JOURNAL SPORTS
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Despite opportunities, Louisiana Tech could not overcome a scoreless first half, as Arkansas narrowly avoided one.
That was a significant factor as the Bulldogs fell 35-14 on Saturday afternoon at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas got two touchdowns shortly before halftime and gradually pushed away from the visitors.
Tech (4-6) could only muster 43 yards of offense through the first two quarters, unable to take advantage of two turnovers forced by the defense. Meanwhile, Arkansas (6-5) methodically put the game away on the arm and legs of quarterback Taylen Green who had two touchdowns apiece through the air and on the ground.
Miscues were stumbling blocks in the first quarter, starting with the Razorbacks having an opening 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown negated by a penalty.
For the Bulldogs, it was failing to score after getting into the red zone thanks to a Jacob Fields interception. After a successful fake field goal, Tech had the ball at the 2-yard line but a false start and a snap quarterback Evan Bullock was not expecting sent the Bulldogs’ backwards. The ensuing 42-yard field goal attempt from last week’s hero, Buck Buchanan, was wide left.
“We had a lot of opportunities in that first quarter and the second quarter, and in the first half for our football team to take an advantage of and we failed to do that,” said Tech coach Sonny Cumbie. “We failed to take advantage of turnovers that we created, and we failed to take advantage of short fields and the momentum we created with special teams plays. Against a good team like Arkansas, it will be hard to overcome that. Those are the plays early in the game that you can potentially create put distance between yourself and a good opponent like that.”
Arkansas finally got on top 5:49 before halftime, after going 80 yards in 13 plays ended by an 11-yard touchdown pass (preceded by a fourth-and-1 conversion).
After a its defense got a three-and-out, Arkansas cashed in another fourth-down conversion. This one was a quarterback scramble by Green that went 41 yards to the end zone to give the Hogs a 14-0 going into halftime.
The Bulldogs tried to find some fourth-down magic on their own early in the third quarter but got stuffed on their own 27-yard line. The Razorbacks made them pay on the very next play with a 27-yard touchdown pass from Green to Isaac Teslaa.
Down three touchdowns, Tech took advantage of a muffed punt and a roughing the passer penalty that negated an interception thrown by Bullock. Green found Eli Finley to convert a third down, and then threw to him on the next snap for a 2-yard score with 3:59 left in third quarter. Green also scored on an 8-yard run.
The Bulldogs were able to find the end zone just one more time, a strike from Bullock to Jimmy Holiday on a post route that resulted in a 20-yard score that came with six minutes remaining in the game.
“I think the way that our kids played today was again reflective of their effort and their buy in and belief,” said Cumbie. “It’s been an uncommon season from the standpoint of how games have ended for us in certain cases. I think they have felt it and have seen the progress and how we’ve played on defense and how much we’ve improved on that side of the football.”
Tech posted 186 yards of offense in the second half, getting most of that through the air. Bullock ended the game 26-of-43 for 190 yards and two passing TDs.
Green accounted for 282 yards of Arkansas’ 454 yards of offense.
Tech will close out its season Saturday at home when the Bulldogs host Kennesaw State at 3 p.m. for Senior Day at Joe Aillet Stadium in Ruston.