Rebels Fall To Arkansas, 48-28

Oct 26, 2002

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By DOUGLAS PILS
AP Sports Writer

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Fred Talley ran for 136 yards, and Arkansas' special teams scored twice in a 48-28 victory Saturday over mistake-prone Mississippi.

Arkansas (4-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) got 24 points following Rebels turnovers, including kickoff fumble recoveries by Lerinezo Robinson and Thomas Crowder.

Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, who completed 42 of 56 passes for 414 yards, threw his first touchdown in an SEC game since Sept. 21 against Vanderbilt, but he also turned the ball over three times.

The Rebels (5-3, 2-2) missed an opportunity to tie LSU, which lost 31-7 to Auburn, for the SEC West lead. LSU (6-1, 3-1) leads Auburn (5-3, 3-2) by a half-game and Ole Miss by a game.

Arkansas took a 41-14 lead with two touchdowns 8 minutes left in the third quarter. Crowder tipped a bouncing kickoff away from Rebels return man Ronald McClendon in the end zone and scored.

Seconds earlier, Talley's 63-yard run set up a 5-yard TD by De'Arrius Howard, who added a 38-yard scoring run late in the game. The Razorbacks needed just three plays to score after the Rebels opened the quarter with a 12-play, 73-yard drive that netted only a 25-yard field goal by Jonathan Nichols.

Arkansas took advantage of two Ole Miss fumbles to go up 10-2 after the Rebels went in front 2-0 lead when Matt Jones was called for intentional grounding while in the end zone.

David Carlton's 29-yard field goal gave the Razorbacks a 3-2 lead following Elliott Harris' recovery of a fumble by Manning.

On the ensuing kickoff, Arkansas' Jimarr Gallon drove his helmet into Ronald McClendon at the 22. The ball sailed 10 yards backward where Robinson scooped it up and ran 8 yards for the game's first touchdown.

Nichols' 47-yard field goal left Ole Miss trailing 10-5, but Manning made another mistake in his next possession. Rolling to right and pressured by Brandon Holmes, Manning forced a sideline pass to Taye Biddle that was intercepted by Jimmy Beasley.

After an incomplete pass, Jones took an option keeper 34 yards to give Arkansas a 17-5 lead. On the play, tight end Jason Peters leveled Rebels defensive end Jayme Mitchell to clear a path for Jones.

Manning responded to the touchdown by leading a 10-play, 85-yard drive capped by Justin Sawyer's first career catch - a 12-yard touchdown pass. The senior played guard and center most of this season, but stepped in to play tight end this week because of injuries.

Arkansas punt returner DeCori Birmingham had two returns for a combined 84 yards to set up 10 points in the final two minutes of the first half.

The first return, for 29 yards, set up a 37-yard field goal by Carlton with 1:43 left before half. The Razorbacks forced a punt with 20 seconds left in the half and Birmingham returned it 55 yards to the Ole Miss 22.

Jones hit George Wilson at the goal line for a 22-yard touchdown on the first play.

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