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Razorbacks rally past Rebels

Oct 22, 2011 - 10:09 PM Oxford, MS (Sports Network) - Tyler Wilson passed for 232 yards and ran for two scores in the third quarter, helping No. 10 Arkansas overcome a big deficit, then held on for a 29-24 victory against Ole Miss.

The Razorbacks faced a 17-0 deficit before reeling off 29 consecutive points to build a double-digit advantage.

Still, the lead wasn't entirely safe, as the Rebels scored late and recovered an onside kick to get an opportunity to steal the victory. But Arkansas sacked Ole Miss quarterback Randall Mackey before intercepting him to secure the outcome.

Dennis Johnson ran for 160 yards and a touchdown for the Razorbacks (6-1, 2-1 SEC), who were coming off a bye week and won their third consecutive game.

Mackey passed for two touchdowns and ran for one, but the Rebels (2-5, 0-4) lost for the second straight week.

Zach Hocker's 23-yard field goal with 11:31 left in the fourth quarter ended the Razorbacks' run of points and gave them a 29-17 lead. They then held Ole Miss to a punt, but the Rebels still made the game close with their next possession.

The 16-play, 80-yard march lasted more than five minutes and ended with 1:23 to play, when Mackey found Donte Moncrief for a four-yard TD. The Rebels were suddenly within a score and recovered the onside kick try when tight end Jamal Mosley timed his jump perfectly to grab the ball in the air. The closest Arkansas player had inexplicably taken a step back, providing space for Mosley to catch it.

The recovery set Ole Miss up at its own 43, but Trey Flowers tackled Mackey in the backfield as time continued to wind down. Mackey then threw into tight coverage on the left side of the field, where Eric Bennett made the interception and started racing up the sideline. He was forced out of bounds deep in Ole Miss territory, sealing the victory.

Ole Miss had a lot of offensive success early, reaching Arkansas territory on its first drive and scoring on its next three.

Bryson Rose kicked a 43-yard field goal to put the Rebels on the board, and they took advantage of a turnover on downs late in the quarter. They stopped Broderick Green on 4th-and-1 to take over at their own 49, and Mackey found Moncrief for a 31-yard score on the first play of the second quarter.

On their next possession, the Rebels moved 80 yards in 11 plays, the last a three-yard TD run by Mackey that made it a 17-0 game with just under seven minutes left in the half.

"We wanted to get into a rhythm and feel our way through it, but we came out a little bit slow," Wilson said.

But the tables turned in a big way, as Arkansas' defense became more effective and its offense came to life.

Facing a 3rd-and-14 with a little more than five minutes to go in the first half, Johnson broke out for a 52-yard score and put the Razorbacks on the board.

They went into halftime facing the 17-7 deficit, but got a 33-yard field goal by Hocker to open the third quarter.

Wilson used his arm and legs to set up Arkansas' next two scores.

He hit Joe Adams with a 37-yard pass to set up a 1st-and-goal from the one. On the next play he pushed the ball over the goal line to tie the game with 6:48 left in the quarter.

After the Razorbacks forced a three-and-out from Ole Miss, Wilson went back to Adams for a 67-yard gain. That set up a 1st-and-goal at the eight, and on 4th- and-goal from the one, Wilson scored again. The touchdown put Arkansas up for the first time Saturday, 24-17.

"I wish we had the third quarter back," said Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt. "There [were] a couple of series on defense that we didn't do anything."

The Razorbacks were threatening again later in the third quarter, with a 1st- and-goal from the five, before Johnson fumbled the ball away at the one-yard line.

But the turnover proved to be advantageous -- Jeff Scott was tackled in the end zone for a safety -- and Arkansas moved into the final quarter with a 26-17 lead.

Game Notes

Mackey passed for a career-high 219 yards on 18-of-30 completions...Adams finished with four catches for 124 yards...Ole Miss was penalized 12 times for 85 yards, compared to Arkansas' two penalties for four yards.