LITTLE ROCK — Quarterback Damian Williams ran for a 25-yard touchdown on Mississippi State's first play of overtime and the Bulldogs forced a turnover four plays later to beat Arkansas 24-17 Saturday at War Memorial Stadium.
Taveze Calhoun intercepted Brandon Allen's fourth down attempt in overtime, sealing the Bulldogs' first ever win in the state of Arkansas. The Razorbacks have now lost a school-record eight consecutive games.
Mississippi State (5-6, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) tied the game on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Russell to Jameon Lewis early in the fourth quarter. Devon Bell had a chance to give Mississippi State a lead late in regulation, but his 42-yard field goal went wide right with 18 seconds remaining.
Arkansas (3-8, 0-7 SEC) took a 17-10 lead on a 22-yard touchdown run by Julian Horton with 3:28 left in the third quarter. The Razorbacks reached the Mississippi State 9 late in the fourth quarter, but Alex Collins fumbled and the Bulldogs recovered with 5:22 remaining.
Arkansas led 10-0 after Zach Hocker's 54-yard field goal with 6:53 remaining in the first half. The Razorbacks had taken the lead with an 8-play, 56-yard drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown run by Javontee Herndon to open the game.
Mississippi State tied the game at halftime with a flurry of activity late in the second quarter. Bell's 24-yard field goal put the Bulldogs on the board and Arkansas' fake punt attempt on the ensuing drive failed, giving Mississippi State the ball at the Razorbacks 40-yard line.
The Bulldogs responded with a three-play drive capped by a 30-yard touchdown pass from Russell to LaDarius Perkins to tie the game 10-10. Arkansas tight end Mitchell Loewen fumbled the ensuing kickoff return and Mississippi State recovered at the Razorbacks 34, but the drive ended when Derrick Milton's fumble was recovered by Arkansas at the 1 just before halftime.
Arkansas has lost three of its last four games at War Memorial Stadium. The Razorbacks lost just twice in Little Rock from 1998 to 2011.
Arkansas will close the season next Friday against LSU in Baton Rouge, La. The Razorbacks have never lost nine games in a season and have never gone winless in SEC play.