Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

ALABAMA 52, ARKANSAS 0

OFFENSE – D
HIGHLIGHTS: Tyler Wilson and Cobi Hamilton looked like they were playing catch for stretches of the game, particularly late in the second half as it looked like Arkansas might mount a comeback. Hamilton made 10 catches for 303 yards and three touchdowns. Wilson was 20 of 39 for 419 yards. Demetrius Wilson had his first two catches of the season and finished with 30 yards. 

LOWLIGHTS: Wilson was lamenting points that got away in his postgame comments. He noted four trips inside the red zone that didn’t result in touchdowns. MeKale McKay dropped a pass in the end zone. Wilson was intercepted in the end zone and finished with two turnovers in the second half. There were dropped passes. Injury forced tight end Chris Gragg off the field in the first half. Arkansas got next to nothing out of its running game, particularly Knile Davis, who averaged 1.7 yards per carry as Arkansas ran for 87 yards. Dennis Johnson had a better average (7.8 yards per carry), but coaches inexplicably stopped using him. Again. With the Arkansas passing game clicking, Rutgers went to a three-man front and the Razorbacks didn’t aggressively attack that by running.

DEFENSE – D
HIGHLIGHTS: Linebackers Alonzo Highsmith and Terrell Williams were active, finishing with 15 and 12 tackles. The Razorbacks played well enough on the defensive line that Rutgers had to rely on a passing game that ranked 103^rd nationally entering the game. And that turned out not to be such a bad thing for the Scarlet Knights ... .

LOWLIGHTS: Arkansas gave up 397 yards through the air and five touchdowns. Scarlet Knights quarterback Gary Nova entered the game with an average 188.3 passing yards per game and a 55.1 completion percentage. He completed 25 of 35 passes for all 397 aerial yards and five touchdowns. Arkansas allowed 15-plus yards per completion and gave up 525 yards. Rutgers running back Jawan Jamison carried 33 times for 118 yards. Arkansas appeared to have the Scarlet Knights stopped for a safety, but couldn’t get a hand on Jamison, who broke free for a 24-yard run

SPECIAL TEAMS — D
HIGHLIGHTS: Punter Dylan Breeding might be the most consistent performer on the team. He averaged 49.2 yards per punt and landed three inside the 20. Included was a career-long 72-yard punt.

LOWLIGHTS: Arkansas allowed Rutgers to run a fake punt on fourth and 2 from its 33 that went for 14 yards. Then a penalty when it looked like the Razorbacks had held the Scarlet Knights to a field goal allowed Rutgers another crack at the end zone. The play resulted in a touchdown for the Scarlet Knights.

OVERALL — D
WHAT WE LEARNED: Arkansas is in serious jeopardy of missing a bowl game for the first time since 2008. It will take a 4-4 record in the SEC and a victory against Tulsa to clinch bowl eligibility. That means the Razorbacks must go 5-3 over their next eight games. Chances that happens? Seem pretty slim right now.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME
OFFENSE: Touted in the preseason as one of the nation’s best wide receivers, Hamilton looked the part, catching 10 passes for an Arkansas and SEC record 303 yards and the team’s three touchdowns.

DEFENSE: Moving to the middle might suit Highsmith. He finished with a team-high 15 tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Breeding is making the most of his senior season so far. He boomed punts throughout the night, including an impressive 79-yarder.