Sam Pittman reacts to Arkansas' fourth-quarter performance to escape Missouri State, Bobby Petrino

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman knows his team was outplayed for most of Saturday’s game against Missouri State. But when the Razorbacks were most in danger, they came away with the big-time plays needed in the fourth quarter to escape with a 38-27 victory.

Arkansas never led through the first three quarters, but outscored the Bears 21-3 in the final stanza. They took their first lead of the game with 9:16 remaining on an 80-yard punt return from Bryce Stephens. In an on-field interview with ESPN postgame, Pittman said he was proud of the way the Razorbacks finished — even if things didn’t start the way he wanted.

“I’m proud that we found a way to win,” Pittman said. “Coach (Bobby) Petrino had his group ready. They outplayed us. They outcoached me. We were just fortunate enough that our kids made enough plays to win.”

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Missouri State jumped out to a 17-0 lead across the first two quarters as Arkansas fumbled on two of its first four drives, including at the Bears 1-yard line. The Razorbacks scored a pair of touchdowns before halftime to cut the deficit to 17-14, but was still slow out of the gate in the third.

But once the fourth quarter hit, running back Raheim Sanders found a way to take over. Not only did he score the first touchdown of the quarter on a 73-yard shovel pass from KJ Jefferson, but he also had a 43-yard run that set up Jefferson to punch it in from one yard out for the game’s final touchdown.

Sanders ended the game with 22 carries for 167 yards rushing and a touchdown in addition to two catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. His 242 total yards for the game are a career-high.

“They’ve been doing it all year for us and they basically took over the game in the fourth quarter and we needed ’em to,” Pittman said of Sanders and Jefferson. “I’m glad we’re 3-0. We have so much work to do. I’m not gonna be unhappy. I’m unhappy right now, but I’ll be happy once we get in there. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’re 3-0.”

After escaping Missouri State, Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks now turn their attention to a rivalry game against Texas A&M at 6 p.m. CT next Saturday in Arlington.