Devon Achane rushed for a career-best 159 yards and a touchdown and Demani Richardson notched a momentum-changing defensive score as No. 23 Texas A&M recorded a 23-21 victory over No. 10 Arkansas on Saturday night in Southeastern Conference play at Arlington, Texas.
Max Johnson passed for 151 yards and one touchdown for the Aggies (3-1, 1-0 SEC), who beat the Razorbacks for the 10th time in the past 11 meetings. Evan Stewart caught a touchdown pass and Antonio Johnson made 13 tackles.
Arkansas had a chance to take the lead, but Cam Little’s 42-yard field-goal attempt hit the top of the right upright and floated down unsuccessfully into the end zone with 1:30 left to play.
Texas A&M ran out the clock to finish off the win.
K.J. Jefferson passed for 171 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 105 yards and one score for the Razorbacks (3-1, 1-1). Ketron Jackson Jr. and Warren Thompson caught scoring passes.
Arkansas started fast with two touchdowns in less than 10 minutes.
Jefferson threw a 32-yard scoring pass to Jackson with 9:44 left in the opening quarter and connected on a 56-yard touchdown with Thompson four-plus minutes later.
The Razorbacks recorded the first 10 first downs in the game before Texas A&M got its first 18 minutes into the game on Achane’s 63-yard run. The dash set up Johnson’s 10-yard scoring pass to Stewart to pull the Aggies within 14-7 with 8:45 remaining in the half.
Momentum changed five-plus minutes later when Arkansas was at the Aggies 3-yard line and threatening to score another touchdown.
Jefferson kept the ball and leaped into the pack and Texas A&M’s Chris Russell Jr. forced him to fumble. Tyreek Chappell caught the ball in the air at the 3 and ran to his left and Jefferson caught up to him but struggled to make the tackle.
Chappell then handed the ball off to Richardson at the 18, and he raced 82 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown to bring the Aggies within 14-13. The extra-point snap was dropped by the holder.
Texas A&M started the second half with the ball and took the lead on Achane’s 9-yard run. Randy Bond added a 31-yard field goal to give the Aggies a 23-14 advantage with 3:48 left in the third quarter.
Jefferson scored on a 6-yard keeper to bring Arkansas within two with 10:05 left.
–Field Level Media
