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Arkansas Upset Bid Falls Just Short Against Aggies

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (KFSM) – There has been nothing normal about the Arkansas-Texas A&M rivalry in recent history and that continued on Saturday at AT&am...
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS (KFSM) – There has been nothing normal about the Arkansas-Texas A&M rivalry in recent history and that continued on Saturday at AT&T Stadium.

The Razorbacks entered the game as 23.5 point underdogs and fell behind 14-3 to start the game but Arkansas rallied back as the two teams traded the lead five times.

Arkansas had a chance with time running out but a fourth down try inside the 30 fell incomplete as No. 23 Texas A&M survived for a 31-27 win.

Arkansas had more total yards (395-340), more passing yards, more rushing yards and more first downs in the game but the Aggies beat the Razorbacks for the eighth straight season, with seven of those meetings being decided by seven points or less.

Texas A&M took a 31-27 lead with 3:52 left after a 50-yard field goal from Seth Small but that set the stage for Arkansas’s final drive. Ben Hicks connected with CJ O’Grady on fourth down at midfield to keep the drive alive but a sack put the Hogs behind the chains as they faced a 3rd and 22 with 46 seconds left at the Texas A&M 31. Hicks then spun out of a sack and picked up 17 yards on a scramble with 34 seconds left which set up fourth and five. Pressure on the fourth down try forced Hicks to throw the football earlier than he would have liked and it fell incomplete to end the upset bid.

Hicks came in relief for Arkansas and looked like the quarterback Razorback fans were hoping at the beginning of the season. Hicks completed 15-of-27 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.

Arkansas starting quarterback Nick Starkel left the game in the second quarter after throwing an interception and then making a tackle on the play. Starkel went to the locker room and came out for the second half with a brace on his elbow but never re-entered the game. Starkel threw for 109 yards on 12-of-17 passing.

O’Grady led the Arkansas receivers with eight catches for 91 yards but couldn’t come up with the final pass of the game. Mike Woods and Treylon Burks combined for eight catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. Rakeem Boyd led all players with 89 yards rushing.

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