Tag: dominique johnson

Beyond the box score: Why Arkansas beat Penn State in Outback Bowl

Arkansas used a massive running game, a stout defense and KJ Jefferson to dispatch Penn State in the Outback Bowl.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman wasn’t going to change horses midstream. He was going to dance with the girl he brought. He was, well, all of those other cliches.

The Razorbacks stuck to what they did best all throughout the 2021 season and made Penn State pay in the Outback Bowl, 24-10.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson, like he was all season long, was the biggest reason why. But he was hardly alone. Wide receivers like Tyson Morris and De’Vion Warren stepped up in their final games as Razorbacks players in the stead of Treylon Burks. Arkansas’ running back balance, which had all year long, continued in dominant fashion. And the Hogs defense made Penn State one-dimensional and took advantage late.

It all added up to one of the most complete games of Arkansas’ season and a nearly perfect capper to Arkansas’ best season in a decade.

Mission Accomplished: Arkansas beats Penn State in Outback Bowl

Arkansas did what it did best all year in dispatching Penn State on New Year’s Day’s Outback Bowl.

No letdowns. No disappointments. No mercy.

Arkansas’ turnaround is complete and official. The Razorbacks’ 24-10 victory over Penn State on Saturday, New Year’s Day, in the Outback Bowl was the exclamation point to a 9-4 season and laid to rest memories of the last five seasons.

Coach Sam Pittman, in his second year at the helm, led Arkansas to a nine-win season for just fourth time in the last 18 years. The bowl win was Arkansas’ first since beating Kansas State in the 2016 Liberty Bowl at the end of the 2015 season.

The man on the field who led it was the one expected. Quarterback KJ Jefferson ran for 110 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries and completed 14 of 19 passes for 90 yards.

Jefferson was in his first year as starter. For the season he ran for 664 yards and six scores. He threw for 2,668 yards with 21 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Jefferson is likely to be a preseason All-SEC pick going into 2022.

He was helped Saturday by his stable of runners. Dominique Johnson ran for 85 yards on 11 carries. Rocket Sanders had 79 yards and two scores on 13 carries. And back-up quarterback Malik Hornsby, who entered for a short series when Jefferson was banged up after a big ran, had a 34-yard run that set up Sanders’ second touchdown of the game in the third quarter.

Trailing by 14 points in the fourth quarter, Penn State had an opportunity to make it a one-score game with the ball on the Arkansas 10 and a first down. But Sean Clifford’s pass to the back right corner of the end zone was intercepted by Joe Foucha.

Sanders scored the game’s first touchdown with a run at the end of the first quarter. Penn State countered with a touchdown and field goal in the second before Jefferson went in from eight yards in the third to put Arkansas ahead for good.

The win was Arkansas’ first on New Year’s Day since beating Texas in the 2000 Cotton Bowl.

WATCH: Rocket Sanders puts Arkansas on board first at Outback Bowl

Arkansas’ running game is dominating Penn State early in the Outback Bowl.

With no time left in the first quarter, Arkansas running back Rocket Sanders was celebrating.

His three-yard touchdown run as time expired was the first touchdown in the Razorbacks’ Outback Bowl against Penn State.

Arkansas had a chance at points a couple plays earlier when it was fourth down from the Penn State 6. But instead of attempting a field goal, coach Sam Pittman elected to go-for-it. Sanders went three yards to the left on 4th-and-2.

One play later, he was into the end zone, capping a 12-play, 61-yard drive that took 5:42 off the clock.

Sanders had five carries for 30 yards and the score in the first quarter. Quarterback KJ Jefferson had another 19 yards on six carries and running back Dominique Johnson added 37 on five as Arkansas dominated on the ground in the opening 15 minutes.

Arkansas running game ready to explode against Penn State

Arkansas wants to run all over a Penn State defense lacking four starters.

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The difference between confident and cocky is all about the delivery. Arkansas’ running game has a reason to be either.

For now, the Hogs are confident. And why not. Arkansas has the No. 12 rushing attack in the nation after averaging more than 217 yards a game on the ground during the regular season.

Combine that with Penn State’s loss of four defensive starters because of opt-outs and starting Hogs running back Dominique Johnson thinks he and his mates have a big opportunity in the Outback Bowl against the Nittany Lions on New Year’s Day.

“I’m very confident coming into this game, knowing that I have the other backs behind me,” he said. “I feel like we’re going to come in and dominate this game just because of all the talent we have in that room.”

Anyone who may try to glean how good the Razorbacks are by simply looking at individual totals are going to be misled. Trelon Smith, the starter for about three-quarters of the season, leads the team with 592 yards. It’s the lowest individual total for a team leader since Broderick Green ran for 443 yards in 2009.

But look closer and it makes more sense. Just behind Smith is quarterback KJ Jefferson with 554 yards. Rocket Sanders has 499. Johnson has 498. Even freshman AJ Green chipped in 201 yards. Arkansas has the sort of balance few teams in college football can manage.

“We all run the ball a different way, all different styles,” Johnson said. “I don’t think as a defense you can prepare for all the different run styles we bring to the table, so I feel that’s a plus for us.”

Arkansas-Missouri: 3 Predictions, 1 Crazy

Few think Missouri will beat Arkansas on Friday. Instead, our staff at Razorbacks Wire are predicting these things, instead.

