Hogs slip, slide by Tide

SCOTT CAIN
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

FAYETTEVILLE -- Down two tailbacks, missing its run defense and self-destructing on special teams, Arkansas needed a Ray of light to deliver an improbable 28-21 victory against Alabama on Saturday night at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Alvin Ray, who had five carries entering the game, burst through the line for 32 yards, eventually setting up a 9-yard, game-winning touchdown pass from Robby Hampton to tight end Marcellus Poydras.
Ray was in because tailbacks Cedric Cobbs and Fred Talley were out with injuries.
Arkansas had struggled to move the ball consistently and started its final drive at the Alabama 20-yard line with 4:54 to play in the rain. A false start pushed the ball back to the 16, and Arkansas converted a fourth down on a pass to Richard Smith along the way.
Then Ray broke through a wall of Tide defenders with 1:53 to play. Poydras caught the winner with 1:04 to play.
Arkansas (3-0, 1-0 SEC) added a two-point conversion on a pass from Hampton to Boo Williams.
All that was left was for Arkansas to shut down an already anemic Tide passing game that came into the weekend ranked 113th nationally in passing efficiency.
"It was a matter of poise and confidence," Arkansas guard Kenny Sandlin said of the final drive. "We knew exactly what we had to do. There was nothing for us to do but go down and score."
A capacity crowd of 51,482 stayed to the end as the victory extended Arkansas' home winning streak to 16, sixth-longest in the country.
Using the run to batter Arkansas all night, the Tide (1-3, 1-1) scored what appeared to be the winning points on its first touchdown pass of the season. Tyler Watts threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jason McAddley midway through the third quarter.
Arkansas responded with a touchdown drive, with Cobbs scoring on a 10-yard run. But the snap-hold exchange on the extra point was botched, leaving a 21-20 deficit.
When Cobbs left with a shoulder injury early in the fourth quarter and Talley left with a broken hand in the second quarter, Ray entered the game as Arkansas regained possession with 11 minutes to play.
Without Cobbs and Talley, Arkansas mostly went to the air, and the drive ended in an interception by strong safety Marcus Spencer when Hampton tried to go deep to Boo Williams on third down.
That's how the night went for Williams, who entered the weekend leading the nation in receiving yards per game (141). Cornerback Milo Lewis shadowed Williams and knocked away passes several times until the two-point try was successful.
Special teams blunders, which almost cost the Razorbacks the game last week against Boise State, cost them four points against Alabama.
A hole in the line allowed Alabama's Victor Ellis through to block a 36-yard field-goal attempt, and the Hogs botched an extra-point attempt, both in the third quarter. Besides those mistakes, George Wilson touched a punt that Alabama recovered and Ken Hamlin turned loose defensive lineman Jarret Johnson, who blocked a Richie Butler punt.
Coming off its second loss, 21-0 to Southern Mississippi, the Tide had watched its national title hopes vanish after opening the season ranked No. 3 in The Associated Press poll. But from the start, Alabama didn't look like a team lacking incentive.
Choosing to run the ball first and go to big-play threat Freddie Milons second, the Tide pushed around Arkansas' defense, keeping the Hogs on the field more than 20 minutes and rushing for 129 yards in the first half.
Last week, Alabama crossed the Southern Miss 40-yard line just twice, but it did that three times in the first half Saturday.
Arkansas managed just 87 yards in first-half total offense but kept pace by scoring on a long drive and again after a Tide fumble.
The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, with Alabama scoring on the 17-yard pass and Arkansas scoring on Cobbs' pinballing 10-yard run. Matt Swartz never got to kick when the snap-hold exchange failed and holder Matt Burstein was tackled.
Alabama led 21-20 with 4:04 left in the third quarter.
Alabama announced on its first series that it had no intention of rolling over by moving 80 yards in 16 grinding plays, repeatedly blowing Arkansas' defensive line off the line. Ten of the last 12 plays were runs and one was a scramble, capped by Brandon Miree's 3-yard touchdown run. The Tide converted two third downs and one fourth down along the way.
Arkansas responded on its first possession by driving 76 yards in 10 plays, mixing the run and play-action passes. Fullbacks provided the key plays.
Rod Stinson carried for 7 yards and on the same play Alabama was penalized 15 yards for a personal foul, setting up the Hogs at the Tide 31.
From there, Adam Daily, ordinarily used exclusively as a blocker, caught a 14-yard pass. Three plays later, he took another pass in the flat, stiff-armed cornerback Hirchel Bolden at the 4 and ran in for a 10-yard touchdown. Matt Swartz's kick tied it 7-7 with 1:54 left in the first quarter.
Defensive end Carlos Hall stopped third-down plays on the next two Tide drives, sacking Watts once and batting down a screen pass the second time.
Alabama came back with an 11-play, 51-yard drive on which it did not throw a single pass, instead using the option on key downs. Watts kept on the option three times for 29 yards, and defenders missed tackles each time that would have stopped him for no gain.
Miree scored on a 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal to give the Tide a 14-7 lead with 5:15 left in the second quarter.
It looked like the Tide would mount another scoring drive as it approached midfield. But just after a light drizzle started fullback Dustin McClintock fumbled and Derrick Johnson returned the ball 24 yards to the 22.
A tipped by pass by Tide linebacker Darrius Gilbert on third-and-7 dropped generously in tight end Marcellus Poydras' hands for a first down at the 10. Cobbs carried 9 yards and then Hampton carried 1 for the touchdown and the halftime time.

First quarter
Both teams scored on their first possessions using different styles. Alabama committed to the run and moved freely, knocking Arkansas' defensive front off the line and scoring on a 16-play drive. The series consumed two-thirds of the quarter. Arkansas came back with a 76-yard drive by mixing the run and the pass.

Second quarter
Relying exclusively on the run, Alabama drove 51 yards in 11 plays to go up 14-7 and appeared as though it would add another scoring drive before a fumble set up Arkansas' tying touchdown. The Hogs only had to move 22 yards for the TD and a 14-14 halftime score.

Halftime score
Alabama 14, Arkansas 14

This article was published on Sunday, September 24, 2000

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