Hogs’ defense shines in 35-14 win over Louisiana Tech

By Jason Pattyson

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas ripped through the Louisiana Tech offense, holding them to a season-low in yards for a 35-14 win Saturday evening at Razorback Stadium. With the win, Arkansas became bowl-eligible for the first time in two years. 

Coming into Saturday’s game, the Tech offense had sputtered for most of the season. The Arkansas defense held the Tech offense to its season low in yards gained: 229 yards, 190 passing yards, and 39 rushing yards.

Turnovers were not the key to the win Saturday 

The Louisiana Tech offense was the beneficiary of the game’s first turnover.  They missed a 43-yard field goal try to end the drive and the threat. Tech received another gift, a fumble by Andrew Armstrong, and the Bulldogs fell on the loose ball at the Razorback 40-yard line. The good news out of all those blunders was a goose egg on the scoreboard for the defense. They forced Louisiana Tech off the field on every third down chance, going 0-8 in the first half. 

The third quarter was not immune to the turnover bug. Isaiah Sategna dropped a punt in traffic, and the Bulldogs recovered it on the Arkansas 42-yard line. That led to a Tech touchdown, their first score of the game, with 3:59 in the third quarter. Doneiko Slaughter got the Razorbacks on the turnover board with a strip, and the fumble was recovered by cornerback Kee’Yon Stewart and returned for a two-yard loss. The cherry on top was an unsuccessful fourth-down attempt that sealed the win for Arkansas. 

Razorback front seven decimated the run game 

Through the first half, the Razorback defense limited Tech’s rushing attack to 12 yards on 14 carries. Their longest run was 7 yards by the kicker Buck Buchanan. Co-defensive Coordinator Travis Williams and D-Line coach Deke Adams worked to perfection the three-person front rotation. That difference in the first half kept the Bulldog’s offense fenced in. 

Arkansas had six tackles for loss, three sacks, seven quarterback hurries, and forced and recovered a fumble. The defense was stout, holding Tech to 3 yards per play, and that was a season-low for the defense. This came at the right time, heading to Mizzou next week. 

The secondary was a no-fly Zone

The secondary capitalized on multiple chances in zone coverage. The line wasn’t getting a lot of push, but the secondary forced Bullock to make tough throws and turn them into tight coverage. His longest completion was seven yards, twice, and that was it. Tech’s Bullock had fits finding open receivers all afternoon and evening. 

The only thing that did fly with the fans was the karaoke rendition of All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey. The longest pass the third level of the defense allowed was 20 yards and a 13-yard pass, all in the second half. They did create the lone fumble Arkansas recovered all game in the win. 

Limiting chunk plays and 3rd down

Arkansas did a great job against Texas limiting the chunk plays, and that kept them in the game late into the fourth quarter. On Saturday, Arkansas continued to limit the big plays, and Tech had a difficult time stringing positive plays together. 

The Razorback defense was near perfect on third down, limiting Louisiana to just 4-19 on third down.  Arkansas and the secondary finally got caught napping on a 3rd and 16 from the 20 of Arkansas to score and close the scoring gap to two scores, and the Bulldogs were 3 for 16 on third down at that point. They finished the game 4-19 on third down, and the Razorback defense was able to get off the field time and again to give the offense chances to get going, and they did. This can’t happen next week because Mizzou will make the Hogs pay in CoMo. 

To get a road win, trickery can happen

After an early INT thrown by Taylen Green, the Bulldogs were in great shape to take an early lead. On 4th and 4th and three from the Hogs 12-yard line, kicker Buck Buchanan ran over the left side of the line for seven yards and a first down. Bulldog quarterback Evan Bullock had to corral an errant snap, and that led to the end of the drive and a missed 43-yard field goal. Early in the fourth quarter, Patrick Rea executed a 26-yard fake punt and ran it to the Razorback 46-yard line before he was wrestled down. It caught the entire punt unit by surprise, and Rea had tons of open green fields to roam. That run was the longest rush the Razorback defense gave up all afternoon. 

Up Next: The season finale for the 2024 Razorbacks Football season ends in Columbia, Mo., to face the Tigers Arkansas has been in the giving mood this year as we are so close to Thanksgiving, returning the thumpings they received in 2023, and if it holds true, the Tigers have a mess on their hands.