A dominating exhibition in the first half by Arkansas ’ backfield tandem of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones was wasted amid a furious fourth-quarter Kentucky comeback Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Arkansas roughed up Kentucky for 255 yards on 32 tries (7. 96 yards per carry ) in the first half alone. But the Hogs failed to duplicate that success with just 83 yards on the ground in the second half as Kentucky reeled off a 42-29, come-from-behind victory.

Despite heat exhaustion and stomach issues that caused both McFadden and Jones to miss the last portion of the second quarter, the Hogs’ backfield brutes pounded out a combined 230 yards on 24 carries in the first half.

McFadden finished the game with ® yards on 29 carries and Jones ended the game with 137 yards on 12 chances. It was the sixth time in their Arkansas careers that McFadden and Jones rushed for over 100 yards in the same game and the first time that they’ve gained over 100 yards each in the first half of the same contest.

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But none of it mattered as Arkansas faltered in the second half. Despite McFadden’s ability to fight off his condition, Arkansas offensive coordinator David Lee said McFadden was limited.

“ It limited a lot of the Wildhog stuff and the radar stuff that we had in the gameplan, ” Lee said. “ He just wasn’t feeling up to it. We got an IV in him right before the game and we know we’re a lot better with him. ”

McFadden did minimal damage early as the Wildcats did their best to put Arkansas’ workhorse to sleep. McFadden rushed six times on the Hogs’ first drive for 17 yards. His last carry of the drive went for minus-1.

McFadden carried the ball 11 times in the first quarter alone for just 42 yards, an average of 3. 7 yards per tote. But he rushed for 79 yards on six carries in the second quarter.

A long run apiece helped pad the pair’s stats at the break. Jones zig-zagged his way for a 73-yard jaunt to set up first-and-goal at the Kentucky 6. But Arkansas failed to find the end zone and settled for a field goal.

“ We didn’t execute; it’s as plain and simple as that, ” Jones said. “ You work so hard to get down there anyway and when you do, you want to score. When you don’t, it’s tough. ”

McFadden broke free in the Racehorse formation for a 56-yard touchdown run when he sped past the initial pursuit and juked around Kentucky’s secondary on his path to paydirt with 5: 41 left in the second quarter.

The r ushing output marked McFadden’s 15 th career 100-yard rushing game, which is second in school history only to Ben Cowins.

Jones averaged an astounding 15. 6 yards per carry in the first half with 109 yards on just seven carries. It was his ninth career 100-yard rushing game.

Jones didn’t touch the ball until the fourth play of Arkansas’ second possession, a 4-yard run on firstand-10. He rushed for just 13 yards on three carries in the first quarter.

But he warmed up in the second quarter and later scalded Kentucky with an 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Jones’ feat was his fourth career kickoff return for a touchdown and tied former Tennessee Volunteer Willie Gault for the all-time SEC record.

“ It was real disappointing to get all those yards and have nothing to show for it, ” Jones said. “ This is real tough because we worked so hard. ”