No. 2 Alabama Outlasts Razorbacks in Gutsy Road Win

Alabama overcame a quarterback injury and a rowdy environment to move to 2-0 in the SEC.

Blake Byler | Oct 1, 2022

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Alabama Crimson Tide

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It looked for a while like Alabama was going to have to gut out another one-possession road game that fans have become accustomed to, but a huge fourth quarter from the Crimson Tide gave the Alabama faithful a sigh of relief and another double-digit win.

No. 2 Alabama (5-0, 2-0 SEC) got its first road win in conference play Saturday afternoon in its defeat of No. 20 Arkansas (3-2, 1-2 SEC) by a final score of 42-23.

After Alabama took a 28-0 lead in the second quarter, the Razorbacks stormed back scoring 23 unanswered points to cut the lead within five points in the final period.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young left the game with a shoulder injury in the second quarter and did not return. Before his injury he was torching the Razorbacks, throwing for 173 yards and scoring two total touchdowns in just over a quarter and a half of play.

Sophomore quarterback Jalen Milroe spelled Young and lead the offense in his absence. Milroe scored two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air, and added a 77-yard scramble on a key 3rd-and-long while it was a one-possession game to set up the Alabama dagger.

Jahmyr Gibbs led Alabama with 206 yards on the ground on just 18 carries, including two 70-plus-yard touchdowns. Gibbs not only set his high in carries at Alabama but set a career-high in rushing yards. Jase McClellan missed much of the middle portion of the game due to an upper body injury but returned in the fourth quarter to score a short touchdown.

Freshman wide receiver Kobe Prentice paced the Crimson Tide on the receiving front, racking up 92 yards and a touchdown on just three catches. Isaiah Bond, another freshman, added 76 yards of his own on two catches.

Defensively, linebacker Dallas Turner provided a menacing 2.5 tackles for loss while freshman Jaheim Oatis and senior Jaylen Moody added a sack apiece.

Next week, Alabama receives a visit from the Texas A&M Aggies, who gave Alabama its only regular season loss a season ago. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on CBS.

Click here for live play-by-play courtesy of Fanalytix.

*** Keep refreshing the page throughout today's game for live updates, stats scoring and analysis as the Crimson Tide take on the Razorbacks in Fayetteville ***

Live Updates

(Most recent update at the top)

Fourth Quarter

Arkansas turned it over on downs. Alabama takes over to run out the clock.

Alabama takes over at the 40-yard-line after an Arkansas punt.

Jahmyr Gibbs has set a career-high with 206 yards rushing.

TOUCHDOWN: Jahmyr Gibbs scores a 76 yard touchdown down the left sideline. Alabama extends its lead to 49-26.

FIELD GOAL: Little hit a 34-yard field goal to make the score 42-26.

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson has left the game with an injury.

After a facemask penalty on Alabama, Arkansas has 1st-and-GOAL from the 9-yard-line.

Arkansas has moved the ball into Alabama territory once again.

TOUCHDOWN: Jahmyr Gibbs took Alabama's first play of the drive 72 yards to the house to extend the Alabama lead to 42-23.

After one first down the Razorbacks' drive stalled. Alabama will take over on the 27 after a punt.

Arkansas' first play of the possession went for 10 yards on a Jefferson scramble.

TOUCHDOWN: McClellan takes it up the middle for two yards and a touchdown. Alabama leads 35-23.

On 3rd-and-15 Milroe scrambles for 77 yards to set up 1st-and-GOAL.

Third Quarter

Alabama takes over at the 25 after a touchback.

TOUCHDOWN: Sanders takes the carry three yards for the score. Arkansas now only trails 28-23. Two-point attempt is no good.

Alabama's offense went three-and-out. A bad snap on the punt gives Arkansas the ball at the Alabama 3-yard-line.

FIELD GOAL: Cam Little drills a 22-yard field goal to cut the lead to 28-17.

Arkansas has set up 1st-and-GOAL at the four yard line.

Jefferson completes another difficult third down pass to move Arkansas to the Alabama 33.

Arkansas successfully converts an onside kick and gets the ball back.

TOUCHDOWN: AJ Green blasts up the middle for a 13-yard rushing touchdown. Alabama still holds a 28-14 lead.

Jefferson completed another pass over the middle on 3rd-and-long to move the chains for Arkansas again.

Brian Branch will not return to the game per the CBS broadcast.

Jefferson found Knox across the middle for a 36-yard gain to put the Razorbacks back in Alabama territory.

Alabama punted to the Arkansas 21-yard-line after being held to 4th-and-1.

Jase McClellan is back on the field after his previous injury.

Milroe scrambled for 11 yards on 3rd-and-10 for an Alabama first down.

Milroe started the second half at quarterback. Young is on the sideline watching.

Alabama forced a stop after one first down from Arkansas.

Malachi Moore is on the field instead of the previously-injured Brian Branch to open the half.

Bryce Young is back on the field warming up before the second half.

Arkansas will receive the second half kick.

