MEMPHIS – Memphis stopped a potential game-winning drive by Arkansas with 1:18 remaining by forcing a fumble inside its 10-yard line to knock off the Razorbacks, 32-31 on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers extended their nation-leading win streak to eight games.
Memphis defensive back Chris Bracy forced Arkansas running back Mike Washington to fumble at the Tigers 7-yard line and Bracy recovered. Officials didn’t initially rule the play a fumble, but a review confirmed it was a turnover.
Tigers’ backup quarterback Arrington Maiden preserved the win by coming in to rush 11 yards for a first down with on third-and-8 at the Memphis 9-yard line with 58 seconds left.
Sutton Smith rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown and quarterback Brendon Lewis added 103 yards and two scores for the Tigers, who were hosting a Power 4 team for the first time since 2021. Lewis also passed for 199 yards and another TD.
Taylen Green passed for 325 yards and a touchdown and tight end Rohan Jones scored twice – one rushing, one receiving – for Arkansas (2-2). Jones finished with 102 receiving yards.
The Tigers (4-0) trailed by 18 in the closing minutes of the first half, but rallied to take a 32-31 lead with 4:51 remaining on a 64-yard run by Smith. Smith sprung himself at the line of scrimmage with a stiff arm and raced down the left sideline for the TD.
Arkansas responded by moving from its 25 to inside the Memphis 10-yard line. But Washington who gained 56 yards on the drive, lost the football on a second-and-2 play from the Memphis 9.
Memphis entered the game tied with Ohio State and Illinois for the nation’s longest winning streak. The Tigers are 4-0 for the first time since 2019
Arkansas needed only three plays to grab a 7-0 lead, scoring on a 62-yard pass from Green to tight end Jones.
Memphis charged back with a field goal of 38 yards from Gianni Spetic and a 4-yard touchdown run by Lewis to take its only lead of the half at 10-7.
Arkansas responded with scores on consecutive possessions in the second quarter – a 16-yard run by Braylen Russell and a 5-yard run by Jones – to move ahead 21-10. The Razorbacks made it 28-10 on a 1-yard run by Washington with 1:35 remaining in the first half, a score set up by Miguel Mitchell’s interception near midfield.
The Tigers found the end zone in the closing minute on a 38-yard pass from Lewis to Cortez Braham Jr to trim the Arkansas advantage to 28-17.
–Field Level Media
