Arkansas blended a mix of new faces and old for a 31-24 victory over No. 23 Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon in the 2022 season-opener at Razorback Stadium. The No. 19 Razorbacks were impressive on both sides in a game that marked the first time since 1974 that a ranked Arkansas squad opened the season against a ranked opponent.

Arkansas veteran quarterback KJ Jefferson, a leader of the Razorbacks’ “old” faces, willed his team to victory. it wasn’t always pretty, but Jefferson — last year’s team leader in both rushing and passing — gutted it out with the help of an opportunistic defense that came up big when it counted most.

A 4th-quarter sack-strip by “new face” Jordan Dominek, a Georgia Tech transfer, set up a key score and a 31-17 lead at the 9:26 mark. It was a combination of “old faces” Jefferson and Trey Knox that got the Hogs to the end zone. Jefferson threw in the flat to Knox, who picked up a key block and dashed down the sidelines for his 2nd TD of the game.

But Cincinnati wouldn’t go away. The Bearcats went 75 yards in 9 plays and with 5:49 left the Hogs’ were left clinging to a 31-24 lead.

Arkansas led 14-0 at halftime, but the action picked up considerably in the 3rd quarter as the teams went back and forth. Arkansas answered Cincinnati’s first score of the game, which sliced the Hogs’ lead to 14-7, with a touchdown drive of their own. Jefferson threw 19 yards to Arkansas “new face” newcomer Jadon Haselwood for the score. The transfer from Oklahoma hauled what appeared to be a momentum changer, giving the Razorbacks a 21-7 lead.

But a long Bearcats’ touchdown pass on their ensuing drive made it a 1-score game again. And after a Jefferson fumble, the visitors added a field goal to further slice into the Arkansas lead, 21-17.

The Hogs had to settle for a field goal of their own, when a promising drive bogged down with a limping Jefferson throwing inaccurately on back-to-back passes. Arkansas kicker Cam Little was good from 32 yards out and Arkansas led 24-17 heading into the 4th quarter.

Another of those aforementioned “new faces,” LSU transfer Dwight McGlothern, made his presence felt early with a key interception that ended Cincinnati’s impressive 11-play, 59-yard drive opening drive of the game. McGlothern returned the pick 51 yards to set up the Hogs’ first score of the game, a 15-yard dash to the end zone by Jefferson.

The Bearcats came up empty again on their next drive, a 7-play, 43-yard march, missing a chip shot field goal attempt. They missed again on a field goal try of 48 yards just before halftime and the Razorbacks had just enough time to take advantage.

A 37-yard run by Raheim Sanders set up the Hogs’ 2nd TD of the game. From the Bearcats’ 5-yard line, Jefferson took the snap and sprinted towards the line of scrimmage only to complete a Tim Tebow-style jump pass to Trey Knox and Arkansas led by 2 TDs at halftime.

Jefferson finished wth 3 TD passes — the 6th time in his career he’s thrown at least that many in a game. He sealed the victory by twice running for 1st downs to help the Hogs close it out.