LITTLE ROCK — 1st Quarter
ARKANSAS 0, EAST CAROLINA 0
Two quick completions put Arkansas into East Carolina territory, but Dennis Johnson had the ball stripped away by Chris Mattocks at the 33. Two possessions later, punt returner Travis Simmons fumbled, and the Hogs’ Jerico Nelson recovered at the East Carolina 38. Arkansas turned it over on downs at the 34. A 63-yard Matt Dodge punt flipped field position for East Carolina. Patrick Pinkney used quick screens to get to the Arkansas 20, but a Nelson sack resulted in an 8-yard loss, and the Pirates missed a 45-yard field goal. Ryan Mallett throws to Joe Adams and Greg Childs had the Hogs at the East Carolina 38 to end the quarter.
2nd Quarter
EAST CAROLINA 10, ARKANSAS 0
Dennis Johnson was thrown for a 7-yard loss on the first play of the quarter, then Ryan Mallett threw low for Jarius Wright on third-and-15. Dylan Breeding’s 44-yard punt was downed at the 1, but the Pirates drove 99 yards in 13 plays, mixing quick passes and the run game, to go up 7-0 on Dominique Lindsay’s 3-yard run. Mallett found Jarius Wright for 27 yards to the East Carolina 29, but turned it over on D.J.
Williams’ drop on a fourth-down pass.
Dwayne Harris ran a fade route and made a 31-yard catch off the back of Arkansas corner Ramon Broadway to trigger a drive ending on Ben Hartman’s 33-yard field goal. Arkansas finished the half 0 of 6 on third-down conversions.
3rd Quarter
ARKANSAS 17, EAST CAROLINA 17
Arkansas’ Jerry Franklin returned an interception 31 yards on the fifth play of the quarter, setting up Alex Tejada’s 25-yard field goal. Four snaps later, East Carolina quarterback Patrick Pinkney fired a strike to Arkansas safety Tramain Thomas, who returned it 37 yards for a touchdown and a 10-10 game. The Pirates went on the move, staying mainly on the ground, before Pinkney hit Dwayne Harris on a slant for a 13-yard score. The Hogs needed two plays to tie it as Ryan Mallett found Jarius Wright behind the secondary for a 41-yard touchdown.
Neither team could mount an effective drive on the last two possessions of the quarter.
4th Quarter, OT
ARKANSAS 20, EAST CAROLINA 17
Broderick Green runs of 12 and 13 yards spurred the Hogs into Pirates territory. The drive stalled on a snuffed third-and-2, then Alex Tejada missed a 43-yard field-goal attempt wide right. One possession later, the Hogs failed to convert on third-and-1 to fall to 0 for 10 on third-down conversions. East Carolina drove into scoring range, but Ben Hartman missed a 39-yard fieldgoal attempt with 1:03 left. Hartman missed another 39-yard attempt on the final play of regulation, then missed a 35-yarder on the Pirates’ possession in overtime. Tejada, who has not fared well in the clutch, made a 37-yarder on Arkansas’ overtime possession to win it.
Sports, Pages 33 on 01/03/2010