Rapid Reaction: Arkansas stunned by Memphis after late fumble
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New week, same story.
A fumble on the edge of the red zone in the final 2 minutes of the game cost Arkansas dearly in a 41-35 loss to Ole Miss a week ago. In Memphis on Saturday, a fumble with 1:22 to play doomed the Razorbacks in a 32-31 loss to the Tigers.
Arkansas had it first-and-10 from the Memphis 17 with 1:26 to play. The Hogs looked like they’d be in a position to run the ball, run out the clock, and kick a chip-shot field goal to escape with a win. Mike Washington gained 8 yards on first down to set up a second-and-short.
Washington fumbled on the next play while lunging for extra yardage.
Memphis recovered and the Tigers took over in the shadow of their endzone, needing only 1 first down to secure the game.
On third-and-8, with a backup quarterback in the game, the Tigers converted. Arrington Maiden, in the game because the Tigers’ starting quarterback lost his helmet on the prior play, ran right up the middle and dragged multiple Arkansas defenders to fight for a first down.
The Tigers killed the remainder of the clock and walked off with a victory that could loom large in the College Football Playoff discussion and force a decision from the Arkansas administration on coach Sam Pittman.
Arkansas held a 28-10 lead at one point in the first half. The Hogs led 31-20 with 4 minutes to play in the third quarter.
With 4:51 to play in the game, Memphis tailback Sutton Smith broke off a 64-yard touchdown run to put the Tigers on top for the first time since late in the first quarter.
After the Razorbacks took their 28-10 lead, they had 6 offensive possessions. They went 3-and-out twice, threw an interception, punted after a 10-play, 33-yard grind, and fumbled. The 3-turnover day for the offense marked the fifth time since the start of the 2024 season that Arkansas committed at least 3 turnovers in a single game. That happened just 4 combined times over the first 4 seasons under Pittman.
Memphis 32, Arkansas 31
Here’s the Arkansas-Memphis box score (use the dropdown menu to select team or player stats), followed by the complete play-by-play:
Taylen Green vs Brendon Lewis
A statistical breakdown of how Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green performed relative to Memphis quarterback Brendon Lewis:
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
