sanders as the first half ended to complete a 12-play, 61-yard drive that set the tone for the entire day.
Arkansas was going to run the ball right at the Nittany Lions and see if they could do anything about it.
They did in the second quarter, mainly on a busted secondary coverage by the Hogs that let Sean Clifford find a wide open KeAndre Lambert-Smith for a 42-yard scoring strike.
But there would be no more touchdowns allowed by the Hogs’ defense in this one.
They did give up a second-quarter field goal to the Nittany Lions and the offense couldn’t do much in the second quarter.
Penn State fans had hope with a 10-7 lead at halftime.
By the start of the final quarter, that was gone completely. Jefferson started just keeping the ball and there wasn’t a whole lot the Nittany Lions could do about it.
Jefferson kept it himself up the middle for an 8-yard scoring run with 12:42 left in the third that gave the Hogs a 14-10 lead. Everybody could have gone home then.
Arkansas’ defense was already starting to assert itself. When Penn State did get into the red zone, Hogs safety Joe Foucha came away with a couple of interceptions to dash any hopes.
Cam Little kicked a 36-yard field goal with 6:29 to play in the third and Sanders got his second touchdown with 2:08 to play in the third.
Jefferson was named the offensive player of the game.
LATEST UPDATES AT TOP
3Q 2:08: Rocket Sanders’ second touchdown of the day blows the game open as Arkansas’ offense begins to take control of the game and is wearing down Penn State’s defense. Hogs 24, Penn State 10
3Q 6:29: Hogs’ offense goes 46 yards in 10 plays but have to settle for a 36-yard field goal by Cam Little. Hogs 17, Penn State 10
3Q 12:42: KJ Jefferson starts to take charge in the second half and put the Hogs in the lead with an 8-yard run. Hogs 14, Penn State 10
2Q 5:19: Nittany Lions get a 34-yard field goal from Jake Pinegar and take the lead after defense gets a handle on the Hogs’ offense, putting pressure on KJ Jefferson repeatedly. Penn State 10, Hogs 7
2Q 11:00: Penn State answers as Hogs blow a secondary assignment on the back end that leads to a 42-yard scoring pass from quarterback Sean Clifford to KeAndre Lambert-Smith and tie the game. Hogs 7, Penn State 7
1Q 0:00: Sam Pittman isn’t leaving anything on the field, going for fourth-down conversions twice and Rocket Sanders scored on the final play of the first period. The Hogs’ offense went into super-fast near the end, running two plays in the final seconds against a new Penn State defense to set up the first score of the game. Hogs 7, Penn State 0
Penn State took the opening kickoff and used a 42-yard pass from Sean Clifford to Parker Washington and stalled on an intentional grounding and sack that set up a 50-yard field goal attempt by Jake Pinegar that was wide right and short. Hogs 0, Penn State 0
Pregame: The weather is perfect, now Hog fans just need a win to cap off a 2021 season that has exceeded all expectations.
All they have to do is beat Penn State at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa today.
It will be the final game of a six-year career for players like Grant Morgan, Hayden Henry and Blake Kern.
We will have all the action for you with updates throughout the game.
GAME INFORMATION
No. 25 Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Missouri
Current Records: Penn State Nittany Lions (7-5, 4-5 Big Ten) vs. No. 21 Arkansas Razorbacks (8-4, 4-4 SEC)
Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 1 at 11 a.m.
Where: Raymond James Stadium (65,890), Tampa, Florida
TV/Streaming: ESPN2
Radio: HitThatLine.com, ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and central Arkansas, 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home, SIRIUS 99/XM 190
Sportsbook Info (via BetOnline.AG)
Moneyline: Arkansas -148, Missouri +128
Spread: Arkansas -3, Missouri +3
Total: 48.5 – Over: (-113), Under: (-107)