Halftime notes

Before the injury, Bryce Young looked impressive with 173 yards and two total touchdowns.
Six different Alabama receivers caught passes. True freshmen Kobe Prentice and Isaiah Bond combined for 168 yards.
JoJo Earle's first catch of the season went for a touchdown. He missed the first four games of the season with a preseason foot injury.
Jalen Milroe has looked calm and confident in relief of Young.
Jahmyr Gibbs set his Alabama-high for carries with 11, and did it in just the first half. His backup, Jase McClellan, did not return in the first half after suffering an upper-body injury.
Alabama doubled Arkansas in total yards, 315-149.
Dallas Turner led Alabama with two tackles for loss.
Turner, freshman Jaheim Oatis and Will Anderson Jr. all paced the Alabama defense with five tackles apiece.

Second Quarter

The touchdown was reviewed, and was confirmed by the officials.

TOUCHDOWN: Jefferson found Ketron Jackson Jr. for a 6-yard score. Alabama leads 28-7 with 21 seconds to go in the half.

A 26 yard run from Sanders has Arkansas set up 1st-and-GOAL from the 9-yard-line.

Arkansas has crossed into Alabama territory again after a 20 yard completion to the 35.

Brian Branch is down on the field.

Since entering the game for Young, Milroe is 3-of-5 passing for 62 yards and a touchdown, with a rushing touchdown as well.

TOUCHDOWN: JoJo Earle took a Milroe screen 22 yards on 3rd-and-18 to extend Alabama's lead to 28-0.

Jahmyr Gibbs has 11 carries on the game, his most in an Alabama uniform.

Milroe completed a pass to Bond who got some nice yards after the catch to move Alabama into Arkansas territory.

Jefferson is sacked by Oatis and Anderson on second down, and Alabama stopped Arkansas on third down setting up the Razorbacks' fifth punt.

TOUCHDOWN: Jalen Milroe kept a read-option and took it three yards for a touchdown. Alabama leads 21-0.

Jalen Milroe has entered the game at quarterback.

Arkansas went three-and-out once again and punted. McKinstry took the return 51 yards to the Arkansas 11-yard-line.

Bryce Young has entered the injury tent.

Arkansas will take over at its own 8-yard-line after a 49-yard punt from James Burnip.

Holden was down on the field but walked off on his own power after he dropped a pass that would have given Alabama a first down on 3rd-and-8.

FUMBLE: After crossing the 50 for the first time all game, Raheim Sanders fumbled and Hellams recovered for Alabama.

Reichard missed a 53-yard attempt wide to the left after Young was sacked on third down. That marked Reichard's first missed kick of the season.

First Quarter

Burton's first catch of the day went for 14 yards to put Alabama into Arkansas territory at the end of the quarter.

McClellan suffered an upper-body injury but is expected to return to the game, per the CBS broadcast.

Arkansas' drive stalled again after picking up just one first down. Alabama will take over at the 49 after a good return from McKinstry.

TOUCHDOWN: Young scrambled left for an easy 8-yard rushing score. Reichard's PAT was true, giving Alabama a 14-0 lead.

What a MOVE 😳😳@_bryce_young
pic.twitter.com/L3YGVwajtt
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 1, 2022

Young found freshman Isaiah Bond wide open for a 53 yards gain setting up 1st-and-GOAL for Alabama.

Tyler Booker has entered the game at left guard, replacing Javion Cohen.

Arkansas punted after a quick-three-and-out. Alabama will take over at its own 20-yard-line.

TOUCHDOWN: Young hit Prentice for a 47-yard catch-and-run. Alabama leads 7-0 after the Reichard PAT.

After Young fumbled the snap, McClellan recovered and ran three yards for an Alabama first down.

Arkansas punted on 4th-and-11 after Jefferson threw it away. Alabama will take over at its own 35.

The Razorbacks have picked up two first downs and now have the ball at their own 30.

INTERCEPTION: Bryce Young is picked off on a slant route at the Arkansas 1-yard-line. The Razorbacks will take over.

Traeshon Holden caught a seven yard first down at the Arkansas 21.

Young aired it out to freshman Kobe Prentice on 2nd down for a 41 yard gain to the Arkansas 31.

JoJo Earle started the game at wide receiver.

Arkansas kicked a touchback. Alabama will begin its first drive on its own 25-yard-line.

Pregame

Arkansas won the coin toss and has deferred its option to the second half. Alabama will receive the ball to start the game.

DL Jah-Marien Latham is getting work with the first-team defense in warmups.

DL Justin Eboigbe does not appear to be on the field with the team.

DL Byron Young is also going through warmups for Alabama.

Earle is undergoing drills with the rest of the wide receivers for the Crimson Tide. It appears that he will participate in today's game, although to what extent is still unknown. Tyler Harrell is nowhere to be seen, nor is Aaron Anderson.

Today's captains for Alabama: Will Anderson Jr., Bryce Young, Jordan Battle.

Arkansas' entire team is now out on the field for warmups. The rest of Alabama should be joining them shortly.

