The story of the day was the play of Texas quarterback Arch Manning who accounted for six touchdowns leading the Longhorns to a 52-37 win over Arkansas.
Manning completed 18 of 30 passes for 389 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed two times for five yards and a touchdown. On a trick play, Manning caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Parker Livingstone.
"We kind of felt like the second half was an old fashioned ass kicking," Petrino said. "We couldn’t stop them and couldn’t keep up with the score and we turned the ball over. We threw one of them that was a bad turnover. The other of them was, you know the young quarterback got hit in the back and the ball came out. Unfortunately it led to a touchdown. So, but I did like the way they competed hard. I thought KJ (Jackson) came in and it was really good to see him get that experience. And move the then team and get some touchdowns on the board but we could never get back in it in the second half. "
Arkansas' offense moved the ball well. They actually had more total offense, 512-490, than Texas. The Razorbacks used two quarterbacks who combined to pass for 324 yards. The Hogs also rushed for 188 yards. Mike Washington rushed 17 times for 105 yards and a touchdown. He also caught six passes for 43 yards.
The Hogs did have two turnovers that cost them two touchdowns. On his last play, Taylen Green threw an interception that led to a Texas touchdown. KJ Jackson replaced Green and had a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. The Longhorns had no turnovers.
Jackson came into the game with 7:08 remaining in the third quarter and the Hogs trailing 38-20. He completed 16 of 29 passes for 206 yards and a touchdown. Jackson also had four carries for 17 yards and one more touchdown. Green completed 10 of 20 passes for 118 yards and an interception. Green also rushed six times for 56 yards and a touchdown. Petrino felt the longer Jackson played the better he got.
"Yes, he did a nice job, you know and that we could get him on drives," Petrino said. "His two touchdown drives together. And if you could take away that one play that he had … Their pass rusher, we kind of made a conscious effort all day long not to let him get to us and we chipped him a number of times and we did a good job. The battle was one on one and we couldn’t do anything about it."
It was a good day for the Arkansas tight ends. Rohan Jones had five receptions for 82 yards while Jaden Platt added four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Freshman kicker Scott Starzyk also had a good day. He was perfect on three field goals. His first one was good for 51 yards and gave the Razorbacks a brief 3-0 lead on their first possession. He also added a pair of 33-yard field goals with one also in the first quarter and the other in the third quarter.
Texas and Texas both scored on their first three possessions. The difference was Arkansas had one touchdown, Washington's 22-yard touchdown run with 14:09 remaining in the first half that brought the Hogs to within 14-13, and two field goals.
Texas, on the other hand scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions. Manning threw a 46-yard touchdown to DeAndre Moore Jr for a 7-3 lead. After Starzyk's second field goal got the Hogs within 7-6, Livingstone tossed his touchdown pass to Manning. Following Washington's touchdown that cut the lead to one, Manning found Livingstone for a 54-yard touchdown and 21-13 lead. Livingstone had two receptions on the day for 104 yards and a touchdown.
Green scored on a 4-yard run to allow the Razorbacks to move to within one, 21-20, with 7:24 remaining in the first half. Texas would add a 44-yard field goal from Mason Shipley to take a 24-20 lead into intermission.
Texas got the ball to start the second half. Manning took the Horns on a five-play, 75-yard drive that ended with him scoring on a 3-yard run.
On Arkansas' first possession of the second half. facing a third and three at his own 43 Green threw the ball up for grabs and it was intercepted by Texas' Jelani McDonald with 9:41 remaining in the third quarter.
It took Texas seven plays to cover the 38 yards that concluded with Manning finding Moore for a 9-yard touchdown and 38-20 lead.
Jackson entered for Green and took the Hogs on a 13-play, 60-yard drive that resulted in Starzyk's second 33-yard field goal of the game.
Texas came right back with Manning once again finding Moore for a 20-yard touchdown and 45-23 lead with 50 seconds remaining in the third quarter. On the day, Moore caught three passes for 73 yards and each of his catches going for a touchdown.
Texas got its final touchdown when Collin Simmons stripped Jackson from the ball and Liona Lefay picked up the loose ball and raced 52 yards for a touchdown.
The Hogs added touchdowns on a 12-yard run by Jackson and then the quarterback finding Platt for an 8-yard touchdown pass.
Arkansas (2-9, 0-7) will finish its season Saturday at Razorback Stadium hosting Missouri at 2:30 p.m. on the SEC Network. Missouri (7-4, 3-4) lost to Oklahoma 17-6 on Saturday. Missouri enters the game having lost three of its last four games.
"There are a lot of guys in the room that it will be their last time in their college career," Petrino said. "So we’ve got to try and finish it right and finish with a really good attitude that they will always remember keeping. I’ve liked their attitude. The teamwork in the second half, that’s unfortunate because you know we really haven’t done that. And we’ve had attitudes and good fight and good effort. But then there is a number of people that, one of those things we’ve got to get together with the guys that really want to finish strong and want to finish next week to help lead the other guys."
The Razorbacks could have their new coach named prior to Saturday's season finale.