This was the win Arkansas was waiting for. After falling to Texas A&M and Alabama in its first two conference games, the Razorbacks overcame a late fourth-quarter deficit to finally earn a victory against an SEC foe when they upset West rival Ole Miss in Fayetteville on Saturday night.

Here is an analysis of the Razorbacks’ 34-30 victory:

5 TAKEAWAYS

  • Williams paves the way: After rushing for a combined 73 yards against the Crimson Tide last week, Arkansas bounced back and got its running game going against the Rebels on Saturday night. Of the team’s 200 total rushing yards, sophomore Rawleigh Williams III led the offense on the ground with 180 rushing yards. Even though the sophomore didn’t find the end zone, he helped the Razorbacks establish the tone throughout the game.
  • Hogs up front did their job: In addition to helping create holes for Williams to have a big night, the Arkansas offensive line also rebounded after struggling in the pass protection against Alabama last week. After allowing the Tide to record seven sacks and 12 quarterback hurries, the guys up front did a much better job to protect quarterback Austin Allen on Saturday. Ole Miss still registered three sacks, but overall, the offensive line deserves credit for how it played in both running and passing situations.
  • Multiple receivers come through: In all, eight different Razorbacks hauled in at least one of Allen’s 19 completions. Drew Morgan posted a team-high 4 catches for 34 yards and a touchdown, while Dominque Reed, Jared Cornelius and Keon Hatcher added three receptions apiece. Williams even caught two passes, including a 2-yard touchdown pass which gave the Hogs a 27-20 lead late in the third quarter.
  • More late-game magic for Allen: Despite being sacked for an 8-yard loss on the opening play of the eventual game-winning drive, the signal-caller helped lead a 10-play, 56-yard scoring drive that Cornelius capped off with a 6-yard touchdown run which gave the Razorbacks a 34-30 lead with 2:20 remaining in the fourth quarter. Sure, it was a running play which cemented the comeback, but Allen still completed 4-of-5 pass attempts for 35 yards on the drive. However, Williams also had a key play on the drive as he advanced the ball to the Rebels’ 6-yard line with a 22-yard run.
  • A strong defensive effort: Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly might have thrown for more yards than Allen with 253, though that is hardly spectacular for his standards, especially after a bye week. He did add 89 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, but Arkansas held Kelly to just one passing touchdown and Henre’ Toliver also recorded an interception for the Razorbacks.

REPORT CARD

Offense: A – The unit threw for 229 yards and ran for 200 more. Combine those numbers with the game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter, and the offense was stellar.

Defense: B+– Aside from Kelly, who accounted for 342 yards through the air and on the ground combined, the Razorbacks only allowed Ole Miss to record 61 more yards of offense.

Special teams: A- – Adam McFain provided the unit with a boost by being solid in his second start.

Coaching: A – Give Bret Bielema and his staff credit. They had the Hogs prepared to get off to a quick start in a must-win game against an SEC rival.

Overall: A – Arkansas simply needed this win. Even though they faced adversity in the fourth quarter, the Razorbacks deserve all the credit in the world for coming back to earn a huge victory.

GAME PLAN

Arkansas proved last week was a fluke when it fed Williams the ball early and often. The Razorbacks used their running game to wear down the Ole Miss defense, while Allen and the passing attack did just enough to help guide the Hogs to victory.

GAME BALLS

  • RB Rawleigh Williams III: Early on, it was Williams and the running game that helped Arkansas get out to a lead and establish the tone of the game. He continued to get the best of the Rebels deep into the fourth quarter.
  • Kicker Adam McFain: Kicking had been a problem for the Razorbacks, but McFain came through in his second start of the season. The senior made each of his four extra-point tries and added field goals from 36 and 43 yards out.
  • The entire offensive line: After its poor performance against the Crimson Tide, the unit was criticized in the media for much of the week leading up to Saturday. The big guys up front came to play when they met the Rebels though, opening up holes for Williams and keeping Allen off his back.