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Missouri State’s upset bid of No. 10 Arkansas falls short

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Missouri State’s upset bid of No. 10 Arkansas came up just short on Saturday.

The Bears led for much of the game jumping out to a 17-0 lead, but the Razorbacks would use explosive plays to come back for a 38-27 win.

In the first quarter, both teams traded punts before Missouri State got the first big play of the game when Missouri State’s Von Young forced a KJ Jefferson fumble at the Missouri State 36-yardline.

Jason Shelley then went to work for the Bears. He led Missouri State on a 12-play, 64-yard drive that finished with a one-yard touchdown run by Jacardia Wright to give Missouri State a 7-0 lead.

Arkansas went to the air to try and get the points back with Jefferson hitting Ketron Jackson Jr. on a 64-yard pass down to the Missouri State one-yard line.

The Bears had an answer.

The defense stood up on the ensuing play with Ferrin Manuleleua forcing a Raheim Sanders fumble. Ikenna Mos Ahumibe recovered the fumble to save the touchdown and give Missouri State the ball back.

The Bears dominated the first quarter possession-wise with 26 total plays and an 11:20 time of possession to Arkansas’ 11 total plays and 3:40 time of possession.

Shelley opened the second quarter with a 45-yard pass to Naveon Mitchell to get the Bears to the Arkansas 31. The drive stalled out at the Arkansas 11-yardline. Jose Pizano stepped out and drilled a 28-yard field goal to give the Bears a 10-0 lead with 13:29 left in the first half.

Missouri State’s defense stymied Arkansas’ offense on the ensuing drive forcing a three-and-out. The Bears took over on the Arkansas 45-yardline after an 18-yard punt return from Mitchell.

The next drive took just four plays for Missouri State. Shelley hit Lance Mason for a 20-yard gain. Three plays later, Shelley evaded a would-be tackler with a spin move on a 24-yard scramble for a touchdown and a 17-0 lead with 10:36 left in the first half.

Arkansas came alive offensively on the next drive. The Razorbacks hit on three plays of 15 yards or more on the way to a touchdown scored on a three-yard run by Raheim Sanders to make the score 17-7. The drive went 75 yards in eight plays.

After Missouri State went just 18 yards in six play on the ensuing drive, Arkansas took back over. The Razorbacks marched into Missouri State territory. On 4th-and-9, Arkansas ran the ball and came up short giving the ball back to Missouri State at its own 34.

Missouri State went three-and-out giving the ball back to Arkansas. The Razorbacks went 85 yards in two plays covering just 16 seconds for a touchdown. Jefferson hit Matt Landers on a 47-yard pass on the first play. Then Jefferson hit Jadon Haselwood for a 38-yard touchdown on the next play.

That made it 17-14 in favor of Missouri State which would hold up to halftime.

The Bears led at the half despite being outgained 322 yards to 226 yards in the first two quarters. The difference for Missouri State were turnovers (plus two) and time of possession (20:12 to 9:48).

It was Arkansas ball out of the beak. The Razorbacks gained one first down before Tahj Chambers intercepted Jefferson to give the Bears the ball at the Arkansas 49.

Missouri State could not capitalize going three-and-out on the next drive. Arkansas marched down the field and tied the game up at 17-17 with a 27-yard field goal with 5:36 left in the third quarter.

The Bears answered back.

After Wright was stood up on 3rd-and-1 on the Arkansas 47, Missouri State went for it on fourth down. With Arkansas selling out to stop the run, Shelley found Ty Scott over the top for a 47-yard touchdown and a 24-17 lead with 3:28 left in the third quarter.

The Missouri State defense held on the next Arkansas drive to get the ball back. The Bears were able to march 71 yards in 10 plays to get into field goal range where Pizano hit on a 31-yard field goal attempt to give the Bears a 27-17 lead with 12:04 left in the game.

Arkansas had the answer.

Jefferson flipped the ball to Sanders for a 73-yard touchdown to get Arkansas back within three points 27-24 with 11:38 left in the game. It was the second two-play touchdown drive of the game for Arkansas.

Arkansas kept the momentum on the ensuing drive with sacks of Shelley on first and second down forcing a Missouri State three-and-out.

Then Bryce Stephens sent the Arkansas crowd into a frenzy.

Stephens returned the Missouri State punt 82 yards for a touchdown and Arkansas’ first lead of the night at 31-27 with 9:16 left in the game.

Arkansas put the game out of reach with a nine-play, 80-yard drive capped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Jefferson to give the Razorbacks a 38-27 lead with 1:39 left in the game.

Arkansas moves to 3-0 on the season and will face Texas A&M in Dallas next Saturday. Missouri State falls to 2-1 and will host South Dakota State next Saturday at 2 pm.

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