Arkansas upsets Tennessee in first win against top-5 team since ’07

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Malachi Singleton scored on an 11-yard run with 1:17 remaining to lift Arkansas to a 19-14 victory over No. 4 Tennessee on Saturday night.

The Razorbacks (4-2, 2-1 SEC) overcame a 14-3 deficit in the third quarter to earn their first win over an AP top-5 team since 2007 against No. 1 LSU. They had lost 18 in a row against such teams entering Saturday.

It was also their first home win over a top 5 opponent since beating the No. 3 Volunteers in 1999. Singleton, the backup to starting quarterback Taylen Green, led the game-winning drive after the transfer from Boise State left the game with an injury. .

“Our kids and our coaches have done a great job of preparing our guys and making them believe we can win tonight,” Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said. “These guys are happy; they’re not surprised. If we have the same turnover, we can play with anyone.

“You get to work on coaching in moments like what just happened, and it’s to see the kids and the smiles on their faces and the hard work that they put in, because there are a lot of teams that can’t achieve that feeling .We did that tonight.”

Along with No. 1 Alabama’s loss at Vanderbilt earlier in the day, it marked the first time two top-5 teams from the same conference lost on the same regular season weekend since Oct. 6, 2012, when No. 4 LSU and No. 4 LSU 5 Georgia was defeated. It also marked the first time two top-5 teams were defeated by unranked opponents since No. 4 Miami and No. 5 Florida State lost on October 30, 2004.

Singleton completed 2 of 3 passes for 31 yards and ran four times for 12 yards and the go-ahead goal. Ja’Quinden Jackson added 57 yards rushing and a touchdown on 20 carries, and Andrew Armstrong led Arkansas with nine receptions for 132 yards.

“The last two drives he was phenomenal,” Pittman said of Singleton, a redshirt freshman. “He ran (the offense) very, very well and scored the touchdown to go on. He’s been here a long time and hasn’t been able to play. To go in there and score the winning touchdown – with the help of ten other guys, it must be really satisfying for him.”

Following Singleton’s score, Nico Iamaleava led Tennessee (4-1, 1-1) down the field to the Razorbacks 20, but was pushed out of bounds on fourth and fifth at the 16 as time expired. Arkansas fans immediately stormed the field.

Dylan Sampson scored two third-quarter touchdowns in the span of 4:14 to give the Volunteers a 14-3 lead and seemingly turn the tide of the game. But Arkansas, in front of the sixth-largest crowd in stadium history, scored the game’s final 16 points and held on late with another defensive stop.

“When moments like this happen, the outside world will have a story for you. We talk about it when things go well, and tonight it didn’t go well,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said. “You have to look your teammates in the eye. Those are the opinions that matter.

“You’ve got to keep pulling the rope harder. We’ve got to keep growing. Good teams get better as the year goes on. (We) still have a chance to be a really good football team.”

Green completed 19 of 27 passes for 266 yards before leaving the game.

Iamaleava was 16 for 28 passing for 156 yards, and Sampson ran for a game-high 140 yards on 22 carries.

Behind early

When Arkansas capped a 16-play, 74-yard game-opening drive with a 20-yard field goal by Kyle Ramsey at 5:48 of the first quarter, it marked the first time Tennessee had trailed since the 38-10 loss. to top-ranked Georgia last November. The Volunteers had not trailed in the previous six games.

Survey implications

Tennessee is certain to fall in the upcoming AP poll after suffering its first loss since last November.

Arkansas could get a healthy amount of votes.

The takeaway

Tennessee’s defense was solid for most of the game, but the offense, which entered the weekend ranked No. 1 in the FBS in points per game, has yet to be fixed.

Arkansas heads into the bye week on a positive note after posting the biggest win of the Sam Pittman era. The Razorbacks matched their win total from last season and took a significant step toward bowl eligibility.

Next

Tennessee returns home to host Florida next Saturday.

Arkansas has a bye week before hosting No. 13 LSU on Oct. 19.

This report used information from The Associated Press.