Razorbacks beat Portland State in season opener

Arkansas defensive end Jamario Bell (86) chases Portland State quarterback Davis Alexander during a game Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — The second season for the University of Arkansas football team under Coach Chad Morris started stuck in neutral Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The Razorbacks (1-0) struggled in the first half, but a stout defense allowed UA to pull out a 20-13 victory over FCS member Portland State.

Graduate transfer senior quarterback Ben Hicks started for the Hogs, and junior transfer Nick Starkel also saw snaps. The duo combined for 18-of-34 passing for 191 yards, no touchdowns and 1 interception.

The Razorbacks led 10-6 heading into the second half, but they punted on their opening two possessions after combining for 39 yards.

The Hogs' defense picked its offense up by forcing a punt, then grabbing possession on Jarques McClellion's interception of quarterback Davis Alexander at the Arkansas' 33.

Hicks then led the Hogs on a 12-play, 67-yard drive that resulted in a 2-yard TD run by Rakeem Boyd. On the drive, Hicks converted a third and 13 into a first down on a 15-yard pass to Mike Woods. The Razorbacks also succeeded on a fourth-and-1 play from Portland State's 36 on a 2-yard run by Boyd. A face-mask penalty on the Vikings moved the ball to the 19, and Boyd broke off a 15-yard run prior to his touchdown.

The defense forced another three-and-out, and the Razorbacks embarked on another scoring drive. De'Vion Warren had a 12-yard run, Hicks threw to Treylon Burks for 20 yards but the Hogs were stopped on third and 4 from the Portland State 8 when Hicks threw incomplete to tight end Grayson Gunter. Connor Limpert's 25-yard field goal put the Razorbacks up 20-6 with 10:44 left in the game.

Portland State put together its first quality drive of the second half, going 75 yards in 14 plays over 6:30 to cut the Hogs' lead to 20-13 with 4:14 left. The Vikings converted two fourth downs on the drive, including a fourth-and-13 pass from quarterback Jalani Eason to Charlie Taumoepeau for a 32-yard touchdown pass. The throw somehow avoided several hands of nearby Hogs' defenders.

The Hogs ran about three minutes of clock on their next possession, with Boyd's 25-yard run being the big play. Punter Sam Loy kicked the ball from the Portland State 35, and a Razorback caught it at the 3 with 1:11 remaining.

The Vikings managed 26 yards before Joe Foucha intercepted a pass, the Hogs' third of the day, to clinch the victory.

The first half of Saturday's game looked like more of the same from Morris' first season at Arkansas.

On the opening kickoff, the Razorbacks were flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a fair catch that set Portland State up at its own 40-yard line. After moving 27 yards and recording one first down, the Vikings' Cody Williams nailed a 50-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Arkansas moved 54 yards on its opening possession, paced by Boyd's three carries for 23 yards. Limpert's 34-yard field goal tied the score at 3-3 with 9:40 left in the first quarter.

After the Hogs' defense forced a three-and-out, the Razorbacks drove 64 yards in 10 plays to score on a 1-yard Devwah Whaley touchdown run. All but 23 yards came on the ground.

Portland State responded with a 45-yard drive that resulted in a 47-yard field goal from Williams, cutting the Hogs' lead to 10-6 with 14:07 left in the second quarter. That was the end of the first-half scoring for either team.

Hicks was 8-of-14 passing in the first half for 61 yards before Starkel took over for him after safety Kamren Curl's interception set the Hogs up at the Portland State 22 later in the first half. After a 5-yard run by Boyd and incompletion, Starkel's second pass went directly to Portland State's Robert Holt for and interception.

The Razorbacks took possession at their own 35 with 34 seconds left, and Starkel completed three passes — the biggest a 38-yarder to Trey Knox — to move the team to the Vikings' 19. But Boyd failed to get out of bounds on a 3-yard completion, and the first-half clock ran out.

Boyd finished with 18 carries for 114 yards and 1 touchdown. Burks had 3 catches for 52 yards, and Woods had 5 catches for 30 yards.

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