When TCU finished its undefeated 2010 season with a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin, current Arkansas coach Bret Bielema was coaching the Badgers.
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All of this mess started when Arkansas, who was up 20-7 and had a first-and-goal at the TCU 2, failed to punch it in for a touchdown with 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
“Good football game”, Patterson said.
No. 2 Clemson 30, Troy 24: Deshaun Watson threw for three touchdowns and No. 2 Clemson avoided a host of mistakes – including an embarrassing early celebration punt-return gaffe by Ray-Ray McCloud that cost a TD – to hold off pesky Troy 30-24 on Saturday. Last season, Arkansas ranked 103 nationally in pass efficiency defense, and TCU should provide a good barometer of how far this group has improved. Certainly, TCU will brag about beating an SEC team if it wins, but even after more than two decades in the SEC, Arkansas isn’t afforded the same measure of respect as its other SEC brethren. This game is the first chance for the revamped Horned Frog squad to show that it can compete against a Power-5 Conference opponent, let alone a hard hitting SEC team. The Horned Frogs offense also turned it over twice in the game as well. Quarterback Austin Allen threw for more than 190 yards and 2 touchdowns, but also threw 2 interceptions.
The Razorbacks’ recent success on the road includes wins over No. 18 Ole Miss, No. 9 LSU and No. 15 TCU. It’s going to be much tougher to get there now, though a $12 million buyout likely increases his security in Lexington. Williams came in as the No. 1 overall Juco wide-receiver in the nation.
“It’s easy to flinch as a football player or as a fan or whatever, and these guys just won’t do it”, Bielema said. Hiring Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham as the program’s co-coordinators has paid big dividends over the last two years, and the Horned Frogs now have one of the Big 12’s best attacks. As a fifth year senior, expect McFarland to lead the charge on defense Saturday night. The Frogs took over in the 4th quarter as the defense finally woke up. Seven days later, the script has been flipped. Junior college recruit Taj Williams led the team with 11 receptions in the opener against South Dakota State, with KaVontae Turpin, Jaelan Austin, John Diarse, Ty Slanina and Emanuel Porter rounding out the key targets for Hill. It’s hard to see TCU putting up 59 points again this weekend, and if the Frogs secondary is anything like it was last week, TCU will be playing with fire. Three plays later, Hill scored on the ground to cut the lead to 20-14.
Even after going nowhere on its previous two drives, Arkansas got going in a hurry this time. If the Hogs give TCU a 6-yard cushion off the line, it’s gonna be a long day in Fort Worth.
The win is an impressive one for Arkansas, which barely edged Louisiana Tech at home in its season opener. Nonetheless, the Frogs have what it takes to overcome the adversity that stands in their way.
Kenny Hill should be the main factor in this game.
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Better tackling, better pass protection, less turnovers, better special teams coverage and defensively preparing for TCU’s Air Raid, hurry-up, no-huddle pace while offensively setting a ball-control tone to slow that TCU pace are Bielema priorities. Will the game be a close one at times? The Razorbacks had won 22 in a row before TCU won at home in 1981.
