Toledo 16, Arkansas 12

Game Sketch

Arkansas senior quarterback Brandon Allen talks with offensive coordinator Dan Enos on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, against Toldeo at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Arkansas senior quarterback Brandon Allen talks with offensive coordinator Dan Enos on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, against Toldeo at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Why Toledo won

The Rockets shut down Arkansas' run game and stuffed the Razorbacks in the red zone. Arkansas ran 16 plays inside the Toledo 20 but only came away with three points.

Why Arkansas lost

The Razorbacks were routinely beat at the line of scrimmage and struggled to run the football. Arkansas finished the game with only 103 rushing yards on 31 carries. Despite that, the Razorbacks finished with 197 more yards of offense than Toledo, but scored on only two drives.

Offensive Player of the Game

Tight end Hunter Henry was a bright spot on the Arkansas offense, catching eight passes for 117 yards in a return to his hometown. Henry had two catches for 48 yards on the Razorbacks' final drive, giving the Razorbacks two throws to the end zone in the closing seconds.

Defensive Player of the Game

Toledo cornerback Dejuan Rogers had 11 tackles, including a half-tackle for loss. Rogers had a key interception in the third quarter after Arkansas reached the Rockets' 7-yard line. Toledo scored on the ensuing drive to take a 16-7 lead.

Play of the Game

Arkansas had a chance to take the lead in the final two minutes, but failed on fourth-and-goal when Brandon Allen's pass intended for Hunter Henry hit the goalpost and was incomplete.

Record game for Allen

Brandon Allen had the best passing game of his career Saturday, but was shut out where it counted most.

Allen completed 32 of 53 passes for 412 yards - all career-highs. But Allen didn't find the same success on the scoreboard, failing to throw a touchdown pass and throwing an interception inside the red zone.

Allen's game places him high in several passing categories. Among them:

  • 32 completions tied for most in UA history with Tyler Wilson, who completed the same number against Mississippi State in 2011
  • 53 attempts second-most behind Wilson's 59 against Texas A&M in 2011
  • 412 yards third-most behind Wilson's 510 against Texas A&M in 2011 and 419 against Rutgers in 2012

In the first two games of the season, Allen has completed 46 of 71 passes for 720 yards. That is the most for any quarterback in Arkansas history through the first two games of the season.

Ryan Mallett passed for 717 yards to start the 2009 season.

1,393 days and counting

Arkansas hasn't won a game against an FBS opponent in Little Rock since 2011.

Since beating Mississippi State that year, the Razorbacks have lost to ULM, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Georgia and Toledo, often in heartbreaking fashion. If you take away a 13-point loss to Georgia last year, Arkansas' last four losses at War Memorial Stadium have been by a combined 18 points, including twice in overtime and another when a team scored on the final play of regulation.

Two of those losses were to teams the Razorbacks were heavily favored to win. The Rockets were a 21-point underdog Saturday. The last time Arkansas lost a game to a team it was favored to beat by that much was three years earlier against ULM, a 30.5-point underdog.

The Razorbacks' only win at War Memorial Stadium since 2011 was in 2013 over Samford, which plays in the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision.

Injuries

Arkansas had several players suffer injuries Saturday.

Offensive tackle Denver Kirkland (arm), running back Kody Walker (thumb), linebacker Josh Williams (apparent leg) and safety Josh Liddell (apparent knee) left the game. Receiver Eric Hawkins also left the game, being carted off after a kickoff return in the fourth quarter.

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said after the game he didn't have much information on the injured players. He said Hawkins was moving his extremities and had complained of a hurt stomach.

Bielema said running back Alex Collins missed two practices this week because of an infection. Bielema said Collins went to the emergency room on Wednesday.

Fifth block

Arkansas' 6-foot-10 tackle Dan Skipper had his fifth career block Saturday.

Skipper blocked a field goal in the second quarter to preserve a 7-6 lead at the time. The block was initially credited to Jeremiah Ledbetter, but changed to Skipper upon review from the scorekeeper.

Skipper has at least one field goal block in all three seasons with the Razorbacks. He blocked field goals against Rutgers, Florida and Mississippi State as a freshman, and against Missouri last season.

Arkansas does not have an official record for most field goal blocks in a career. The NCAA record was set by SMU's Margus Hunt from 2009-12.

Suspensions

Receivers Jared Cornelius and Dominique Reed were suspended for the first half because they were late to a team meeting earlier in the week.

Cornelius caught four passes for 41 yards after halftime. He also had a 43-yard punt return.

Reed did not play.

Key Stats and Notes

  • First Downs: Arkansas 30, Toledo 15
  • Total Offense: Arkansas 515, Toledo 318
  • Time of Possession: Arkansas 37:55, Toledo 22:05
  • Arkansas committed nine penalties for 85 yards
  • Receiver Keon Hatcher did not catch a touchdown pass; had caught a touchdown in four consecutive games
  • The Razorbacks were held scoreless in the first quarter for only the second time in 18 games

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