STARKVILLE, Miss. — Ejection follows punch
- Arkansas starting senior outside linebacker Anthony Leon was ejected in the third quarter of Saturday night’s game at Mississippi State after drawing a personal foul penalty.
Television replays showed Leon punching Mississippi State widereceiver Ricco Sanders in the chin under his face mask.
Leon’s punch occurred in front of an official - whoimmediately threw a flag - after Arkansas had recovered a fumble.
According to SEC rules, Leon must sit out the first half of the Razorbacks’ next game, against LSU on Saturday in Little Rock, because of the ejection.
Sophomore linebacker Terrell Williams replaced Leon, who has started all 10 games this season after moving from safety in preseason practice.
Close call
Mississippi succeeded with a fake punt, which had failed twice against the Razorbacks earlier this season when Ole Miss and South Carolina tried it.
Bulldogs senior punter Heath Hutchins ran a fake for 2 yards and made a firstdown with about an inch to spare on fourth down from the Mississippi State 41 on the second play of the second quarter.
The Bulldogs then finished the drive with a touchdown to tie the game 14-14.
It was the first rushing attempt for Hutchins in his two seasons at Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs also got a first down on a punt in the first quarter when Arkansas freshman receiver Maudrecus Humphreywas called for running into Hutchings - a 5-yard penalty - on fourth-and-4 from the Mississippi State 27.
That drive stalled out and Hutchings punted into the end zone from the 50 for a touchback.
For starters
Sophomore cornerback Darius Winston was back in Arkansas’ starting lineup Saturday night. It was Winston’s fourth start this season, but first at the boundary cornerback spot.
Senior Ramon Broadway started the first nine games at boundary cornerback before suffering an ankle injury at South Carolina which will sideline him at least for the rest of the regular season.
Junior Greg Gatson started in Broadway’s place last week against Texas-Paso.
Winston started three games at field cornerback earlier this season in place of junior Isaac Madison, who started the first four games, came off the bench for three, and now has started three in a row.
Winston then switched to playing field corner in the second quarter after Madison left the game for an undisclosed reason.
With Madison on the sideline - wearing a towel on his head, freshman Eric Bennett was the primary boundary corner.
Senior Ben Cleveland made his second start of the season with the Razorbacks’ opening in a two-tight end set.
Remembering Bell
Mississippi State is honoring the memory of Nick Bell in several ways.
Bell, who started at defensive end in three games this season, died Nov. 2 aftera brief bout with cancer.
Bell’s No. 36 was painted on the 35-yard line on both sides of the Davis Wade Stadium. The Bulldogs also have his name and number on their jerseys, and each week a different player wears No. 36.
Junior tight end Kendrick Cook wore No. 36 on Saturday night, the first home game for Mississippi State since Bell’s death.
Mississippi State’s marching band spelled out “36” on the field before playing the national anthem and fans were asked for a moment of silence in Bell’s memory.
The silence then was broken when Linda Bell, Nick’s mother, began ringing a cowbell, which is a longtime Mississippi State tradition. The fans then joined her in ringing their cowbells.
In a hurry
Arkansas’ first touchdown drive covered 69 yards in 41 seconds, capped by Knile Davis’ 62-yard run.
It was the 58th time the Razorbacks have scored a touchdown on a possession of less than two minutes in Bobby Petrino’s three seasons as coach.
Over and over
Ryan Mallett’s 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end D.J. Williams in the first quarter marked the 23rd time in 24 games at Arkansas in which Mallett has thrown for a touchdown pass and had a completion for at least a 25-yard gain.
Arkansas’ 65-43 loss at Auburn this season is the only game in which Mallett hasn’t had a completion for 25 or more yards, but he missed the second half aftersustaining a concussion.
His longest completition at Auburn was for 19 yards.
Adams’ streak
Joe Adams’ 7-yard reception in the first quarter extended his streak to 32 games - every one he’s played for Arkansas - in which he’s caught at least one pass.
Byran’s back
Arkansas freshman nose guard Byran Jones played off the bench after missing the previous two games because of an ankle injury.
There’s John Bond
Mississippi State runs several minutes of highlights from past victories on its giant video before the game, and it was hard not to smile when one of the plays shown was John Bond throwing a touchdown pass against Auburn.
Bond has been a central figure in what has become a major news story into whether Mississippi State was approached last year about providing money to Auburn quarterback Cam Newton’s family in exchange for him signing with the Bulldogs.
Bond is now an executive for a construction company and lives in Madison, Miss., a suburb of Jackson.
You complete me
Ryan Mallett’s pass to D.J.
Williams for a 32-yard gain in the second quarter was Arkansas’ 255th completion this season, setting a school record.
That broke the schoolrecord 253 completions the Razorbacks had in 2008.
Sports, Pages 36 on 11/21/2010