FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Wide receiver Andrew Armstrong racked up 137 yards on eight catches while running back Ja’Quinden Jackson added 147 rushing yards and a touchdown to help Arkansas beat Alabama-Birmingham 37-27 on Saturday in front of an announced crowd of 75,021, the eighth-largest in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium history.
The Razorbacks allowed Blazers' quarterback Jacob Zeno to find wide receiver Kam Shanks for a 15-yard touchdown before allowing a field goal on the next Alabama-Birmingham possession to fall behind 10-0 in the first quarter.
Arkansas kicker Kyle Ramsey answered with a 28-yard field goal to get the Hogs on the board.
However, the Blazers responded on their next possession.
Zeno connected with wide receiver Amare Thomas for a 34-yard score to give UAB a surprising 17-3 lead with 14:21 to play in the second quarter.
And that's when the Razorback offense started to find a rhythm.
Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green marched the Hogs down the field, and running back Braylen Russell, a Benton native, scored a two-yard rushing touchdown to cap a 12-play, 75-yard drive.
With the score, Russell became the third freshman running back in the Arkansas coach Sam Pittman era to rush for multiple touchdowns in a season, joining Raheim Sanders (5) and Rashod Dubinion (5), who accomplished the feat in 2021 and 2022.
On the ensuing drive, Green found Armstrong for a 29-yard and 14-yard gain. A few plays later, the Boise State transfer flashed his dual-threat ability and scored on a 14-yard scramble to tie the game 17-17.
Green didn’t do much with his arm, completing only 11-of-26 passes for 161 yards and an interception, but he did punish the Blazers for 96 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Armstrong has caught at least one pass in 30 consecutive games, dating back to his 2021 season at Texas A&M-Commerce. He's the first Razorback pass catcher with consecutive 100-yard receiving games since Matt Landers in 2022.
UAB kicker Jonah Delange and Ramsey traded 23-yard and 51-yard field goals, respectively, as the game was tied 20-20 at the half.
Pittman said he wanted his team to make a statement coming out of the break, and they did that thanks to a 16-yard touchdown run by Jackson. The run finished an 11-play drive and gave the Razorbacks a 27-20 lead with 10:00 to play in the third quarter.
Arkansas averaged seven yards per carry and outgained UAB on offense 427-354 total yards.
Ramsey added a field goal, while Green scored on a nine-yard rush in the fourth quarter to give Arkansas a 10-point lead. Defensive back TJ Metcalf then intercepted Zeno to seal the victory.
Linebacker Stephen Dix Jr. led Arkansas with 10 total tackles, with five being solo. Linebacker Brad Spence recorded the only sack of the contest for the Razorbacks.
Arkansas opens SEC play on the road against Auburn on Sept. 21. Coverage from Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., begins at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.