Hogs can't convert late in another wild loss to A&M

Arkansas tight end Cheyenne O'Grady (left) and Texas A&M defensive end Jeremiah Martin react after a fourth down pass intended for O'Grady fell incomplete with 31 seconds remaining on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, in Arlington, Texas. The Aggies defeated the Razorbacks 31-27 for their eighth consecutive victory in the Southwest Classic.

Just when it seemed like another dismal Saturday for the University of Arkansas, the Razorbacks gathered themselves and engaged in another wild Southwest Classic against Texas A&M at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Trailing 31-27 with 34 seconds remaining, backup QB Ben Hicks and UA offense could not convert a fourth and 5 from the A&M 18 as the Aggies won for the eighth time in a row in the series.

Down 14-3 in the second quarter, Nick Starkel threw an interception inside the Aggies’ 5 and injured his arm while making a tackle on the return. But the Hogs’ defense returned a fumble for a touchdown on the next play, and Hicks entered to continue what turned into a dogfight.

Down 21-17 to open the second half, the Razorbacks’ defense forced a three and out, and the offense came out humming under Hicks.

He completed a 19-yard pass to Koilan Jackson, then found Cheyenne O’Grady for 23 yards off a slant route. On third and 7 from the A&M 24, Hicks and Treylon Burks hooked up for 13 yards, then Devwah Whaley took the handoff on the next snap for an 11-yard touchdown and 24-21 lead with 10:34 left in the third.

Bumper Pool sacked Texas A&M QB Kellen Mond on the first play of the Aggies’ next drive, and Jarques McClellion broke up a third-and-2 pass to force a 60-yard punt from Braden Mann that was downed at the Arkansas 7.

The Hogs (2-3, 0-2 SEC) managed 3 yards before punting, setting the Aggies up at their own 44.

For the first time in the game, the Aggies (3-2, 1-1) got their ground game rolling. Mond scrambled twice for 17 yards, and Jacob Kibodi ran 3 times for 16 yards as the Aggies reached the Arkansas 14. But on second and 9, Montaric Brown picked off Mond in the end zone and returned it to the UA 12 with 3:43 left in the third.

Rakeem Boyd lost a yard on first down and was slow to leave the field, and on third down Hicks was sacked at the 2. A&M took over at midfield after a punt and 15-yard penalty on the Aggies.

Mond ran for 11 yards and a first down, and Kibodi followed with a 14-yard run as the Aggies reached the Hogs’ 20 as the third quarter ended. A penalty and 1-yard loss put the Aggies in a second-and-16 situation, but Mond connected with Ainias Smith for 11 yards, then hit Jhamon Ausbon for 12 yards and a first and goal from the 3. On the next play, Mond found Quartney Davis for a 3-yard TD and 28-24 edge with 12:21 left in the game.

Burks caught a 31-yard pass on second and 15, and O’Grady’s 10-yard reception moved UA to the Aggies’ 39. On third and 12, Hicks connected with Tyson Morris for 16 yards and a first down. The Hogs had to settle for Connor Limpert’s 40-yard field goal to trail 28-27 with 8:46 left in the game.

The Aggies converted a third and 9 on Mond’s 18-yard scramble, and a holding penalty on Arkansas’ Brown gave the Aggies a first down. On third down, Jamario Bell recorded the Hogs’ fifth sack of the game, pushing the Aggies back. Seth Small drilled a 50-yard field goal for a 31-27 lead with 3:52 to go.

Hicks found Burks for 13 yards, and Boyd ran for 5 to set the Hogs up with a second and 5 at their own 47. O’Grady caught a 3-yard pass, but Hicks’ third-down thrown was batted down at the line of scrimmage to set up fourth and 2 at midfield with 1:25 left when UA used its first timeout of the second half. Hicks found O’Grady again for 4 yards and the first down.

