Jamal Roberts gave Missouri the steady ground punch it needed, and the Tigers’ defense kept handing them extra chances.
Roberts ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns, while Darris Smith turned a loose ball into points by recovering a fumble in the end zone as No. 23 Missouri rolled past host Arkansas 34-10 on Saturday night in Fayetteville.
Missouri finished with 24 points off four Arkansas turnovers, a margin that told the story of the night. Linebacker Nick Rodriguez forced one of those fumbles, Trajen Greco picked off a pass, and Missouri kept cashing in.
Austin Simmons added two touchdown passes and finished with 179 yards through the air. One of those scores went to Donovan Olugbode, and Cayden Lee led the Tigers with 78 receiving yards on six catches.
Roberts now has five games this season with at least 100 rushing yards.
Ahmad Hardy also got back on the field for Missouri for the first time this season after sustaining a gunshot wound in his left leg in May. The SEC’s leading rusher a season ago, Hardy had three carries for 42 yards. He picked up a first down with a four-yard run in the second quarter, then broke loose for 37 yards late in the game.
Arkansas got a touchdown run from KJ Jackson and a strong night from Antonio Jordan, who finished with 106 receiving yards on seven receptions. But the Razorbacks’ mistakes kept putting them in a hole they couldn’t climb out of.
Greco helped set the tone early when he came down with a pop-fly interception after a deflection by Chris Graves Jr., setting up Missouri’s first scoring drive. That possession ended with Blake Craig’s 31-yard field goal with 5:33 left in the first quarter.
The Tigers’ defense then delivered the game’s first touchdown after Arkansas decided against punting on 4th-and-1 from its own 34. Cam Settles muffed a direct snap from Kash Courtney, the ball was kicked and bobbled again, and it eventually rolled into the end zone. Smith fell on it for a score, and Craig’s extra point made it 10-0.
Craig added a 53-yard field goal, his longest of the season, with 9 minutes left in the second quarter.
Arkansas had a chance to answer after Max Gilbert missed a 52-yard field goal following an 11-play drive, but the Razorbacks did finish the half with some momentum. Jackson connected with Jordan on a 37-yard gain, then Jackson sneaked left into the end zone two plays later with 41 seconds remaining. Gilbert’s extra point cut the lead to 13-7.
Missouri’s offense finally put together a full drive to open the third quarter. Simmons hit Lee on a 46-yard pass on third-and-6 to move the Tigers to the Arkansas 11, and two plays later he found Olugbode on a short touchdown pass to push the lead to 20-7.
From there, Missouri’s defense slammed the door again. Rodriguez forced Jackson to fumble on the first play of Arkansas’ next possession, Santana Banner recovered at the Arkansas 45, and Roberts finished the next drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to put the game out of reach.
In Other News...
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Arkansas heads into its matchup with No. 23 Missouri knowing the margin for error has all but disappeared. ESPNs Football Power Index gives the Razorbacks just a 26% shot at pulling the upset, and their overall bowl eligibility odds have slipped to 3.8 percent as the season winds down. Still, the path remains simple enough on paper: find a way to steady a team that has struggled with consistency and keep the faint postseason picture alive.
Ryan Silverfield has kept the focus on improvement, even as the Razorbacks continue to battle through a stretch that has exposed their issues finishing games. The remaining schedule offers little relief, with Auburn, South Carolina, Texas and LSU still ahead, so every snap from here carries real weight. A win over Missouri would not solve everything, but it would at least give Arkansas something to build on before the final grind. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Has A Real Chance To Change Everything Against Missouri
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Silverfield has tried to keep the focus on the task in front of his team rather than the weight of what has come before it. That approach makes sense, because Arkansas does not need a history lesson this week so much as a clean performance under the lights, with the game set for Halloween night and coverage on the SEC Network and Razorback Sports Network. For a team looking to change the conversation, this is the kind of stage that can do it. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Is Still Alive But The Offense Left Too Much Out There
Arkansas had done enough on defense to keep itself in striking distance at halftime, but the offense left far too many chances on the table in a 13-7 game against No. 23 Missouri. The Razorbacks held the Tigers to field goals for much of the first half, which gave the home side a real chance to settle in and take control, but the rhythm on offense never fully arrived.
KJ Jackson did provide a needed spark late in the half, finishing off Arkansas only touchdown with a run after a pass to Antonio Jordan. Even so, the turnovers and missed scoring opportunities hung over the first 30 minutes, leaving Arkansas alive but with plenty of work still ahead if it wanted to turn a strong defensive effort into a result. [Read more 🡒]