LIKE IT IS

Old rivals battle on ground, in air, to wire

Arkansas receiver Dominique Reed scores a touchdown during a game against Ole Miss on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016, in Fayetteville.
Arkansas receiver Dominique Reed scores a touchdown during a game against Ole Miss on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- It was new wave faster-than-a-speeding bullet offense vs. fundamental smashmouth football, and it was a game that kept a raucous, rowdy loud crowd on its feet most of the time.

Neither system was the difference, and not even a lousy officiating crew determined the winner.

It was might, and the Arkansas Razorbacks converted two third downs and a fourth down through the air on a game-winning drive in a 34-30 victory at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

There was also a big sack by Jeremiah Ledbetter that killed the Rebels' final drive.

The Rebels of Ole Miss and the Razorbacks had a history long before Arkansas joined the SEC. It goes so deep they had played in six cities and each had a different opinion of the record (the Rebs don't count a forfeit many years ago, the Hogs do).

Now they are battling brethren of the SEC West, college football's best division.

Either could probably easily win the Eastern Division and make a conference championship game against the Crimson Tide.

Arkansas spent most of the game proving it could run the ball on Ole Miss, but scored all of its touchdowns through the air, until its final touchdown on an option to receiver Jared Cornelius.

The Razorbacks scored both first-half touchdowns through the air -- 13 yards to Drew Morgan and 51 yards to Dominique Reed -- but the Hogs went to their ground attack starting in the second quarter and drives of 73 yards and 56 yards ended in field goals.

The Hogs kept the ball on the ground for nine plays on the longer of the two drives.

Arkansas' defense struggled early with the speed of the Rebels offense, which seemed determined to get 10 plays run between the obligatory long timeouts.

That allowed Chad Kelly to pass for one touchdown and run for another as the Rebels rallied back to tie it at 20-20, but halftime adjustments held the Rebs to seven second-half points.

Ole Miss enjoyed great field position most of the first half, but on its second possession of the second half it was pinned at its 5 and was forced to punt. Cornelius got it to the Rebels 38, and then Bret Bielema dared the visitors to beat him at his game.

They couldn't.

Arkansas' 38-yard drive took 10 plays and 5:17, and until the 2-yard touchdown pass to Williams, the Hogs had passed twice in the drive.

The Hogs were staring at second and 17 after a sack when Austin Allen found Cornelius for 21 yards and a first down. The second pass attempt was incomplete on second and goal, but set Ole Miss up for the dump pass for a touchdown.

The Rebels rocked and rolled into Razorbacks territory, mostly on the strength of Kelly's arm, and the Hogs were on their heels until a pass was deflected and intercepted by Brooks Ellis.

But a flag stood between the Hogs and the ball, and the call, the sixth of the game against the Razorbacks, was offsides.

The start of the final period had Ole Miss at the Razorbacks 16 with a third and two and the change of field put it squarely in front of the student section, which was leading the headache-making crowd of 72,786.

The pass was broken up, and Ole Miss settled for a field goal to make it 27-23 with tons of time.

Each team Arkansas went three and out, and then Allen made a rare bad play and was intercepted.

The Rebels drove 45 yards for a 30-27 lead with 9:00 to play.

Then came the 56-yard touchdown drive with first-down conversion passes from Allen to Keon Hatcher and a 6-yard run by Cornelius for the winning touchdown, and the Hogs now own a three-game win streak against an old time rival.

Sports on 10/16/2016

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