Field Level Media
Nov 7, 2020
Feleipe Franks fired three third-quarter touchdown passes Saturday night and Arkansas' defense limited punchless Tennessee to one first down for the second half's first 28 1/2 minutes as it rallied for a 24-13 Southeastern Conference win in Fayetteville, Ark.
Franks, who beat the Volunteers the last two years as Florida's starting quarterback before transferring, completed 18 of 24 passes for 215 yards as the Razorbacks squared their record at 3-3 by erasing a 13-0 halftime deficit.
Meanwhile, the Volunteers (2-4) dropped their fourth straight game after being ranked 14th last month. They cycled through three quarterbacks, losing starter Jarrett Guarantano to a head injury midway through the third quarter.
Guarantano hit on 5 of 8 passes for 42 yards as Tennessee relied heavily on the run. Backups Brian Maurer and Harrison Bailey combined to go 6 for 13 with two interceptions. Bailey tossed a tipped-ball pick to Eric Gregory with 4:32 left in the game at the Arkansas 23 that flushed the Volunteers' last chance to rally.
The Volunteers controlled the first half behind their interior lines. Tennessee was able to run the ball and frustrate Franks with an attacking front seven that finished the night with four sacks and nine tackles for loss.
Brent Cimaglia converted field goals of 50 and 48 yards in the half, while workhorse running back Eric Gray scored on a 1-yard run. Gray shouldered most of the offensive load, rushing 31 times for 123 yards.
The second half was all Franks, starting with his 1-yard touchdown pass to Mike Woods that capped a 17-play, 75-yard drive. A 6-yard scoring strike to Blake Kern at the 6:35 mark gave the Razorbacks the lead for good, and Franks made it 21-13 when he connected with Treylon Burks for a 59-yard touchdown.
AJ Reed finished the third quarter outburst with a 48-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining.
Arkansas' defense closed out the game in style, getting an end zone interception from Jalen Catalon on the game's final play.
--Field Level Media