Oct 5, 2024; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green (10) rushes in the first quarter against the Tennessee Volunteers at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images Backup quarterback Malachi Singleton scored on an 11-yard keeper with 1:17 remaining to lift Arkansas to a 19-14 upset of No. 4 Tennessee on Saturday night in Southeastern Conference play at Fayetteville, Ark.
Singleton replaced injured starter Taylen Green and capped a four-play, 59-yard drive with his scoring run. Braylen Russell had runs of 24 and 11 yards on the drive.
Tennessee reached the Arkansas 20-yard line on its last-ditch drive, but after not finding an open receiver on a fourth-and-5, quarterback Nico Iamaleava scrambled and was knocked out of bounds a yard short of the first-down marker.
Iamaleava completed 17 of 29 passes for 158 yards for the Volunteers (4-1, 1-1 SEC), who led the nation in scoring at 54 points per game entering the contest.
Dylan Sampson rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries for the Volunteers.
Green completed 19 of 27 passes for 266 yards for Arkansas before exiting in the fourth quarter with a left knee injury. Singleton was 2-for-3 passing for 31 yards.
Russell rushed for 62 yards on eight carries and Ja’Quinden Jackson rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries for the Razorbacks (4-2, 2-1). Andrew Armstrong had nine receptions for 132 yards to notch his third 100-yard outing of the season.
Tennessee was scoreless in the first half despite its offensive prowess through its first four games before Sampson scored twice in the third quarter. First, he broke loose for a 53-yard scamper to the Arkansas 4 early in the quarter. On the ensuing play, he ran for the score to give the Volunteers a 7-3 lead with 12:33 left in the period.
The next time Tennessee had the ball, Sampson scored from 4 yards out as the Volunteers took an 11-point advantage with 8:19 left in the quarter.
The Razorbacks answered with Jackson’s 2-yard scoring run with 4:38 left in the quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Arkansas’ Matthew Shipley connected on a field goal from 23 yards out to trim Tennessee’s edge to 14-13 with 12:06 remaining in the game.
Green was injured on that drive when he took a vicious low hit to his left knee by Tennessee’s Omarr Norman-Lott, who drew a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty.
Green came back into the game the next time Arkansas had the ball but was badly hindered while trying to roll away from defenders and he threw the ball away with 10:40 remaining. Green limped off the field and Singleton played the rest of the way.
Arkansas outgained the Volunteers 221-76 in the first half but could manage only a field goal. The Razorbacks began the game with a 16-play, 74-yard drive that took 9:12 off the clock. The drive stalled and Kyle Ramsey booted a 20-yard field goal.
–Field Level Media