Arkansas Holds Off Bulldogs For 42-21 Victory In Little Rock

Saturday, November 21

Little Rock, Ark.

11:21 AM

Mississippi State

4-7 , 2-5

Arkansas

7-4 , 3-4

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Mississippi State	7	0	14	0	21
Arkansas	7	14	7	14	42

Arkansas Holds Off Bulldogs For 42-21 Victory In Little Rock

November 21, 2009 | Football

Box Score

By: hailstate.com

• Official Statistics
• Official Statistics (PDF)
• Postgame Notes & Quotes (PDF)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Despite a solid second-half charge, Mississippi State's historical woes in the state of Arkansas continued Saturday as the Bulldogs dropped a 42-21 decision to Arkansas at War Memorial Stadium.

With the win, Arkansas improved to 7-4 overall and 3-4 in the Southeastern Conference. With the setback, State fell to 4-7, 2-5 in league play, remaining winless inside the borders of the state of Arkansas all-time.

For the most part, the game was a showcase of two great players' talents - Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett and Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon. Through the air, Mallett was 18-for-45 for 313 yards and five touchdowns. Dixon had another great day on the ground, rushing 24 times for 176 yards and two scores.

It did not take long for Mississippi State to find the first big break in the game. After Arkansas received the opening kickoff, State's Corey Broomfield intercepted Arkansas' Mallett on the second play from scrimmage. After an end run by Chad Bumphis went for 49 yards to the Razorback 3, Arnil Stallworth scored on a 1-yard dive and the Bulldogs led 7-0 early in the contest.

But as quickly as the Bulldogs took that early lead, Arkansas would answer just as speedily. On the ensuing possession, UA got a big kickoff return to its own 41. After a run for no gain, two big pass plays from Mallett would lead to the score - the first a 21-yarder to Jared Wright and the second a 39-yard touchdown to Joe Adams.

However - after those two scores that came inside the first four minutes of kickoff - it would be nearly a quarter before either team manufactured any more points. Both teams struggled to muster any offense the rest of the first period.

But with 12:35 to go in the second quarter, Mallett would showcase his passing prowess again, this time hitting Cobi Hamilton in stride for a 58-yard touchdown. The Hogs led 14-7.

After stopping State on the next possesstion, Arkansas extended its lead to 14 on its next drive, a 10-play, 74-yard march that culminated with Mallett's third touchdown pass of the afternoon. Mallett hit Wright from five yards out and UA led 21-7 with 4:53 to go before the intermission and that would remain the score at halftime.

The Bulldogs came out strong in the second half, putting together an impressive 11-play, 94-yard drive that resulted in State's second score of the day. All 11 plays of the drive were rushes, many featuring Dixon, who would punch in the score on a 4-yard touchdown. Arkansas led 21-14 with early in the third period.

Unfortunately for Mississippi State, it did not take the Razorbacks long to answer the challenge. After it appeared State was going to stop UA on three down on the next possession, on third-and-10 Mallett hit Hamilton on a slant pass which Hamilton ended up weaving downfield and taking 64 yards to the end zone. Arkansas led 28-14 with 8:14 to go in the third.

But right back came State and this time it only took one play to do the job. Dixon took a handoff from Chris Relf, bounced outside and rumbled 70 yards for the score. Derek DePasquale's extra point trimmed the UA lead to 28-21 just 18 seconds after Arkansas' score.

The teams went scoreless until early in the fourth quarter when the Hogs capitalized on a key turnover by the Bulldogs. State's Dixon fumbled at midfield and Arkansas used that miscue to push its lead back to 14 points, essentially sealing the game's fate. UA marched 50 in six plays, a drive capped with Mallett finding Greg Childs in the back of the end zone for the signal caller's fifth touchdown pass of the contest.

The Razorbacks led 35-21 at that point and MSU could not muster another run at them the remainder of the game.

Arkansas tacked on a late touchdown with Broderick Green diving in from two yards out.

State now turns its attention to the final game of the 2009 regular season hosting arch-rival Ole Miss next Saturday, Nov. 28, in the Battle for the Golden Egg. The game will kickoff at 11:21 a.m. and be televised on the SEC Network.