Bobby Petrino takes halftime lead over Arkansas in shocking development in Fayetteville
By Keith Farner
Published:
Bobby Petrino turned heads across college football Saturday night, as he led Missouri State to a 17-14 lead over Arkansas, which is ranked No. 10 in the AP Top 25 poll.
Arkansas had 2 turnovers, and was 1-for-2 on fourth down in the first half, not to mention 2-for-6 on third down. Meanwhile, the Bears rang up a nearly 10-minute edge in time of possession. Missouri State was 6-for-11 on third downs. That performance quieted a crowd that booed Petrino as he entered the field before the game.
Arkansas shook off the slow start thanks to a couple of big plays near the end of the first half. The Hogs took just 2 plays to go 85 yards as KJ Jefferson found Jadon Haselwood for a 38-yard touchdown to trim the deficit before halftime after Missouri State got off to a 17-0 start.
Rocket Sanders led Arkansas with 11 carries for 70 yards, including a 27-yard run, and a touchdown. Matt Sanders also had a big play of 47 yards amid 4 catches for 97 yards.
Petrino was 34-17 at Arkansas in 4 seasons, and advanced to the Liberty, Sugar and Cotton Bowls, and went 2-1 in those bowl games, including a 10-3 season in 2010, and an 11-2 season in 2011. However, Petrino’s motorcycle wreck in April 2012 turned into a scandal that cost him his job.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
