How many lives does Arkansas have?
First, it was the 4th-and-25 in overtime. Then, it was the two-point conversion to win it. Initially stopped, the Razorbacks got a second chance after a penalty, and quarterback Brandon Allen ran it in, giving Arkansas a 53-52 win over Ole Miss in what turned out to be a wild one in Oxford.
“Our offense had really been clicking all game,” Allen said of the decision to go for two in overtime. “We knew if we scored here, we were going to try and end it. And we did.”
What this win means for Arkansas: Do the Razorbacks just enjoy extra football? That's their third game to go into overtime this season. But that's also three straight wins for Arkansas, who -- not unlike last season -- is playing its best football down the stretch. Next week won’t get any easier with a road trip to LSU, but the Hogs are just win one away from becoming bowl eligible.
What this loss means for Ole Miss: The SEC West is now all but out of reach for the Rebels, and for the second straight season, the dream came to an end against Arkansas. Despite the loss, quarterback Chad Kelly played the best game of his Ole Miss career. The junior college transfer threw for 368 yards, rushed for 110 yards and scored a combined six touchdowns. This team will look to bounce back in one week at home against LSU.
Player of the game: Win or lose, Allen was going to be the player of the game. The Arkansas quarterback went 33-of-45 for 442 yards and six touchdowns, and it was only fitting that he was the one to run in the game-winning two-point conversion. He was literally carried off the field by one of his teammates after the game. The senior, who has had a roller-coaster career with the Razorbacks, has now thrown for 2,476 yards and 21 touchdowns this season.
Top play: How do you convert a 4th-and-25 in overtime? Just do what Arkansas did. Allen bought time and threw a pass to Hunter Henry short of the sticks. Then, just as Henry was about to be tackled, he heaved it behind him to nobody in particular. That’s when Alex Collins picked it up and ran it 30 yards for the first down. It was just how Bret Bielama and Dan Enos drew it up.