How It Happened: Arkansas 19, No. 4 Tennessee 14

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas backup quarterback Malachi Singleton ran for an 11-yard touchdown with one minute, 17 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Razorbacks stunned No. 4 Tennessee in a 19-14 upset Saturday night at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Nico Iamaleava completed a 42-yard pass to Dont’e Thornton on the game’s final possession, but the redshirt freshman quarterback ran out of bounds with no time left on the clock after getting flushed out of the pocked on fourth-and-5.

Tennessee got the ball at its own 20-yard line with 4:05 left, clinging to a 14-13 lead, but the Vols went three-and-out after a Dylan Sampson 1-yard run and two Iamaleava incompletions. 

Iamaleava finished 16 of 28 for 156 yards with no touchdowns. Sampson ran 22 times for 140 yards, rushing for two touchdowns in the third quarter to help the Vols build a 14-3 lead. 

Here’s how it happened, as it happened:

First Quarter

Arkansas 3, Tennessee 0 (5:48): Tennessee fell behind for the first time this season after Arkansas drove the length of the field and kicked a 20-yard field goal. The Razorbacks were called for a false start on third-and-goal at 1-yard line and the Vols held them out of the end zone from there. The drive took nine minutes, 13 seconds off the clock as Arkansas converted twice on two third down and once on fourth down. 

Halftime

The most unproductive first half of the Josh Heupel era ended with zero points, 76 total yards, four first downs and only nine minutes, 18 seconds of possession. It was the first time Tennessee has been shut out in a first half since 2019. 

Arkansas couldn’t take full advantage, though, after getting stopped on two attempts on fourth-and-short and missing a 44-yard field goal wide left. 

Nico Iamaleava completed 8 of 10 passes for 61 yards in the first half but Tennessee ran for just 15 yards on 13 attempts. Iamaleava was sacked three times. Dylan Sampon ran seven times for 25 yards and had an 11-yard reception. Squirrel White caught four passes for 20 yards and tight end Miles Kitselman had two catches for 24 yards. 

Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green completed 12 of 18 passes for 146 yards and the Razorbacks ran 25 times for 77 yards after having the ball for 20 minutes, 42 seconds. The Hogs were 5-for-10 on third down. 

Tennessee entered the game ranked first in college football in total defense, giving up just 176 yards per game. Arkansas finished the first half with 221 total yards.

Third Quarter

Tennessee 7, Arkansas 3 (12:33): Tennessee finally found life to start the second half thanks to a 53-yard run from Dylan Sampson on third-and-4 at the Tennessee 38-yard line. Sampson scored from four yards out on the next snap to complete a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took 2:27 off the clock.

Tennessee 14, Arkansas 3 (8:19): Tennessee’s defense got a three-and-out and the offense went back to work, driving 60 yards in seven plays ending with another Sampson touchdown run, this one from four yards out. The Vols benefitted from an Arkansas late hit on the Tennessee sideline and a roughing the passer call later in the drive.

Tennessee 14, Arkansas 10 (4:38): Arkansas answered with a touchdown drive of its own on the following possession. The Razorbacks went 75 yards in eight plays, with Ja’Quinden Jackson scoring on a 2-yard touchdown run. Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green completed back-to-back passes of 26 and 17 yards to account for the bulk of the yards. The drive started with a 15-yard completion to Isaiah Sategna on a swing pass. 

Fourth Quarter

Tennessee 14, Arkansas 13 (4:38): Tennessee’s defense got off the field, but Jordan Ross was called for running into the punter on fourth-and-3, giving the Razorbacks a first down. They didn’t waste the extra opportunity. Green threw for 22 yards to Tyrone Borden and 31 yards to Armstrong on back-to-back plays to get the Hogs inside the 10-yard line. Tennessee’s defense held Arkansas out of the end zone after Green was hurt on the 31-yard throw. The Razorbacks settled for a 22-yard field goal.

Arkansas 19, Tennessee 14 (1:17): The game-winning drive for Arkansas went 59 yards in just four plays with Malachi Singleton running 11 yards for the go-ahead score. Singleton threw complete for 13 yards on first down and Braylen Russell rushed for 24 yards on second down to set the Razorbacks up at the Tennessee 22. Russell ran for 11 yards on the next snap, just before Singleton got in the end zone.