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Mallett throws five TDs as Arkansas blitzes UTEP

Nov 14, 2010 - 7:33 AM Fayetteville, AR (Sports Network) - Ryan Mallett's 215 yards and five touchdowns on 19-of-26 passes led 14th-ranked Arkansas over UTEP, 58-21, at Razorback Stadium.

D.J. Williams had five receptions for 58 yards and two touchdowns as Arkansas (8-2) extended its winning streak to four, including last Saturday's 41-20 decision over South Carolina.

Chris Gragg, Cobi Hamilton and Jarius Wright also caught TD passes, while Knile Davis racked up 182 yards and a score on 11 carries. Mallett and Broderick Green also recorded touchdowns on the ground in the comfortable win.

"It was a good win for us. It was a good way for the seniors to go out," said Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino. "I thought they did a real nice job all week long in the preparation, and they came out hard tonight and executed and played hard and got a dominating win. It's good that the young players allowed the seniors to go out the way they needed to go out."

Trevor Vittatoe completed 13-of-21 passes for 151 yards and an interception as UTEP (6-5) dropped its fourth game in five. Leilyon Myers had 70 yards on six carries, including a 51-yard touchdown, while Kris Adams caught a TD pass from James Thomas II.

"Knile Davis is a great player, Ryan (Mallett) is a great quarterback and they really have some good athletes," said UTEP head coach Mike Price. "We had a tough time stopping them. I love Mallett. I think he's a great player. I think he's one of the top quarterbacks in the country."

The Miners jumped to an early lead during the first drive of the game as Myers broke loose for a career-long 51-yard touchdown run.

Arkansas returned the favor on its first drive, when Mallet scrambled to his right for a 14 yard touchdown. The run finished off a five-play, 68-yard drive that took only 2:15 off the clock.

During the ensuing kickoff, Marlon McClure bounced to the outside and returned it 100 yards, which regained the lead for the Miners at 14-7.

Davis' 70-yard touchdown sprint to the right side of the field on Arkansas' next play from scrimmage capped a wild first six minutes that had 28 points scored, as the teams were knotted at 14 apiece.

Mallett hooked up with Hamilton for an 11-yard touchdown pass on a curl route to give the Razorbacks their first lead with 2:37 left in the opening quarter. The 6-foot-6, 238-pound quarterback threw his second touchdown of the game to put Arkansas up 28-14 three minutes into the second quarter. The deep pass went 32 yard to D.J. Williams.

Arkansas extended its lead to 35-14 seven minutes later, when Wright caught Mallett's pass on a crossing pattern for a 15-yard touchdown.

The Miners had a chance to kick a 36-yard field goal with time running out in the half but they were unable to get the attempt off because of a botched snap.

The rout continued for the Razorbacks just under five minutes into second half when Williams caught his second touchdown from six yards out. Mallett added another touchdown toss seven minutes later when he connected with Chris Gragg from five yards out, making the score 49-14.

Arkansas added a field goal with 10:46 left and a late Green TD plunge from one yard out to give Arkansas 58 points. UTEP only scored once during the second half when Thomas' deep throw to Adams went 60 yards for a score with 9:44 left in the game.

Game Notes

Arkansas has won both all-time meetings between the schools...The Razorbacks play at Mississippi State next Saturday while UTEP finishes its 2010 season at Tulsa next Saturday...Green carried 15 times for 75 yards.