Hogs Drop Another Close One on the Road

The Hogs went into Neyland Stadium for their first game under interim head coach Bobby Petrino and gave the Vols a run for their money. Tennessee took a comfortable lead in the second half, but the Hogs fought back before ultimately falling 34-31 on the road.

Game Summary

Arkansas got off to a hot start, driving down the field on its opening possession for a touchdown in nine plays to take an early lead. Tennessee responded with a seven-play touchdown drive of its own to even the score. The Razorback defense held its own against the high-powered Volunteer offense for the remainder of the first half as the game went into halftime tied 17-17.

In the second half, things began to look grim for the Hogs as Tennessee built a 34-17 lead with 13:14 remaining. Arkansas did not back down, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull within three points of No. 12 Tennessee with 2:55 left in the game. However, the Razorbacks could not get one final stop to give the offense another chance, as the Vols held on for the 34-31 win. It marked the third one-possession loss for Arkansas in its six games this season.

Takeaways for the Hogs

Although the Hogs didn’t leave Neyland Stadium with a win, there were positives to build on. The Arkansas defense, which has struggled this season, held Tennessee to its fewest points of the year. The Vols converted just two of nine third downs, showing improvement from the Razorbacks following the recent coaching changes.

Arkansas also outgained Tennessee offensively, totaling 496 yards to the Vols’ 485, and controlled the clock by nearly 10 more minutes. However, turnovers once again hurt the Razorbacks, who lost the turnover battle 3-0, including one fumble inside the Tennessee 20-yard line.

Who Stood Out for the Hogs

Running back Mike Washington Jr. had a strong performance on the ground, rushing for 131 yards and a touchdown while averaging 6.9 yards per carry. His biggest play came on the opening drive, breaking off a 38-yard run that set up an early touchdown.

Quarterback Taylen Green, despite losing two fumbles, was productive once again. He completed 21 of 31 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns while adding 63 rushing yards and another score.

Looking Ahead for the Hogs

The Hogs return home next weekend, but the schedule doesn’t get any easier. Arkansas will host No. 5 Texas A&M at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Oct. 18, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. CST on ESPN.