Like it is

Not much to fuss about after steamrolling

Arkansas running back Devwah Whaley is tackled by New Mexico State defensive back Jacob Nwanga during a game Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- With no extra time to prepare for the first time this season, the Arkansas Razorbacks did exactly what they were supposed to do -- dominate the clock and New Mexico State.

Yes, the Aggies had a good quarterback, a decent running back, a big offensive line and good receivers, maybe good enough to win the Sun Belt.

But on the last day of September, a beautiful sunny afternoon with a good crowd -- though not even close to the announced 70,727 -- the Aggies weren't good enough to run with the big hogs of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

The Aggies came in with 12 sacks and left with the same number.

It might have been Austin Allen's favorite day of his career, maybe his life. He received so much protection that he had enough time to complete 19 of 26 passes for 264 yards and 3 touchdowns.

He even got to see the catches made instead of being on his backside after a sack or knockdown.

Take nothing away from the Aggies offense, especially quarterback Tyler Rogers, who completed 23 of 38 passes for 344 yards and 2 touchdowns. Most of the crowd, probably closer to 60,000, had gone by the time Rogers hit a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jaleel Scott to make it 42-24.

New Mexico State's problem was defense, which got little pressure on Allen and couldn't stop the triple threat of David Williams, Devwah Whaley and Chase Hayden, who combined for 214 yards -- most of it between the tackles -- and 3 touchdowns. Whaley led the way with 119 yards on 19 carries on what was easily his best performance of the season.

The Razorbacks scored on six of their first seven possessions, and the lone time they didn't score they were driving before Allen made a rare bad play and was intercepted.

The Hogs' first punt came with 9:37 to play.

Not only could the Aggies defense not get any pressure on Allen, but it also couldn't get the Hogs offense off the field. The Razorbacks had the ball for 41:35 compared to 18:25. If the New Mexico State didn't have enough problems, it was exhausted when the game ended.

No, the 42-24 victory didn't do a lot to wash away the memory of another shoulda-coulda victory that turned into an overtime loss to Texas A&M. It might not quiet the critics, but can you imagine the outrage if the Hogs had lost to these Aggies from New Mexico State?

Oh sure, there will be moaning about how it took the Hogs five tries to score from the 3 -- aided by a pass interference call on the defense -- but nothing like it would have been if the Aggies had pulled an upset, which was never going to happen.

The Hogs received the opening kickoff, Allen passed for 65 yards, and the Hogs drove 80 yards for a lead they never lost. The touchdown was a 38-yard pass-run from Allen to Deon Stewart.

On the Hogs' next scoring drive, again 80 yards, Allen passed once as the Hogs ran the ball seven times, including the 3-yard scoring run by Whaley.

It would go to 21-0 when Allen found Jonathan Nance, the newfound go-to receiver, for a 31-yard touchdown. Nance finished with 6 catches for 58 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Any doubt about the outcome was erased early in the third quarter.

The Aggies drove 80 yards to open the second half and make it 28-17, but it turned out to be the signal for the visitors to start their buses rather than the warning of a comeback.

On fourth and 4, Allen found Cheyenne O'Grady for 10 yards and a first down at the Aggies 16. That was the drive that needed five tries to reach the end zone, a 3-yard pass from Allen to Nance, but that was the end of any idle thoughts about an upset.

From start to finish, the Hogs did what was expected -- they dominated.

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Sports on 10/01/2017