Mississippi State won the battles-both out-rushing and out-passing the visiting No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks-but the Hogs won the war, returning both an interception and a kickoff for touchdowns to win the game 28-14.
“The bottom line is the interception for a touchdown and the kick return for a touchdown,” Croom said. “That’s the game.”
The Razorbacks (10-1, 7-0) scored the game’s first touchdown with just less than three minutes left in the first quarter when MSU quarterback Mike Henig threw an arrant slant pass to his right that was picked off and returned 86 yards for a touchdown by junior cornerback Chris Houston.
The Bulldogs (3-8, 1-6) responded on the next drive with a 65-yard touchdown run by freshman Anthony Dixon, but couldn’t enjoy it for long, as Arkansas’s Darren McFadden ran the ensuing kickoff back for another Razorback touchdown.
“In 12 seconds the score went to 14-7, and they hadn’t earned anything,” Croom said. “They didn’t work to get those points. We were very charitable. We handed them the ballgame on two simple plays.”
The Bulldogs tied the game in the second quarter on a 22-yard pass from Henig to junior Tony Burks, but Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick answered with a 29-yard score to Damian Williams just before halftime.
In the second half, senior Hog receiver Marcus Monk scored on a 35-yard pass to put the Hogs up by two scores, sealing the Razorback victory.
“We just let one slip away,” senior linebacker Quinton Culberson said.
Sophomore quarterback Mike Henig went 9-for-25, passing for 123 yards and rushing for 49 more while throwing a touchdown and an interception before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with another break in his left collarbone.
Senior quarterback Omarr Conner returned from a groin injury to play the rest of the game, going 6-for-9 for 78 yards and an interception.
Conner is expected to start Saturday against Mississippi in the Egg Bowl.
“For Omarr to come out today, having not practiced in I don’t know how many weeks, and play like he did; that guy’s a winner,” Croom said. “I’m gonna miss him.”
Other than the long kickoff return, McFadden-the Southeastern Conference’s leading rusher-was able to do very little against the stiff Mississippi State defense.
He rushed for only 84 yards and averaged just over three yards per carry in the contest.
He now has over 1,300 yards on the season with one game left to play.
“We had our mind made up to stop McFadden,” Culberson said. “Others couldn’t stop him, so we watched film and took some notes, and I thought we did a pretty good job on him.”
“He likes to get outside, so we just wanted to keep him contained,” senior defensive end Michael Heard said. “He didn’t get 100 yards so we did pretty good.”