Taylen Green threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for two scores Saturday as Arkansas shrugged off a rocky first quarter to stop visiting Louisiana Tech 35-14 in Fayetteville in a nonconference matchup.
Green completed 20 of 37 passes with an interception as the Razorbacks (6-5) clinched bowl eligibility despite a spate of mistakes. They were flagged eight times for 78 yards, including a holding call on the opening kickoff that negated a 100-yard touchdown return by Rodney Hill, and committed three turnovers.
However, Arkansas controlled both sides of the scrimmage line. It outgained the Bulldogs 454-229 and permitted just 39 yards in 33 rushing attempts. The Razorbacks ran for 233 yards, getting 112 on only 15 carries from Rashod Dubinion.
Evan Bullock completed 26 of 43 attempts for 190 yards and two second half touchdowns for Louisiana Tech, which dropped to 4-7 and won’t be bowl-eligible. Bullock worked under steady pressure, absorbing three sacks and being harassed on other throws.
Arkansas snapped a scoreless tie with 14 second-quarter points to take a two-score lead to halftime. Green capped an 80-yard drive that lasted nearly six minutes with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Isaac TeSlaa with 5:49 left, followed by his 41-yard touchdown run just after the two-minute warning.
A failed gamble by the Bulldogs led to the Razorbacks’ first score after halftime. They tried to convert a fourth-and-one from their 30 but Jimmy Holiday was nailed for a 3-yard loss by TJ Metcalf. Green and TeSlaa hooked up for a 27-yard score on the next play.
Louisiana Tech got on the board on its next possession when Bullock flipped a 2-yard touchdown pass to Eli Finley. But that momentum was short-lived as Arkansas marched 75 yards in 12 plays, Green finishing the drive with an 8-yard scoring run 46 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Bullock’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Holiday with 5:58 left in the game pulled the Bulldogs within 28-14 but Ja’Quinden Jackson finished the game’s competitive phase on a 13-yard scoring jaunt with 3:01 remaining.
–Field Level Media
