Penn State coach James Franklin’s squad was admittedly short-handed going into Saturday’s Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.
But despite missing five defensive starters and its top receiver, all of whom opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft, the Nittany Lions led 10-7 at halftime.
Arkansas, missing a pair of starters itself in receiver Treylon Burks and defensive end Tre Williams, then turned the game over to the legs of quarterback KJ Jefferson and his defense.
Jefferson had 102 of his 110 yards rushing in the third quarter and the Razorbacks (9-4) rushed for 361 yards as the defense pitched a shutout in the second half in a 24-10 win over the Nittany Lions.
“Obviously the biggest factor in the game that stood out in the second half was the quarterback running game,” Franklin said. “We did a really good job in the first half of limiting explosive runs, but the second half they made an adjustment and commitment to run the quarterback.”
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Arkansas, which saw Jefferson get sacked four times and throw an interception in the first half, ran the ball on every snap of a seven-play, 75-yard drive to open the second half that gave the Razorbacks a 14-10 lead.
“We had a couple opportunities to get tackles for loss that would have got them off schedule,” Franklin said. “(We) missed them in that opening drive. He broke tackles and from that point on we had a difficult time stopping the run.”
Penn State started the season 5-0, including a home win over Auburn, but closed the season winning just two of its last seven games.
Franklin was proud of how his guys battled and noted what he told them in the locker room after the game.
“That I love them and I am super proud of the guys in that locker room – the players and the coaches,” Franklin said. “We have had a lot of adversity the last two years with everything that is going on on the field as well as off the field.”
Arkansas jumped out a 7-0 lead on Raheim “Rocket” Sanders’ three-yard touchdown run, but Penn State tied the game on quarterback Sean Clifford’s 42-yard touchdown pass to a wide open KeAndre Lambert-Smith.
Lambert-Smith (3 catches, 74 yards) and Parker Washington (9 catches, 98 yards) were filling in for star Jahan Dotson, who opted out.
“He’s got great ball skills, he’s got the ability to make people miss with quickness and really good intelligence and football instincts,” Franklin said of Washington. “Obviously losing Jahan, it was going to be really important for him and KeAndre to step up today, and I thought they both did.”
Washington had a spectacular one-handed catch early in the game.
“I was excited to make that play for our team,” he said. “It is exciting when I have made catches like that before.”
The Arkansas defense pressed Clifford into a 14-of-32 passing day for 195 yards and 2 interceptions.
One of those interceptions was in the end zone in the second half with his team down 24-10.
“We had three red zone trips, missing a field goal and a turnover,” Franklin said. “I thought our guys played extremely hard, but we didn’t play well enough, obviously, to win the game.”
In addition to his 110 yards rushing, Jefferson was 14 of 19 passing for 90 yards and an interception. Ji'Ayir Brown picked off Jefferson and Razorbacks receiver Warren Thompson, who attempted a double pass late in the first half.
“He’s got a good feel. He has really good instincts. He also plays really hard,” Franklin said of Brown. “I think he loves football, which I think is a major factor for this as well.”
Penn State was without Dotson, defensive end Arnold Ebiketie, tackle Derrick Tangelo, safety Jaquan Brisker and linebackers Ellis Brooks and Brandon Smith.
Curtis Jacobs filled in admirably at linebacker with 10 tackles, eight solo.
“My teammates were in their gaps and I just happen to be able to make those plays,” Jacobs said. “I wasn’t really sure what we were going to get coming into today, but I am incredibly proud of how those guys battled today. There were a lot young guys that got a chance to step in and see what playing at a D-I level was like when they had not seen that before.
“I would think that was really big for them. I know it was big for me coming into this season. It took me a whole season to get comfortable. We are just going to have to keep pushing, keep getting better and keep executing.”
Penn State defensive end Jesse Luketa had seven tackles and announced plans to head to the NFL after the game.
“I’m a huge Jesse Luketa fan,” Franklin said. “I will pound the table for him with every single NFL team, GM, coaches. The guy is a football player. He loves football. He’s a great teammate. He’s played a lot of different positions.
"As we all know, whether it’s the NFL or any other industry, the more things that you can do to bring value the better.”
Washington was also pleased with how the short-handed Nittany Lions played.
“Just how we could overcome adversity and still stick together,” Washington said. “It just shows that family really means a lot to us. I think it was big for us moving forward into the offseason and going into next season.”
Lambert-Smith was ready to move forward.
"I wouldn't say I'm frustrated. We just have to take this loss to heart and work harder in the offseason to get better next season," Lambert-Smith said. "We needed to do the little things. We had to play better and execute better."