SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 5, 2011
No. 8 Arkansas forced two fourth-quarter turnovers to overcome early mistakes and pull away for a 44-28 victory over No. 10 South Carolina on Saturday, knocking the Gamecocks out of their perch atop the SEC East.
The Razorbacks (8-1, 4-1 SEC West) kept alive their slim chances of slipping into the SEC title game.
South Carolina (7-2, 5-2) had its school-record six-game road winning streak snapped and fell one-half game behind Georgia for the division lead.
The Razorbacks' miscues kept the Gamecocks in it despite being outgained 253-49 before halftime. Arkansas dropped two sure touchdown passes and missed two field goals in the first half, and defensive end Devin Taylor returned a Tyler Wilson interception 48 yards for a touchdown.
The interception was Wilson's first in 184 attempts, a school record, and it was the Gamecocks' fifth defensive touchdown of the season.
It was South Carolina's mistakes that helped Arkansas put it away, though. After the Razorbacks were unable to convert Alonzo Highsmith's interception of Connor Shaw into points, Jake Bequette hit Shaw to force a fumble, and Broderick Green punched in a 1-yard touchdown run a play later to seal it.
South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery was held to three receptions for 19 yards and remains 14 yards behind Kenny McKinley for the school's all-time lead. Jeffery has 170 career receptions, which moves him past Sterling Sharpe for second on the Gamecocks' all-time list.
Arkansas has won six straight against SEC East opponents, the longest streak in school history.
The Razorbacks scored first, extending to 12 games the Gamecocks' streak of allowing opponents to score first. South Carolina is 8-4 during that stretch.