HOGS

From page A6

scored (6).

“It was a fun game to play in,” Daniels said. “The whole second half I played calm. A few times in the first half (he didn’t), I played outside myself. I’m sure after the first half a lot of people tuned us out.”

Arkansas and Kansas met for the first time in 116 years, and the Razorbacks used an old-school rushing attack to build their leads.

Arkansas gained 394 of its 681 total yards on the ground. Dubinion added 112 yards for the Razorbacks.Kansas played in its first bowl game since 2008, but was unable to stop a late-season streak in which it lost seven of its last eight games.

Arkansas was dominating despite playing with a roster thinned by opt-outs and transfer portal departures.

The Razorbacks dressed only 51 scholarship players.

After leading 31-13 at halftime, Arkansas pushed its advantage to 38-13 midway through the third quarter on a 2-yard run by Dubinion.

The TD punctuated an 80yard drive.

But the 25-point deficit ignited the Jayhawks.

Daniels passed for 342 yards and three touchdowns in the second half “I do think there were so many situations where Kansas had to make the play and they did,” Pittman said. “Until the last one.”

The Takeaway

During a span of eight seconds in the first quarter, Arkansas scored twice to erase a 7-3 deficit and take a 17-7 lead. An Arkansas interception two minutes later near the Razorbacks’ 10-yard line ignited a 73yard scoring drive that ended on a short touchdown run by Jefferson for a 24-7 lead. Arkansas led 3813 late in the third, building a big enough cushion to sustain a furious Kansas comeback.

Kansas Turnaround

Kansas was 2-10 in 2021 and finished last in the Big 12. But Leipold engineered a turnaround in 2022 that included a 5-1 start. The Jayhawks averaged more than seven yards per play this season to break a school record set in 1950 (6.4). “Things are moving in the right direction,” Leipold said. “Sometimes I like to defer to you guys (Kansas media) and ask your opinion. I’m not being sarcastic. But I do think we’re trending in the right direction.”

Up Next

Arkansas: Begins its fourth season under Pittman against Western Carolina on Sept. 2.