Arkansas Razorbacks vs Rutgers Scarlet Knights Match Player Stats On Sep 21, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 21, 2013

Rutgers 28, Arkansas 24: Gary Nova threw for 346 yards and connected with Leonte Carroo for two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Scarlet Knights rallied from 17 points down to edge the visiting Razorbacks.

Freshman Janarion Grant started the comeback with a 58-yard punt return for a touchdown in the third quarter and a 47-yard run back on another set up the go-ahead score. Nova, who was 22-for-43 with three TDs, hit Carroo for a 33-yard score on fourth down with 9:55 left and threw a 4-yard strike to him with 5:18 remaining as Rutgers (3-1) went ahead for good.

AJ Derby, who completed 14-of-26 for 137 yards while replacing injured starter Brandon Allen (shoulder), could not bring Arkansas back on its final drive. Alex Collins, who rushed for more than 100 yards in the first three games for the Razorbacks (3-1), was held to 63 yards on 16 carries by the Rutgers defense.

Zach Hooker’s 41-yard field goal gave Arkansas the first lead and 1:30 later Tevin Mitchel picked off Nova and ran 26 yards for a score with 21 seconds left in the first quarter. The Scarlet Knights answered with a 12-play drive, capped by Nova’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Kroft (six catches, 133 yards) only 39 seconds before halftime to cut the deficit to 10-7.

Arkansas drove 75 yards on 10 plays to open the second half and Javontee Herndon leaped to grab Derby’s pass for a 17-yard touchdown. Nova fumbled on the next series and the Razorbacks capitalized on the next play when running back Jonathan Williams connected with Hunter Henry on a 21-yard option pass for a 24-7 lead with 8:38 left in the third.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rutgers RB Paul James, who came into the game leading the nation in rushing, was limited to 17 carries for 80 yards due to ankle and knee injuries. … Arkansas, making its first trip to the northeast since playing Fordham in 1940, had outscored opponents 21-0 in the fourth quarter coming in. … Grant also had a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown in the opener at Fresno State.