Few SEC matchups have delivered as many wild swings, late heartbreaks and signature Arkansas moments as the Razorbacks’ series with Tennessee. The teams have met only 21 times, but the list of memorable games keeps growing.
Start with the near-miss that still stings in Fayetteville. Arkansas fell 41-38 in Knoxville after Matt Jones dragged the Razorbacks back from a 17-3 second-half deficit and tied the game with just under four minutes left in regulation. Jones hit Richard Smith wide open down the right sideline for a then school-record 92-yard touchdown, and the extra point made it 17-17.
"The coaches have told us never to quit," Jones said after the game. "We were down seven at our own 8, I kept thinking about that."
The game stretched all the way to the sixth overtime before Arkansas had to settle for a field goal. Jones missed DeCori Birmingham open in the middle of Tennessee’s defense, and on the next snap, Vols quarterback Casey Clausen found tight end Jason Witten on a post route for the winning touchdown.
A decade earlier, Arkansas pulled off one of its first major SEC breakthroughs under interim coach Joe Kines. The Razorbacks had lost three straight after beating South Carolina in Week 2 and were trailing by eight with just over two minutes left when Orlando Waters ripped off a 71-yard punt return touchdown.
A failed two-point try kept Arkansas behind by two, but Darwin Ireland recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt. That set up the finish: Todd Wright drilled a 41-yard field goal with two seconds left, his fourth make of the afternoon, to give Arkansas the win.
There was also the day Arkansas snapped a long Knoxville drought. After opening the season with three straight losses, the Razorbacks looked in trouble when Evan Berry returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and Josh Dobbs added another score midway through the first quarter.
But Bret Bielema’s team answered, tied the game at 17 by halftime, then opened the second half with a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to grab its first lead. Arkansas held Tennessee to just 90 second-half yards and left with its first win in Knoxville since 1992.
More recently, Arkansas got a huge home win in a game that’s been brought up all week by fans, media and coaches because it was the Razorbacks’ last SEC victory at home in over two years. Backup quarterback Malachi Singleton guided a 4-play, 59-yard scoring drive that helped Arkansas pull out an epic Saturday night win while several top teams around the country were falling on the road.
The Hogs outgained No. 4 Tennessee 431-332 and owned the clock by more than 11 minutes, 35:29 to 24:31.
One of the most painful losses in Arkansas history also belongs on this list. In a battle between undefeated teams, Clint Stoerner was tripped up by offensive lineman Brandon Burlsworth with 1:44 left and Arkansas leading 24-22, a play that turned into disaster.
"OH MY GOODNESS! He stumbled and fumbled and Billy Ratliff recovered," play-by-play man Bob Carpenter exclaimed.
Tennessee then scored the game-winning touchdown on Travis Henry’s run with 25 seconds remaining, finishing off a 28-24 Vols victory and crushing Arkansas’ national championship hopes.
Then there was the 31-14 Arkansas win with ESPN College Gameday in town for the first and only time in school history. The Razorbacks entered on an eight-game winning streak and ranked No. 11 nationally, then rolled behind Darren McFadden, Jamaal Anderson and Marcus Monk.
McFadden turned "The Wildcat" into a national talking point, lining up at running back, quarterback and receiver while rushing for 181 yards and two touchdowns and adding a passing score. The win gave Arkansas redemption against the defending national champions, and fans rushed the field and carried the goalpost down Dickson Street.
Another classic came when Tennessee led 24-14 in the third quarter before Stoerner found Boo Williams for a 53-yard touchdown to pull Arkansas within three. The defenses then tightened for the next 17 minutes before Anthony Lucas caught a 23-yard post route to put Arkansas ahead 28-24 with a little more than three minutes left. Tennessee drove to the 15-yard line, but Tee Martin overthrew his receiver in the back of the end zone on fourth down, sealing the Razorbacks’ victory.
In Other News...
Tennessee Brings A Quarterback Problem Arkansas Can Exploit Saturday
Quarterback uncertainty is nothing new in the SEC, but Tennessee is walking into Saturday with a situation Arkansas will be monitoring closely. Faizon Brandon landed on the latest injury report as questionable, and his status is clouded by both a shoulder issue and a recent benching, leaving the Volunteers without much clarity at the most important spot on the field.
For Arkansas, that kind of uncertainty can matter just as much as a headline injury. The Razorbacks know how quickly a game plan can change when a quarterback is not fully settled, especially against a defense looking for any edge it can get. Coaches have offered updates, but with final decisions still up in the air, Tennessees offense may not know exactly what version it will have until much closer to kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Faces A Brutal KJ Jackson Problem Against Tennessee
Arkansas heads into its matchup with Tennessee facing the kind of defensive front that can ruin an entire afternoon if an offense is even a step slow. Tennessee leads the nation in sacks and tackles for loss, and that puts a heavy burden on an Arkansas offense that has already had trouble stringing together steady drives and consistent points. For KJ Jackson, the challenge is less about making splash plays and more about surviving the first wave of pressure long enough for the offense to find some rhythm.
Offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey has made it clear the answer has to come through quicker completions, a more balanced run game and a broader cast of targets. Arkansas cannot lean too heavily on Chris Marshall and expect to keep Tennessee honest, especially if the pass rush starts dictating down and distance early. The Razorbacks need cleaner timing and better protection to avoid letting one of the SECs most disruptive defenses turn every snap into a scramble. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Faces A Brutal Test Where Its Biggest Weaknesses Matter Most
Ryan Silverfield spent part of the week talking about the culture shift he has tried to build and the energy he still sees around the program, even after a run of recent losses. That kind of optimism can matter in a locker room, but the challenge ahead looks less about mood and more about matchups, with Tennessee coming in as a team that can punish small mistakes and force Arkansas to play from behind.
The biggest test starts in the trenches, where Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop has been one of the SECs most efficient rushers and Arkansas has had trouble holding up against the run. On the other side, the Razorbacks offensive line has given up significant pressure on the quarterback, so the focus this week has been on finding a way to slow Tennessees ground game before the game script turns into another long afternoon. [Read more 🡒]