FAYETTEVILLE — Make it another one on the road for Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights improved to 3-0 on the road this season with their 35-26 victory over Arkansas at Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Saturday night.
Their other road victories this season were 24-12 at Tulane and 23-13 at South Florida.
Southern Cal had been the last nonconference team to beat the Razorbacks at Fayetteville, 50-14 on Sept. 2, 2006, in the season opener.
The Razorbacks then began a 14-game nonconference winning streak in Fayetteville the next week when they beat Utah State 20-0.
For starters
Arkansas sophomore guard Luke Charpentier made his first career start, taking the place of senior Tyler Deacon, who started the first three games.
On defense, senior linebacker Terrell Williams and freshman cornerback Will Hines started for the Razorbacks.
It was Williams’ third career start and first since 2010. He started at outside linebacker, with Alonzo Highsmith sliding over to the middle in place of Tenarius Wright, who moved back to defensive end and played off the bench.
Hines made his first career start, taking the place of senior Darius Winston.
Gragg injured
Arkansas lost starting senior tight end Chris Gragg to a leg injury in the first quarter. He had two catches for 8 yards before the injury. Junior Austin Tate replaced Gragg.
Shoulda been 6
Arkansas freshman receiver Mekale McKay dropped a pass in the end zone on a third-down play in the third quarter. Instead of scoring a touchdown, the Razorbacks had to settle for a field goal that cut Rutgers’ lead to 21-13.
White helmets
Saturday night wasn’t the first time the Razorbacks have worn white helmets, but it’s been 61 years. They last wore white helmets during the 1951 season.
Not so special
The Razorbacks had two special teams breakdowns on Rutgers’ 11-play, 75-yardtouchdown drive in the second quarter that pulled the Scarlet Knights within 10-7.
Arkansas appeared to have Rutgers stopped when the Scarlet Knights faced fourth-and-2 at their 33, but they ran a fake punt and Jeremy Deering gained 14 yards for a first down.
Rutgers kicked a field goal on a fourth-and-5 play from the Arkansas 15, but the Razorbacks were called for offsides, and Scarlet Knights Coach Kyle Flood opted to take first-and-goal at the 10.
On the next play, Gary Nova passed to Jawan Jamison for a touchdown.
Scary moment
On Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson’s first snap after missing the previous six quarters because of a concussion, he was sacked for a 7-yard loss by Rutgers defensive end Jamal Merrell and linebacker Steve Beauharnais.
The crowd was quiet for a second until Wilson bounced back up.
Peters plays
Freshman linebacker Otha Peters, who had played only on special teams the previous two games, got extensive snaps as a reserve on defense.
Booming it
Arkansas punter Dylan Breeding had a career-long 72-yard punt, with the ball downed at the Rutgers 2. Unfortunately for the Razorbacks, it was the last play of the first half.
Breeding’s previous long punt went 70 yards against LSU last season.
First time
Saturday’s game marked the first time Arkansas and Rutgers met in a football game. The homeand-home series was announced last winter and scheduled because the Razorbacks needed to find a nonconference game after Texas A&M joined the SEC.
The teams will play at Rutgers in Piscataway Township, N.J., next season.
Losing it
Arkansas defensive tackle Alfred Davis and linebacker Terrell Williams each had their helmets come off in the first half, requiring them to leave the field for a play in accordance with a new NCAA rule.
Vs. SEC
Rutgers came into the game 5-11-2 all-time against SEC teams, including a 13-7 victory at No. 19 Tennessee in 1979 and 17-13 loss to No.
1 Alabama in 1980. In the Scarlet Knights’ most recent SEC game before Saturday night, they beat Vanderbilt 37-34 in 2004, rallying from a 27-24 deficit.
Sports, Pages 34 on 09/23/2012