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Almost as close as Hogs can get vs. Aggies

Arkansas tight end Cheyenne O'Grady watches as Texas A&M players celebrate a 50-43 overtime win on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017, in Arlington, Texas.
Arkansas tight end Cheyenne O'Grady watches as Texas A&M players celebrate a 50-43 overtime win on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017, in Arlington, Texas.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Almost.

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville almost stopped the domination of FBS schools against it after halftime, but the two sensational fourth-quarter drives by Austin Allen weren't enough when his final pass was intercepted in overtime. For the sixth year in a row -- and the third one in overtime -- the Razorbacks lost to Texas A&M.

This one was 50-43.

The Aggies dominated most of the second half, coming back from a 21-17 halftime deficit to lead 24-21 by controlling the line of scrimmage and the clock.

The Razorbacks had 95 second-half yards until their final two drives of regulation.

Even when the Hogs led, it seemed A&M was controlling the game until Coach Bret Bielema told his team to go out on the field and have fun. They did enough to send it to overtime.

It was looking like the Aggies would win without a challenge until the Hogs' final possession of the third quarter, when Allen led a 71-yard drive in six plays for a touchdown. The biggest play was a 26-yard pass to David Williams to the 1, and he carried it in from there for a 28-24 lead.

It was Arkansas' first second-half score against an FBS foe since Mississippi State last season.

The Aggies, who survived on big plays and thrived on smash-mouth football, got a field goal and then shut the Hogs down by sacking Allen for the sixth time. The Aggies had seven sacks in three games coming into Saturday.

A&M made it 33-28 on a three-play drive that covered 53 yards. The two-point conversion failed.

On the Hogs' next possession, facing a third and 7, offensive coordinator Dan Enos had Allen drop back into the shotgun -- when he wasn't being sacked, he was being pressured most of the afternoon because pass protection is an issue with the Razorbacks -- and hit Cheyenne O'Grady for 15 yards and a first down.

T.J. Hammonds ran for 8 on an end around, then Chase Hayden added 9 on the ground. After being stopped for no gain on a first down, Enos slipped Allen back into the shotgun and he hit Jonathan Nance for a 44-yard score. Connor Limpert added the point after to make it 36-33 with 5:21 to play.

For those who wondered how fast A&M receiver/returner Christian Kirk is, they found out. He took the kickoff and went 100 yards in 11 seconds, and with 5:10 to play the Hogs trailed 40-36.

Allen drove the Razorbacks 75 yards in four plays, primarily on a 31-yard completion to Austin Cantrell and a 45-yarder to Nance at the A&M 4. On first and goal, Williams scored for a 43-40 lead.

Wisely the Hogs kicked away from Kirk, but it was a short kick that put the Aggies in play at the Arkansas 49. They drove to the 9, kicked a tying field goal and headed to overtime.

The Hogs won the toss, chose to play defense, and the Aggies picked the end zone loaded with their enthusiastic fans.

It appeared the Hogs might hold them, but a pass interference on a pass that looked too short to catch handed A&M a first down at the 10, where the Aggies scored on a Kellen Mond-to-Kirk hookup on the next play.

Arkansas drove to the 12, but that's where Allen was intercepted. Once again, the Razorbacks had come up short.

The end was exciting and could have gone either way, but until the pass protection improves, the Razorbacks have an Achilles' heel.

The Hogs converted 5 of 13 third-down situations, and 3 of those were on runs by backup quarterback Cole Kelley, who did a great Tim Tebow impersonation. Unconventional plays threw A&M off, but the Hogs could not escape with a victory.

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Sports on 09/24/2017

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