By Terrance Turner
Oct. 1, 2022
The Alabama Crimson Tide (undefeated at 4-0) went to battle against the Arkansas Razorbacks (3-1) today. Arkansas hosted Alabama inside Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas, for one of the weekend’s biggest college football matchups. The Tide rolled against the Razorbacks, and Alabama’s offense shined, as usual. But one of the Tide’s biggest stars got sidelined before halftime.
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young got off to a solid start. He threw to wide receiver Kobe Prentice for a 47-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter. Then, with 2:35 left in the first, he scored on his own. Young took off and ran past the goal line for an eight-yard TD:
But things went south in the second. Pursued by an Arkansas defender, Young scrambled and tried to run. But his foot got caught. Young tried to throw on his way down. But in the process, he landed on his shoulder.
A frustrated Young threw his helmet on the ground as he went inside the medical tent.
Backup QB Jalen Milroe came in to replace Young. He scored a rushing touchdown of his own in the second quarter. Then he passed to wide receiver JoJo Earle for another score. The Alabama Crimson Tide led 28-7 at halftime.
2nd Half
BREAKING (4:45 pm): Bryce Young is back on the sidelines! He was “questionable” to return, according to CBS reporter Jenny Dell.
Arkansas Surges
While Young was sidelined, Arkansas scored 23 unanswered points. Arkansas quarterback K.J. Jefferson threw a six-yard touchdown pass to WR Ketron Jackson Jr. with just 21 seconds left in the first half. Then, midway through the third quarter, Razorbacks running back A.J. Green ran 13 yards for a TD. His rushing touchdown made it 28-14.
And Arkansas closed the gap even further on their next drive. Alabama’s defense proved no match for the Razorbacks’ run game. They picked up yards on one play after another. And they got to the red zone: Jefferson ran all the way to the five-yard line for 1st and goal. The Tide defense managed to keep them out of the end zone. But Razorbacks kicker Cam Little nailed a 22-yard field goal with 1:38 left in the third quarter.
Then a major blunder gave Arkansas the ball back. A botched snap by the Tide cost them 24 yards. The ball went so far rightward that the kicker had to run after it. He fell on the ball before it reached the end zone. But that was a gift for the opposing team. Arkansas started at first and goal from the three-yard line.
And they cashed in right away. Razorbacks running back Raheem Sanders took all of six seconds to score a three-yard rush TD. The two-point conversion was no good. Still, Arkansas had scored 23 unanswered points to make it a five-point game.
But Alabama answered right back. On 3rd and 15, backup QB Jalen Milroe found some space and rushed rapidly downfield. He ran for 77 yards, all the way to the two-yard line.
He took the Tide to 1st and goal. Then, on 2nd and goal, he handed the ball off to Tide running back Jase McClellan. And McClellan ran in for the touchdown. It was now 34-23, with 14:09 left to play.
Arkansas went three-and-out on its next possession. Then Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs went off to the races. Gibbs found a hole in the defense. And once he was out in the open field, nobody could catch him. He went 72 yards for the touchdown.
Arkansas managed a field goal in their next drive. But then Gibbs struck again:
This time, Gibbs went 75 yards to the house. And his stellar play helped Alabama hold on and win, 49-26.
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