On second and 10, Hicks hooked up with Morris for 22 yards to the A&M 24 with 58 seconds left, but Hicks was sacked for a 7-yard loss on the next play. After Hicks threw a pass away on second down and Burks was whistled for a false start, Hicks avoided a sack and scrambled for 17 yards to set up fourth and 5 at the A&M 18 with 34 seconds left when Arkansas called its last timeout. Hicks’ fourth-down pass bounced off O’Grady’s should pads as the Aggies held on for the victory.

Hicks finished 15-of-27 passing for 188 yards and 1 touchdown for the Hogs. O’Grady had 8 catches for 91 yards, and Mike Woods had 4 catches for 62 yards and 1 touchdown.

The Hogs outgained the Aggies 396-341.

The Razorbacks came out with a spring in their step, driving 41 yards on the game’s opening drive, including a 14-yard burst by Boyd. The drive stalled on the A&M 34, and Limpert missed a 52-yard field goal.

The Aggies couldn’t capitalize despite picking up 12 yards on each of their first two plays from scrimmage. A sack from McTelvin Agim helped end the drive, which resulted in a 30-yard punt and Arkansas taking over at its own 14.

The Hogs gained one first down before punting, giving the Aggies the ball at the UA 37 with 6:47 left in the first quarter.

Mond hit Ausbon for 17 yards on second and 3, then Davis gained 18 yards on a double reverse to the UA 21. After Mond and Ausbon hooked up for 10 yards, Smith caught a 9-yard TD pass for a 7-0 lead with 2:56 to go in the quarter.

Starkel avoided a blitz, rolled to his right and found Morris on third and 9 for a first down, and Boyd sprung for 24 yards on a pitch on the next play to move Arkansas to the A&M 30. Devwah Whaley lost 3 yards on the last play of the quarter, and a third-down play was thwarted when Koilan Jackson collided with an official while running his route. Limpert drilled a 46-yard field goal to get the Hogs on the board.

The Razorbacks appeared to have a stop, but a late flag caught Bumper Pool for pass interference, placing the ball on the UA 31. Mond found Davis for 15 yards, but the Hogs put A&M in a third and 14 after a Mataio Soli sack. Smith burned the Hogs again by taking a short pass 16 yards for a first down, and Isaiah Spiller ran it in from 4 yards out on second and goal for a 14-3 edge with 9:48 left in the half.

T.J. Hammonds picked up a first down with 7 yards on a jet sweep, and Starkel followed with a 27-yard connection with O’Grady to the A&M 33. Starkel found Whaley for 10 yards, and Burks drew a pass interference penalty to put the ball on the 5. The Aggies stuffed Arkansas twice, but A&M’s Tyree Johnson was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct to gift the Hogs a first down at the 3.

On second and goal, Starkel threw a pass into the middle of the line. It deflected off an Aggie and into the hands of Justin Madubuike, who ended the 72-yard drive by returning the interception to the A&M 18 with 5:36 left in the first half.

The Razorbacks rebounded six seconds later when Gabe Richardson stripped the ball from Spiller, allowing De’Jon Harris to scoop it up and run untouched for 6 yards to slice the deficit to 14-10.

As Arkansas’ defense was forcing A&M to lose 7 yards on three plays, Starkel was carted off the sideline and into the Arkansas locker room. Replays later showed him taking a big hit while making the tackle on Madubuike on the interception.

A 55-yard punt from Braden Mann was returned 32 yards by Burks to the A&M 41, and Hicks took the field as the Hogs’ QB.

Madubuike was whistled for roughing the passer, and Boyd churned for 16 yards and a first down to the A&M 13. On the next play, Hicks connected with Woods on a back-shoulder throw in the end zone for a 17-14 lead with 1:55 left in the half.

A&M drove 75 yards in 11 plays, with Davis catching a short pass and breaking a couple of tackles for a 22-yard touchdown reception to put the Aggies up 21-17 at the half.

The last drive allowed the Aggies to outgain the Hogs 203-195 in the first half.

Starkel was 12-of-17 passing for 109 yards and the interception before leaving the game. Boyd ran 11 times for 72 yards.

Mond was 14-of-21 passing for 182 yards and 2 touchdowns in the half. The Hogs held the Aggies to 21 yards rushing on 16 carries.

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