COLUMBIA, Mo. — For the final game of the regular season, Arkansas football headed to the frigid north, Columbia, Missouri. The annual Battle Line Rivalry game got a new twist this year: a snow-covered field. As expected, things got sloppy.
The first drive of the game for the Razorbacks started out promising after three straight completions from Taylen Green to Issac TeSlaa and Andrew Armstrong. After getting into Missouri territory, the drive faltered though, much as it has many points throughout the season. On 4th and 7 from Missouri’s 31, the Hogs chose to go for it but failed after Green’s pass was knocked out of the hands of Isaiah Sategna.
The Tigers then took over on downs but only had one first down before Travis Williams’ defense held strong and sent the ball back to the hog offense.
But minutes later, on a third and long, Taylen Green fumbled the ball while trying to scramble for the first down. A trio of Tiger players were right there to pounce on it, and the Missouri offense took over possession at Arkansas 40-yard line.
The Hog defense held its own to set up a 3rd and 10 inside the redzone but back-to-back penalties of offsides and pass interference set up the Tigers at the two-yard line. Then came the first score of the game -- a rushing touchdown from Marcus Carroll to give Missouri the 7-0 lead with 2:23 left in the first quarter.
A response was needed by the Hogs and a response is what they got. Arkansas put together a 15-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that lasted 7 minutes and 41 seconds. It wasn't all that pretty though as two chunk plays, including a Rodney Hill touchdown run, was called back by holding penalties. To cap off the drive, Ja'Quinden Jackson ran the ball in from two yards out to even the score at 7-7 with 9:42 left in the first half.
Defenses took over from that point forward in the first half and the score remained tied at 7-7 at halftime.
Right before the half ended though, Arkansas defensive lineman Landon Jackson suffered a scary injury that appeared to be to his head/neck area and was carried off a stretcher into an ambulance. Jackson didn't move much but did give a thumbs up as he was carried off the field.
Arkansas Athletics Director Hunter Yurachek told the SEC Network that Jackson was talking and had movement to his extremities, and was taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution due to neck pain.
Arkansas forced a Mizzou punt to start the second half, then went to work, Arkansas went 50 yards in six plays, capped by anther Jackson rushing touchdown, and the Hogs took a 14-7 lead.
Missouri responded with a field goal to cut the lead to 14-10. Then, another big Arkansas mistake. Jackson fumbled, the third lost fumble of the game for the Hogs. Eight plays later, Missouri punched it in to take a 17-14 lead less than two minutes into the 4th quarter.
The Hogs couldn't find an offensive spark, punting the ball back to the Tigers, who happily obliged, driving for a field goal to increase the lead to 20-14 with 9:30 left to play.
But the Hogs weren't done. The Green to Armstrong connection flourished, keeping a drive alive on 4th down deep in Missouri territory. That set up another Jackson rushing TD, and the Hogs reclaimed the lead with 4 minutes left.
The Tigers would waste no time scoring a TD where Cook ran for a 30 yard touchdown to put them up 28-21 with less then two minutes to play.
The Razorbacks offense would try to muster up a game-winning drive, but with six seconds left a hail mary fell incomplete and the Tigers would win 28-21.
Missouri would score 18 points in the fourth quarter to pull out the win.
