NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Arkansas used a tried-and true formula to survive a Vanderbilt scare Saturday.
But this time, the familiar story line of a sluggish start, a double-digit deficit and a strong finish by the Razorbacks came with some twists - a game-changing defensive touchdown by Jerry Franklin and a short missed field goal by Vanderbilt at the end.
The BCS No. 10 Razorbacks escaped with a 31-28 victory before a crowd of 33,247 at Vanderbilt Stadium, a victory that wasn’t assured until Carey Spear’s 27-yard field-goal try stayed wide right with eight seconds left.
“It gives me a heart attack sometimes,” Arkansas tight end Chris Gragg said. “Our goal was to come here and leave 7-1. It wasn’t pretty, but we got the ‘W’ and that’s all that matters.”
Arkansas (7-1, 3-1 SEC) improved its record at Vanderbilt Stadium to 4-0 (3-0 in SEC games), its victory vaguely reminiscent of a 21-19 victory here in 2006 when the Commodores missed a potential game-winning 48-yard field goal in the final minute.
Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson passed for 316 yards and one touchdown and surpassed another Ryan Mallett school record when he extended his streak of passes without an interception to 176. Jarius Wright caught 10 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown for the Razorbacks.
“We didn’t have our best performance, but we got the win,” Wright said. “So we’re going back to Arkansas happy today.”
Vanderbilt (4-4, 1-4) was left to contemplate a blown 21-7 lead, several dropped interception chances and opportunities to take control in the second half, like Zac Stacy’s fumble at the Arkansas 3 that led to Franklin’s touchdown.
“When you’re playing a good team like that ,you can’t make critical mistakes that we made,” Vanderbilt Coach James Franklin said. “I thought we played hard, I didn’t think we played smart: Turnovers, missed opportunities, penalties. You can’t beat yourself.”
Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino, who referenced the St. Louis Cardinals’ improbable 10-9 Game 6 victory in the World Series on Thursday, said the past five weeks with one home game has been tough on his club.
“It was just really hanging in there and trying to make plays,” Petrino said. “If you learn anything from the World Series, it’s you just hang in there and keep going.”
Franklin, a first-year head coach, employed a bold approach, which included a fourth-and-1 conversion from his 28 and a fake punt on another fourth-and-1. Both of those first-half plays led to Vanderbilt touchdowns, the last an 11-yard run by quarterback Jordan Rodgers that gave the Commodores a 21-7 lead with 1:39 remaining before halftime.
“We’re going to be aggressive at all times of the game, it doesn’t matter where we are on the field,” said Rodgers, who passed for 240 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 66 yards and two scores.
Arkansas’ comeback began moments after Vanderbilt went up by 14 points, when the Hogs executed their two-minute drill.
Wilson hit Cobi Hamilton with an 18-yard pass on a crossing route, then he completed a fourth-and-10 pass to Wright for 30 yards to the Vandy 11 with nine seconds left in the half. Wilson and Wright connected again after an Arkansas timeout, with Wilson hitting Wright in the back right corner of the end zone just beyond cornerback Casey Hayward.
“Our kids are relentless,” Arkansas offensive coordinator Garrick McGee said. “They’re going to keep grinding. They’re going to keep playing. ... Sometimes that’s when Tyler is at his best.”
Eric Bennett’s interception of a halfback pass on the second play of the second half put the momentum on Arkansas’ side and led to a 36-yard Zach Hocker field goal that made it 21-17.
The game swung on a key sequence midway through the second half, moments after Hocker’s 50-yard field goal, his second of three, pulled Arkansas within 28-20.
The Commodores converted a third-and-7 on Rodgers’ 44-yard throwback pass to Stacy, and Vanderbilt reached a second-and-goal from the Arkansas 3.
Stacy was headed off left tackle when he lost control of the ball without being hit. Franklin scooped up the looseball and ran 94 yards for a touchdown, with several teammates escorting him. The Hogs tied it on Wilson’s two-point conversion pass to Wright.
“It seemed like I just dropped it,” said Stacy, who had a 62-yard touchdown run among his 19 carries for 128 yards. “It hurts. Obviously, it costs us the game.”
Arkansas had a chance to stick in another defensive score on Vanderbilt’s ensuing possession. After Arkansas linebacker Alonzo Highsmith dislodged the ball from Chris Boyd after a catch, Arkansas’ Jerico Nelson picked it out of the air. Nelson was cutting and running deep in Vanderbilt territory but the ball came out of his hand at the 1 as he lunged for the end zone, and the Commodores recovered in the end zone for a touch back.
The Razorbacks, spurred by Ronnie Wingo’s 21-yard run on a draw play and an 11-yard slant pass from Wilson to Julian Horton, reached the Vanderbilt 25, where Hocker’s 42-yard field goal put them ahead for the first time, 31-28, with 6:53 remaining.
Vanderbilt drove 80 yards on its final possession, reaching the Arkansas 10 after Rodgers’ 48-yard pass to Jordan Matthews, and Matthews’ one-handed grab on a 16-yard throw. But the Hogs held Rodgers to incomplete passes on consecutive plays. Then Spear missed the field goal that could have forced overtime.
Game sketch RECORDS Arkansas 7-1, 3-1 SEC;
Vanderbilt 4-4, 1-4 STARS Arkansas linebacker Jerry Franklin’s 94-yard fumble return touchdown was the second of his career of 85-plus yards. Arkansas receiver Jarius Wright had 10 catches for 135 yards, 1 TD and a two-point conversion.
Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson completed 27 of 43 passes for 316 yards and 1 TD and established a school record with 176 passes without an interception.
TURNING POINT Vanderbilt had second-and-goal at the Arkansas 3 early in the fourth quarter leading 28-20 when tailback Zac Stacy fumbled the ball, Jerry Franklin scooped it and ran 94 yards for a score. A two-point conversion pass tied the game 28-28 with 13:25 remaining.
KEY STATS Arkansas won the turnover battle 3-2, while Vanderbilt had the edge in total offense (462-388).
UP NEXT The Razorbacks return home to face South Carolina at 6:15 p.m. Saturday (ESPN) at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Sports, Pages 27 on 10/30/2011