KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Arkansas overcame a series of special teams mistakes, including Tennessee's touchdown return on the opening kickoff, and held on to a fourth-quarter lead to outlast the Volunteers 24-20 on Saturday.
Alex Collins and Rawleigh Williams each rushed for 100 or more yards, and the Razorbacks dominated in the second half to disappoint a crowd of 101,265 at Neyland Stadium.
Arkansas (2-3, 1-1 SEC) notched two milestones under third-year Coach Bret Bielema, winning for the first time in a game decided by seven points or less and winning their first SEC road game in his tenure.
Collins notched his third consecutive 100-yard game with 154 yards and 2 touchdowns on 27 carries, none bigger than his 19-yard burst around left end on a misdirection pitch play on third-and-2 from the Tennessee 35 late in the game. The Razorbacks were able to run out the clock three plays later.
Williams added 100 yards on 14 carries, the freshman's first 100-yard game as a Razorback.
The Volunteers (2-3, 0-2 SEC) blew a 14-point first quarter lead, sparked by Evan Berry's 96-yard return of the opening kick. The Volunteers were particularly bland in the second half, when the Razorbacks held them to 3 points and 90 total yards.
Arkansas' victory came with special teams misadventures that could have proved costly. Tennessee, trailing 24-20 midway through the third quarter, blocked Cole Hedlund's low-trajectory 22-yard field goal.
Later, Bielema called a fake field goal on fourth and 4 from the Tennessee 10, but the Volunteers stopped Adam McFain short of a first down.
But the Arkansas defense rose up, stopping Tennessee's final three offensive drives. The Vols' last possession reached the Arkansas 49 before quarterback Josh Dobbs slipped on the wet grass and lost 8 yards on second and 5. Dobbs threw low for tailback Jaylen Hurd on third down, then his deep pass for Josh Malone down the right sideline against Jared Collins was well overthrown.
Arkansas had a couple of sterling chances to build on its 24-20 lead, but couldn't break through.
The Razorbacks, sparked by Hunter Henry's 51-yard catch and run on Brandon Allen's lofted pass down the left sideline on third and 10, took a 10-play drive deep into Tennessee territory late in the third quarter. Rawleigh Williams' 12-yard run set up first and goal at the Tennessee 7, but the Vols held. Hedlund's 22-yard field-goal attempt came out low and Shy Tuttle blocked it at the line of scrimmage.
Arkansas forced another punt and got back to work on the ground. Consecutive runs by Collins netted 22 yards, and Allen moved the chains with a fourth-and-1 sneak.
Rawleigh Williams surged to the 100-yard mark on the series, which included his 14-yard run and a 10-yard catch by Drew Morgan, who finished with 5 catches for 110 yards. Allen had Henry open in the end zone on third and 4 from the 10, but threw high.
Adam McFain took a fake field goal toss from holder Matt Emrich at right end ,but the Volunteers strung the play out and Kenny Bynum stopped the kicker 1 yard short of the first down.
Tennessee got the momentum at the outset with Berry's 96-yard touchdown return.
Tennessee converted two third-and-6 plays on its second possession, Dobbs' 14-yard slant pass to Josh Smith and Dobbs' keeper over the left side for a 7-yard touchdown and a 14-0 Tennessee lead.
The Hogs flashed their big-play potential with a couple of four-play touchdown drives to forge a tie.
Drew Morgan caught a Brandon Allen play-action pass with a head of steam, slipped a defender and rolled 52 yards to the Tennessee 23. Alex Collins powered 11 yards up the middle on the next snap and two plays later Collins burst through a seam created by Sebastian Tretola and Mitch Smothers for a 4-yard touchdown.
Hurd ran 31 yards with a screen pass over the right side to push Tennessee deep into Arkansas territory. But Jared Collins broke up a Dobbs pass in the end zone on third down from the 10, then Aaron Medley's 28-yard field goal attempt clanged off the left upright and bounced backward.
Williams made the most of his first series, bolting 8 yards on the last play of the first quarter, then breaking over left end for 44 yards on the first snap of the second quarter to reach the Tennessee 28. Arkansas faced second and 15 after an incomplete pass and delay of game.
The Volunteers got pressure on Allen in the pocket, but the fifth-year senior showed composure, stepping up and spying an open Dominique Reed over the left side. Reed caught the pass with room to maneuver and flashed the speed that made him a top junior-college signee, sprinting through defenders for a 33-yard touchdown, the first of his career.
Tennessee responded immediately, driving 58 yards with the help of a 12-yard run by Hurd and Alvin Kamara's 19-yard gain with a swing pass to take a 17-14 lead on Medley's 35-yard field goal.
Cam Sutton's 29-yard punt return set Tennessee up at its 49-yard line a few minutes later. The Vols looked ready to add to their lead with a fast-moving drive into the red zone. Preston Williams grabbed an 8-yard slant inside the Arkansas 15, but Jared Collins' tackle jarred the ball free and Tevin Beanum recovered at the Hogs 9 to thwart the series.
Tennessee fans did not like the Vols' play selection from its own 23 late in the half, booing when Kamara took a screen pass for 2 yards before being hauled down by D.J. Dean and Beanum.
Arkansas did not use any of its three timeouts, allowing the clock to run to 1:39 before Tennessee punted. Collins had a 25-yard run on a third-and-15 draw play and Kendrick Edwards caught a 13-yard pass to set up Cole Hedlund's 26-yard field goal on the final play of the half for a 17-17 tie.
Sports on 10/04/2015