HOUSTON -- The Bret Bielema bowl era at Arkansas opened with a bang in prime time Monday night with a 31-7 thrashing of Texas in the Texas Bowl in the revival of an old-school rivalry.
Arkansas fans in the Texas Bowl-record crowd of 71,115 at NRG Stadium began chanting "SEC, SEC, SEC" shortly after Texas native Jonathan Williams iced the victory with a 1-yard touchdown run with 11:41 left in the game.
The Razorbacks played with fury on defense, controlling the game from the outset and holding Texas to 59 total yards on the night while not allowing any Longhorns snaps in Arkansas territory in the second half. The defensive unit also contributed a score when Houston-area product Taiwan Johnson recovered a botched Texas handoff in the end zone midway through the second quarter.
Arkansas (7-6) capped its first winning season in three years by beating its former Southwest Conference rival for the second time in a Texas-based bowl and notching its third victory in the past four games.
"You would have thought coming out against a good Arkansas team that we would have come out better prepared," Texas Coach Charlie Strong said. "Texas has got to mean something. Right now it doesn't mean much."
Texas (6-7) never matched Arkansas' intensity, seemingly playing with the reserved cool its captains displayed during the Texas Bowl's team luncheon Saturday.
The loss capped a bad day for the Big 12 as West Virginia lost 45-37 to Texas A&M in the Liberty Bowl and Oklahoma was trounced 40-6 by Clemson in the Russell Athletic Bowl. The SEC improved to 3-0 in bowls.
The Razorbacks recorded two takeaways, including Henre' Toliver's 46-yard interception return in the fourth quarter, played turnover-free on offense and had two penalties for 15 yards.
Brandon Allen, who was named the game's MVP, threw touchdown passes to Demetrius Wilson and Keon Hatcher while completing 12 of 23 passes for 160 yards. Williams led Arkansas with 105 rushing yards, and Alex Collins added 76 yards.
After Williams' 25-yard burst to the Texas 4 with less than two minutes remaining, the Hogs ended the game with three kneel-downs as Hatcher led a water bucket dousing of Bielema on the sideline.
The Arkansas defense harassed Texas quarterback Tyrone Swoopes all game with four sacks -- by Trey Flowers, Darius Philon, Deatrich Wise and Brooks Ellis -- and several other pressures and numerous hits.
Arkansas established at least four bowl records: fewest plays (43), fewest total yards (59), fewest rushing attempts (18) and fewest first downs (7) by an opponent.
The Razorbacks won the field position battle by a wide margin, starting two drives in Texas territory and forcing the Longhorns to start inside their own 20 on three occasions. Arkansas ran 18 of its first 24 snaps in the second half from the Texas 35 or better, the last accounting for Williams' 1-yard touchdown run up the middle.
Arkansas ran its record to 2-0 in bowl games against Texas with a cumulative score of 58-13, and improved to 22-56 in the all-time series.
Arkansas drove into range for Adam McFain's 32-yard field goal on its second possession after not scoring on its opening drive for the first time in seven games.
The Razorbacks wound up with good field position after Sam Irwin-Hill's 48-yard punt to the Texas 8. The Longhorns managed one first down, but with the help of Martrell Spaight's 1-yard tackle for loss, Darius Philon's 9-yard sack of Swoopes and Texas punter Michael Davidson's 38-yard shank out of bounds, Arkansas started at the Texas 48.
Arkansas converted two third downs on the scoring drive, on Brandon Allen's 2-yard sneak and a lucky bounce. Jared Cornelius caught a 12-yard slant pass from Allen to convert on third and 10, and when Texas' Mykkele Thompson forced a fumble the ball popped straight to Hunter Henry, who advanced it 8 more yards to the Longhorns' 15.
Allen missed an open Hatcher in the end zone on second down, leading to McFain's field goal.
The Razorbacks extended their advantage to 10-0 on their next offensive sequence, which began with three Williams runs for 26 yards. Texas linebacker Jordan Hicks was called for spearing Collins at the end of an 8-yard run, moving the ball to the Longhorns' 38. Two plays later, Wilson got separation from Texas corner Duke Thomas with a slight nudge and hauled in Allen's 36-yard play-action pass to become the 11th Razorback to catch a touchdown pass this season.
The Texas offense mostly sputtered on its first four possessions under Arkansas pressure, accounting for only 16 yards. The Hogs held Texas to no gain or lost yards on eight of its first 15 plays.
The Razorbacks ran the two-minute drill to perfection, closing the half with a nine-play, 61-yard drive to expand their lead to 17 points.
Henry had a 10-yard catch and Allen added a 10-yard scramble to put the series in motion. Drew Morgan's 24-yard catch moved the Hogs to the 10. On third down from the Texas 5, Hatcher shook free with an in-cut across the back of the end zone, Allen stepped up and hit him for the touchdown and a 24-7 lead.
Arkansas held a 217-46 lead in total offense at halftime after Flowers sacked Swoopes for a 19-yard loss on the final play of the half.
Wise sacked Swoopes for a 9-yard loss to end Texas' first series of the second half, but Arkansas failed to capitalize on Jared Cornelius' 26-yard punt return to the Longhorns' 35.
A face-mask penalty and Collins' 10-yard run on a draw play set up Arkansas at the Texas 18, but Allen missed Henry in the end zone on third down, then McFain pushed his 31-yard field goal try wide right.
The Longhorns had managed 29 total yards by the end of the third quarter, which ended on Hatcher's 15-yard catch on a third-and-13 play for a first down at the Texas 15.
Sports on 12/30/2014