JoJo Earle is fully dressed and on the field.

Dalcourt is now snapping to third-string quarterback Ty Simpson.

Dalcourt is off to the side during warmups while Young is taking snaps from Seth McLaughlin.

The rest of the Arkansas team has begun to take the field in full pads. Alabama has taken the field fully dressed as well.

Nick Saban just said on the Crimson Tide Sports Network pregame show that center Darrian Dalcourt is dealing with back spasms. He added that Jordan Battle and Byron Young are "OK," but didn't elaborate.

Alabama's special teams have taken the field in full uniform.

All Alabama players have now left the field.

Most of the Alabama team has left the field aside from Bryce Young, Jalen Milroe and Trey Sanders.

The Arkansas special teams players have taken the field in full uniform, met with loud cheers from the student section.

Arkansas' student section is nearly filled over 80 minutes from kickoff.

Jordan Battle is warming up, including sprinting up and down the field, after being day-to-day all week with a leg injury.

Bryce Young has joined the players out on the field. Like with Saban, the student section showed its "support" for the Crimson Tide quarterback.

Some Alabama players have taken the field for warmups.

Alabama's team bus as well as Arkansas have just arrived to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The student section was very welcoming to Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, chanting "Saban Sucks!" as he walked around the field.

Today's officials:

Referee: Scott Walker
Umpire: Tom Quick
Linesman: Gary Jayroe
Line Judge: Chad Lorance
Back Judge: Matt Hollifield
Field Judge: Phillip Davenport
Side Judge: Michael Williams
Center Judge: Chris Garner

Game Preview

While Alabama's 15-game win streak over Tennessee gets the majority of the headlines, the Crimson Tide has also quietly never lost to Arkansas since Nick Saban's arrival in Tuscaloosa back in 2007.

And this year, the Razorbacks have arguably the best chance they've ever had to snap that streak.

Head coach Sam Pittman has built a legitimate contender for the SEC West this season. While the Razorbacks suffered a heartbreaking 23-21 loss at Texas A&M this past weekend to bring their record to 3-1 on the year, don't let this Arkansas team fool you: they are for real.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson is firing on all cylinders. The defense has shown massive improvement under veteran leadership. In short, the Razorbacks have all the tools needed — and with the game taking place inside the hostile environment of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium to boot — to potentially hand Alabama an upset.

But the Crimson Tide are obviously no slouches, either. Quarterback Bryce Young is coming off of one of the best performances of his career — a 385-yard and four-touchdown performance against Vanderbilt — and Alabama's defense has only surrendered two offensive touchdowns through four games.

When these two teams meet up on Oct. 1, it'll be must-watch television for college football fans.

How to Watch No. 2 Alabama at No. 20 Arkansas

Who: Alabama at Arkansas

When: 2:30 p.m. CT, Saturday, Oct. 1

Where: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium

TV: CBS

Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network. Play-By-Play Chris Stewart, Analyst John Parker Wilson, Sideline Roger Hoover, Host Cory Reamer. SiriusXM channel 81.

Series: Alabama leads 22-8 all-time

Last Meeting: Alabama narrowly edged out Arkansas when the teams last met in November of 2021, but that didn't stop Bryce Young from having the best performance of his career.

Young passes for 559 yards — a career high — and five passing touchdowns. Wide receivers Jameson Williams and John Metchie III recorded 190 and 173 receiving yards, respectively, while Williams also caught an impressive three touchdowns.

The Razorbacks were no slouch on offense, either. Quarterback KJ Jefferson completed 22-of-30 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns of his own.

It all resulted in a close 42-35 win for Alabama.

Last Time Out, Alabama: Young was back to Heisman contender form as the Crimson Tide dismantled the Vanderbilt Commodores by a score of 55-3.

Young completed 25-of-36 passes for 385 yards and four touchdowns, with the junior quarterback completing passes to no less than 12 different receivers. In total, Alabama amassed 628 offensive yards in the offensive clinic.

The Crimson Tide's defense didn't slack off, either, holding the Commodores to just 129 total yards. With just 14 rushing yards, Vanderbilt's ground attack was rendered ineffective, and eight tackles for loss — including five sacks — kept the Commodores at bay for the vast majority of the night.

In the team's SEC opener, it was Alabama's most well-rounded performance of the year thus far.

Last Time Out, Arkansas: While everything was fine and dandy in Tuscaloosa, the same could not be said for the Razorbacks in Dallas against Texas A&M.

Arkansas leapt out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but a touchdown by the Aggies followed by an 82-yard scoop-and-score (and a missed extra point) put Texas A&M down by just one point at halftime.

10 points in the third quarter for the Aggies proved enough to hold off the Razorbacks, and Arkansas left with a 23-21 loss.

Arkansas amassed 244 rushing yards, and Jefferson recorded two passing touchdowns on the day. However, the disappointing loss will no doubt sting in the hearts of Razorbacks fans heading into what is sure to be a difficult game against Alabama.