Arkansas Rolls Past Tulsa 34-6 Behind Big Night From Chris Marshall
The short version
- Arkansas beat Tulsa 34-6 on Sept. 26 in Fayetteville to move to 2-2; Tulsa fell to 3-1.
- KJ Jackson threw for 309 yards and a touchdown and rushed for two more scores.
- Chris Marshall caught nine passes for 195 yards and a TD, the seventh-most receiving yards in a single game in Arkansas history.
- Tulsa never snapped the ball in Arkansas territory in the first half and totaled 241 yards.
- Arkansas visits Texas A&M next.
The Razorbacks improved to 2-2 with their most complete effort of the season, getting a dominant defensive performance and 195 receiving yards from Chris Marshall.
Arkansas earned its second win of the season on Saturday, Sept. 26, defeating Tulsa 34-6 in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks moved to 2-2, while the Golden Hurricane dropped to 3-1. It was Arkansas' most complete performance of the year under head coach Ryan Silverfield.
The Razorbacks took control early, building a two-possession lead in the first quarter and never letting go. The win provided some positive film for a team that had struggled through the first quarter of its schedule.
Quarterback KJ Jackson had his best outing of the season, completing 24 of 36 passes for 309 yards and a touchdown while adding two rushing scores. His connection with wide receiver Chris Marshall gave the passing game a rhythm it had lacked in previous weeks.
Marshall was the standout, catching nine passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. His yardage total ranks seventh-most in a single game in Arkansas history, and he was named the game's most valuable player for a second straight week.
The defense set the tone immediately when linebacker Ben Bogle sacked Tulsa's quarterback on the Golden Hurricane's first offensive play. Arkansas consistently pressured Tulsa behind the line of scrimmage and forced repeated third-and-long situations.
Tulsa never ran a snap inside Arkansas territory in the first half and finished with just 241 total yards of offense. The Hogs' defense received the highest marks of any unit in the game.
Special teams were also clean for Arkansas. Kicker Max Gilbert made all four of his field goals, and punter Gavin Rush pinned Tulsa inside its own 20-yard line three times. The unit committed no penalties, though Sutton Smith looked shaky on a couple of fair catches.
Not everything went smoothly. The running game averaged only 3.2 yards per carry, the offensive line allowed three sacks, and Arkansas mishandled the clock at the end of the first half — a Jackson sack in the closing seconds with no timeouts left cost the Razorbacks a chance at a touchdown. Defensive coordinator Ron Roberts was credited with an exceptional game plan despite the late-half issues.
Arkansas now turns to a road trip against a struggling Texas A&M team in its next outing. The Razorbacks still have areas to clean up, but the victory over Tulsa gives them momentum after a difficult start to the season.
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