Arkansas routs Tech 39-26, QB Taylen Green MVP

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Arkansas needed a big game from quarterback Taylen Green and he delivered in a big way with a 39-26 win over Texas Tech in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in front of 37,764 fans.

Green was named the game’s MVP after he completed 11 of 21 passes for 341 yards and 2 touchdowns. Green also rushed 15 times for 81 yards to lead the Hogs. The passing yards by Green sets an Arkansas bowl record for passing yards. It broke Bill Montgomery’s mark of 338 passing yards against Ole Miss in the 1970 Sugar Bowl.

“First, I want to thank Jesus for giving me the opportunity just to be out there,” Green said. “I actually played here last year when I was at Boise. We played Memphis, and we lost, and I still remember that to this day, and I wanted to come out on top. It meant the world to me just being out there with my teammates. I wouldn’t be up here without them and without my coaches, so all the stats, you see what I do, I didn’t do it by myself. Like I said on the platform when I got my award, offense, defense and special teams, they were (fire).”

Sam Pittman had said the Hogs needed a fast start and that is exactly what they got. The Hogs led 21-3 after the first quarter. Wide receiver Dazmin James entered the game as an unknown, but left with Offensive MVP honors for Arkansas. He caught 3 passes for 137 yards including a 94-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. That was the longest reception in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl history.

“We had an opportunity and we’ve got good players,” Pittman said. “Just because you guys don’t know about them doesn’t mean that they’re not good players. But now you know about them a little bit.”

Arkansas scored first on a 12-yard run by Green with 11:28 left in the first quarter. Matthew Shipley, who was outstanding on the day, added the PAT.

Texas Tech kicker Gino Garcia answered the Green touchdown with a 37-yard field goal to pull the Red Raiders to within 7-3 with 8:19 left in the first period.

The Hogs struck quickly though. They had a 3-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Braylon Russell powering in from the 1-yard line. Shipley’s PAT put the Hogs up 14-3 with 7:14 left in the opening quarter.

The next touchdown was James’ heroics as he took a pass from Green and raced the 94 yards for a touchdown. The PAT by Shipley ended all the scoring in the first quarter with 2:31 remaining. Pittman talked about the fast start he got that he wanted to the game.

“I think it was real important,” Pittman said. “The defense held them to a field goal and then Taylen and the guys got [going]. We ran the ball well early. I think it was Rodney, went for about 60 or 70 right there off the bat, and we got rolling. I think the key to tonight’s game was we had to get some confidence in our team, and I talked to the older guys about building confidence into the guys that hadn’t played much. The older guys had to play well and you see they’re sitting here, so the young guys could feed off of that confidence. But I think it was a fast start. Defense making an early stop and then they made a fourth down stop and then really the offense took over. Taylen took over. We have Taylen Green, a lot of teams don’t and it gives us opportunity to win.”

Texas Tech wasn’t ready to quit though. In the second quarter they sacked Green for a safety. Then they got rushing touchdowns by J’Koby Williams and Jalin Conyers to pull within 21-19 with 1:58 before intermission.

The Hogs though put together an 11-play, 53-yard drive to get in position for Shipley to boot a 40-yard field goal and 24-19 lead at the half. Shipley added field goals of 34- and 43-yards in the second half as well. He was perfect on his point after touchdowns.

In addition to a field goal from Shipley the only other scoring in the third quarter was a 47-yard touchdown pass from Green to running back Tyrell Reed Jr.

In the fourth quarter, Arkansas defensive end Anton Juncaj sacked Tech quarterback Will Hammond for a safety. In addition to a Shipley field goal, the other score in the final period was a 15-yard pass from Hammond to Coy Eakin. Defensive tackle praised Juncaj.

“Man, I’m so proud of my boy, Anton,” Ball said. “He’s been fighting though injuries since the Oklahoma State game this whole season, and for him to just come out in his last collegiate game and just lay it all on the line, man, I’m so happy for him and for his family. I can’t wait to see him prosper and do good things at the next level.”

The game ended at the Tech 12 with Green taking a knee in the victory formation.

Linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr. was named Arkansas’ Defensive MVP as he finished with 10 tackles, 5 solo and 0.5 for loss.

Texas Tech’s Williams was named his team’s Offensive MVP, Williams rushed 15 times for 123 yards and a touchdown. He also caught 4 passes for 36 yards. The Tech Defensive MVP was Jacob Rodriguez with 9 tackles, 5 solo and 1 for loss. Texas Tech Coach Joey McGuire talked about the fast start by the Hogs that put his team in a hole early.

“Yeah, it started in the first quarter,” McGuire said. “We misfit a long run. We checked zone, it doesn’t checked all the way over so then we give up a big pass. Then we just get beat on another one, so we’re behind the eight ball. I think it was 21-3. We had moved the ball, we just couldn’t get in the end zone. I thought we stuck with the game plan and in the second quarter, we started making some plays, the we got back in the game. It was tough, right there in the end, to give up that field goal going into half because they had kind of grabbed the momentum back. It felt like we had gotten some momentum going and then they grabbed it back. In the second half, just turnovers, they intercept us twice. We give up a safety. Those things like that, it’s hard to come up from.”

Arkansas finished the game with 559 yards of total offense including 341 through the air and 218 on the ground. Rodney Hill had 8 carries for 81 yards. Russell added 50 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Isaac TeSlaa caught 3 passes for 107 yards and CJ Brown added 4 receptions for 50 yards. Miguel Mitchell and Marquise Robinson had interceptions for the Hogs.

Tech finished with 497 yards of offense with 280 in the air and 217 on the ground. Tech had two turnovers while the Razorbacks just had a fumble lost by Hill. Devin Bale punted 4 times for an average of 48.2 with a pair of them inside the Tech 20.

The Razorbacks will continue now to recruit the transfer portal.