Arkansas staged an improbable comeback from 24 points down to beat Ole Miss 38-37 in the early game Saturday in front of 55,684 in attendance at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
On a huge 4th-and-4 play with a minute to go and Arkansas down 37-35, Razorback quarterback Cole Kelley threw incomplete to receiver Jonathan Nance. But Ole Miss defensive back Myles Hartsfield was hit with a pass interference call to give Arkansas a first down and extend the drive to the Ole Miss 41-yard line.
The next play, a successful screen to running back David Williams was negated due to a holding call on right tackle Brian Wallace that backed Arkansas up to their own 49. Then with 28 seconds left, Kelley found Nance for a big 19-yard gain on first-and-20 down to the Ole Miss 32-yard line. After a 6-yard run by Kelley, David Williams picked up 10 down the left side to the 16-yard line with seven seconds remaining.
After Ole Miss coach Matt Luke tried to ice him with all three timeouts, Arkansas kicker Connor Limpert knocked it through the uprights from 34 yards out to give the Hogs a 38-37 lead with four seconds remaining. Limpert made all of his ‘practice kicks’ before the timeouts.
“It just takes one play,” Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said after the game. “We just got our hands on balls today. Played a little bit more base defense, which I think was a good thing too. A little change up by Paul [Rhoads] and the staff.”
The ensuing squib kick by Arkansas (3-5, 1-4 SEC) was lateralled back and forth by Rebel players, but eventually Ole Miss’ A.J. Brown went down at the Ole Miss 36-yard line, and time ran out of the Rebels (3-5, 1-4 SEC).
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Void of veteran team captains on offense in quarterback Austin Allen and center Frank Ragnow, the Hogs finally found some momentum and for the first time all season regained it when it was taken away from them. In addition, offensive coordinator Dan Enos was dealing with the loss of his father who passed away on Tuesday of this week.
