[ad_1]
21 hours ago
Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Arkansas coach Sam Pittman admitted he was tired after more than four hours of football. Who can blame him?
KJ Jefferson passed to Rashod Dubinion for a 2-point conversion in the third overtime and Arkansas held off a furious second-half rally by Kansas to win 55-53 in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Saturday night.
The Jayhawks rallied from 25 points down in the second half to force overtime, but failed on a 2-point conversion pass from Jason Bean to Lawrence Arnold in the third OT to end the marathon.
“What a game, what a crowd,” Pittman said. “I was tired. I got beat up. And I never played a snap.”
The longest game in the 64-year history of the Liberty Bowl set 24 records, including total points (108), total offense by one team (681 yards by Arkansas) and first downs (32 by Kansas).
Jefferson passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 130 yards and two more scores to lead the Razorbacks.
“I just want to put my guys in the best possible position to win and be able to tell the story (of winning a bowl game),” said Jefferson, the game’s MVP. “I’m proud of everyone.”
The Razorbacks (7-6) held leads of 38-13 (midway through the third quarter) and 38-23 (early in the fourth quarter), but couldn’t stop the Jayhawks, who scored 25 straight to force overtime. Kansas tied the game at 38 with 41 seconds left in regulation after recovering an onside kick with 1:05 to go. Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels found Luke Grimm on a 21-yard pass play and converted a 2-point conversion pass to Lawrence Arnold.
“We dug down deep and kept battling; we just couldn’t close out,” said Kansas coach Lance Leipold.
Arkansas celebrated a premature win in the second overtime after stopping Daniels just shy of the goal line on a 2-point conversion attempt. But a call targeting Arkansas Quincey McAdoo gave the Jayhawks another try, and they converted.
In the third overtime (only 2-point conversion attempt), Arkansas got the ball first and converted. Kansas (6-7) did not.
Daniels passed for 544 yards and five touchdowns. He set Liberty Bowl records for yards, touchdown passes, completions (37) and total TDs scored (6).
“It was a fun game,” Daniels said. “The whole second half I played calmly. Many times in the first half (he didn’t), I played outside myself. I’m sure after the first half a lot of people followed us.”
Arkansas and Kansas met for the first time in 116 years, and the Razorbacks used their old-school rushing attack to build a lead. Arkansas gained 394 of its 681 total yards on the ground. Dubinion added 112 yards for the Razorbacks.
Kansas played in its first bowl game since 2008, but was unable to end its season-ending streak of losing seven of its last eight games.
Arkansas dominated despite playing with a depleted roster due to no picks and departures from the transfer portal. The Razorbacks only used 51 scholarship players.
After leading 31-13 at halftime, Arkansas increased its advantage to 38-13 midway through the third quarter on a 2-yard run by Dubinion. TD scored on an 80-yard drive.
But a 25-point deficit hurt the Jayhawks. Daniels passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns in the second half
“I think there were a lot of situations that Kansas needed to do and they did,” Pittman said. “Until the last one.”
THE TAKEAWAY
In a span of eight seconds in the first quarter, Arkansas scored twice to erase a 7-3 deficit and take a 17-7 lead. An Arkansas interception two minutes later near the Razorbacks’ 10-yard line ignited a 73-yard scoring drive that ended in a short touchdown run by Jefferson for a 24-7 lead. Arkansas led 38-13 late in the third, building a cushion big enough to sustain a furious Kansas comeback.
NO MORE KANSAS
Kansas is 2-10 in 2021 and finished last in the Big 12. But Leipold projects a turnaround in 2022 that includes a 5-1 start. The Jayhawks averaged more than seven yards per play this season to break the school record set in 1950 (6.4). “Things are moving in the right direction,” Leipold said. “Sometimes I like to defer to you (Kansas media) and ask your opinion. I’m not being sarcastic. But I think we’re trending in the right direction.”
UP NEXT
Arkansas: Pittman started his fourth season against Western Carolina on Sept. 2.
Kansas: Leipold’s third season opener, also on Sept. 2, at home against Missouri State.
[ad_2]
Source link