The Razorbacks are 2-0, and have now started back-to-back seasons 1-0 in SEC play for the first time since Houston Nutt was head coach.
The Hogs rushed for 300 yards and five touchdowns in a 44-30 win over South Carolina. Rocket Sanders was dominant on the ground, totaling 24 carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns, plus three receptions for 30 yards.
South Carolina was badly overmatched on both lines from the beginning of the game, but sloppy play by Arkansas kept this from being a total blowout.
Arkansas scored touchdowns on its first three drives and led 21-3 in the second quarter. KJ Jefferson completed his first eight passes and it looked like it was about to be a blowout. But the Gamecocks rallied, getting a officiating-aided touchdown drive to cut it to 21-9 and then holding the Hogs to a missed field goal to end the first half.
Things got dicey in the third quarter. The Gamecocks scored on a busted coverage to cut the lead to 21-16 and then stuffed the Hogs on 4th-and-1 around the 20. But as it so often does, the Razorback defense showed up just in time. Bumper Pool had a monster sack on Spencer Rattler to force a punt, and the offense put together a 14-play, 59-yard drive to make it 28-16.
South Carolina’s next drive ended after two plays, when Latavious Brini forced a fumble and Hudson Clark pounced on it. Jefferson found Warren Thompson for a 23-yard touchdown to make it 35-16 early in the fourth quarter.
The rest of the game was ugly housekeeping. The Gamecocks threw an interception in the end zone, but scored quickly on their next drive after a 64-yard pass thanks to a missed tackle. Their ensuing onside kick was returned to the 9-yard line by Pool and the Hogs punched it in to go up 42-24. The Gamecocks got another touchdown in their two-minute offense and even got the ball back down 42-30, but an attempted throwaway by Rattler was ruled intentional grounding, giving the Hogs a safety and a 44-30 lead that provided the final score.
For the second straight game, the Arkansas secondary had an incredible first half and a troubling second half. Rattler threw for 375 yards, although a huge chunk of it came when the game was essentially out of reach. Carolina rushed 29 times for 40 yards – including sacks – but only averaged about 2.5 yards per carry on non-sack runs.
Jefferson was efficient, completing 18 of 21 passes for 162 yards a touchdown and adding 19 carries for 67 yards a touchdown. Matt Landers had four catches for 45 yards. Rashod Dubinion and AJ Green each had rushing touchdowns.
The Hogs won the turnover battle 3-0 and are now +4 on the year.
Instant Analysis
#5 for Arkansas dominates Carolina. Darren McFadden had three of his best games against the Gamecocks, in 2005, 2006, and 2007, so it wasn’t surprising to see Rocket Sanders have a monster game. He totaled 186 yards from scrimmage on 27 touches with two scores. Arkansas’ offensive line made much of it happen, blowing Carolina defenders off the ball.
Beautiful passing game design. Kendal Briles, as always, made some questionable playcalls, but you can’t deny that the passing game design was gorgeous. The Gamecock secondary is really good – 4th in the nation in Opponent EPA+/Pass, as we discussed in the preview – and the Hogs had wide open receivers all game long. Jefferson only threw three incompletions, one of which was an inexplicable drop by a wide-open Matt Landers on the first drive of the third quarter. Overall, tip of the cap to Briles for this one.
Hogs slopped around. The penalties were not so fun. The Hogs were charged with 10 penalties for 115 yards. Several were questionable or straight-up bad, but that’s two straight games with penalty issues. South Carolina’s touchdown drive to cut the game to 21-9 was mostly aided by two 15-yard calls. The second was clearly a bad call, as the broadcast crew pointed out, and the first one, a PI on Dwight McGlothern, was questionable but probably not a bad call. Arkansas ended up getting another PI and another hands to the face call on later Gamecock touchdown drives.
Secondary still a concern. Again, the pass defense was great in the first half. But it’s clear the Hogs lack playmakers on the back end and desperate opponents will be able to move the ball through the air. South Carolina picked on Hudson Clark repeatedly and also found gaps in the middle of the field, where Jalen Catalon would normally roam. Getting Myles Slusher back will be a big step in the right direction, but the Hogs need guys like Latavious Brini to be really good from here on in.
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