It’s almost time. Arkansas’ most successful season, subjectively, since 2011 can instead become Arkansas’ most successful season, objectively since 2011 with a win over Missouri on Friday afternoon.

Every Arkansas football gameday, you will find Razorbacks Wire editor E. Wayne and contributor Derek Oxford giving three picks on events that will take place in that day’s game. One of those picks has to be a little bit off the wall, something that could happen, but it’d be wild if it did.

Picking Arkansas to complete a pass to Treylon Burks, for example, is a bad prediction for these purposes. Picking Burks to have eight catches and 100 yards, that’s better. Also picking, say, a penalty for targeting, another nice one. It’s unlikely, but has potential.

Want to join? You’re probably better at it than we are. Make your picks in the comments section on the Razorbacks Wire at your favorite social media site.

Without further ado, welcome to 3 Predictions, 1 Crazy, Arkansas-Missouri.

WATCH: Arkansas scores on Alabama for second straight straight drive

Arkansas pulls back within three points of Alabama after another magnificent drive led by KJ Jefferson.

KJ Jefferson took Arkansas 75 yards on seven plays in 1:44, capping the drive with a 1-yard touchdown from Dominique Johnson to pull Arkansas within a field goal late in the second quarter against Alabama, 17-14.

The Hogs appeared to have scored a play earlier when Jefferson found Warren Thompson over the middle for 41 yards, but after review it was determined he was down at the 1.

Looks like a poor call to us, but so be it.

The touchdown was Johnson’s seventh of the season, leading the team on the ground. For the game, he has eight carries for 22 yards. Former starter Trelon Smith, the man Johnson replaced three weeks ago, was the key on the drive, running three times for 28 yards.

The drive was in response to Alabama’s 2-play, 75-yard drive the series before when Bryce Young hooked up with Jameson Williams for a 79-yard score over the top of the Razorbacks’ secondary.

Heaven bless those Hogs: Arkansas gets miracle last-seconds win over Mississippi State

Dominique Johnson scored the go-ahead touchdown with 22 seconds left to lift Arkansas over Mississippi State.

A game that was always going to be close was, well, close.

Arkansas and Mississippi State, with identical 5-3 records this season and 8-10 records over the last two years, played expectedly tight on Saturday inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

But no one thought it would be like that.

The Razorbacks (6-3, 2-3 in SEC) became bowl-eligible and ensured themselves of a .500 or better record for the first time since 2016 with a 31-28 win over the Bulldogs on Saturday night.

Dominique Johnson’s four-yard score with 21 seconds left was the game-winner. Mississippi State had a chance to tie the game after getting to the Arkansas 25 with two seconds left, but the second-string kicker, Nolan McCord, missed the try wide and Arkansas players rushed the field in celebration.

McCord was only on because the starter, Brandon Ruiz, had missed two before that, including one from 22 yards.

Johnson’s touchdown came at the end of a 10-play, 75-yard drive that took just 2:01. Arkansas appeared to have lost the game two plays before when KJ Jefferson’s fourth-down pass to Treylon Burks fell to the turf, but Mississippi State was flagged for holding, giving the Razorbacks resuscitation.

The Bulldogs had taken the lead on the series before, with 2:22 left when Jo’quavious Marks hauled in a 15-yard score from quarterback Will Rogers. Rogers threw for 417 yards and four touchdowns in the game. Mississippi State entered the game averaging 371 yards through the air.

Arkansas’ win snapped a three-game losing streak and provides positive vibes heading into LSU next week. The Hogs have won in Baton Rouge just three times since joining the SEC.

Mississippi State has best SEC cornerback you’ve never heard of

Arkansas and Mississippi State is going to be close, experts figure. Here are the players to keep an eye on as game-changers.

Before the season began, this game was marked as the most winnable Arkansas had on its SEC schedule this year. After the first month of football, it was thrown almost into lock territory.

That isn’t the case after Mississippi State beat Texas A&M and Kentucky, the same number of Top 25 teams the Razorbacks have beaten. The Bulldogs’ losses have been closer, too, with two of their three being three points or less.

ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Arkansas only a 59.5% chance to win Saturday inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Bulldogs are that good.

How? A dynamite, absolutely dynamite defense tops the list. Mississippi State is fourth in FBS in rushing defense. The usual Mike Leach passing attack is still around, too.

Let’s take a peek at which four players, two for Arkansas and two for MSU, could end up making the biggest difference when the teams collide Saturday afternoon.

WATCH: Dominique Johnson pulls Arkansas within a score after TD run

Arkansas not out of it against Auburn as Dominique Johnson scores a touchdown from 20 yards.

You can’t Arkansas quits, for sure.

After giving up two touchdowns to Auburn in the span of about three minutes and the Hogs’ lead going from three points to a deficit of 11 points, the Razorbacks fought back.

Arkansas running back Dominique Johnson scored from 20 yards to make the score 28-25, Tigers, at the end of the third quarter.

Johnson was a surprise starter for usual first-stringer Trelon Smith. He played parts of fall camp at tight end and was largely expected to only rarely play this season. Through three quarters, Johnson has 42 yards and the score on six carries.

Arkansas is seeking to snap a five-game losing streak to Auburn as the teams enter the fourth quarter.