ARLINGTON, Texas — Arkansas players on the field were jumping up and down with joy, the guys on the sideline wore huge smiles and tens of thousands of fans followed their usual cries of “Woo Pig Sooie!”
Tyler Wilson threw for a school- record 510 yards, Jarius Wright caught 13 passes for a school-record 281 yards and the No. 18 Arkansas Razorbacks turned an 18-point halftime deficit into a 42-38 victory over No. 14 Texas A&M on Saturday.
“We played in the second half with a tremendous amount of heart, competitive spirit, toughness,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. “It was a really good win.”
Texas A&M scored five touchdowns in the first half, all on the ground against a defense that had allowed only a single rushing touchdown over four previous games. The Razorbacks snapped back to form in the second half, yielding only a field goal, albeit one that gave the Aggies a 38-35 lead with 4:22 left.
Then Broderick Green ran 3 yards for a touchdown with 1:41 left to put Arkansas ahead for the first time.
One defensive stand later, the celebrations broke out among the Hogs’ half of the 69,838 fans.
Meanwhile, the Aggies and their fans were forced to accept a second straight agonizing defeat.
Just a week before, they gave up a 17-point halftime lead at home in a 30-29 loss to Oklahoma State.
It’s a one-two punch that has taken the Aggies from No. 8 and the cusp of the national title chase to likely the back end of the top 25 and sinking in the Big 12 Conference race.
Kansas State 36, No. 15 Baylor 35
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Robert Griffin III threw his first interception at exactly the wrong time.
Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown picked off Baylor’s star quarterback in the closing minutes, setting up Anthony Cantele’s 31-yard field goal as the Wildcats won their third straight Big 12 opener.
Kansas State trailed 35-26 midway through the fourth quarter when Collin Klein engineered a 13-play, 70- yard drive that he capped with a short touchdown plunge.
Still, Baylor took over needing only a couple first downs to wrap up its first 4-0 start since 1991. Instead, Griffin missed Brown sliding over across the middle and Kansas State’s defensive captain hauled in the throw.
It was the first interception thrown by Griffin this season.
Cantele, who missed earlier in the game from 42 yards, hit the go-ahead field goal with 3:10 left in the game and the nation’s sixth-ranked defense preserved the Wildcats’ win.
No. 2 Oklahoma 62, Ball State 6
NORMAN, Okla. — Ball State (3-2) didn’t stand much of a chance after recovering an onside kick to open the game, then going three-and-out.
Tony Jefferson stopped three straight Cardinals drives with picks midway through the second quarter.
No. 17 Texas 37, Iowa State 14
AMES, Iowa — The Longhorns raced to a 34-0 halftime lead to pound the previously unbeaten Cyclones.
Texas Tech 45, Kansas 34
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Seth Doege passed for 366 yards and three touchdowns and Eric Stephens rushed for 124 yards and scored twice, helping Texas Tech come roaring back from a 20-point deficit.
