Arkansas Nearly Stuns, but Late Turnover Lifts Rebels to 41–35 Win

Arkansas came within reach of a signature road win Saturday night, but a late fumble ended their hopes. Trailing by 13 in the final quarter, the Razorbacks mounted a furious comeback, only to see it fall short inside the red zone as No. 17 Ole Miss held on for a 41-35 victory in Oxford.

The loss marked the third straight defeat to Lane Kiffin’s Rebels. Less than a year after falling 63-31 in Fayetteville, Arkansas looked ready for redemption but once again came up short.

Offensive Showcase

The Rebels (4-0, 2-0 SEC) stormed to 31 first half points and nearly 500 yards of offense behind backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. The Division II transfer from Ferris State, making his first FBS start, accounted for three touchdowns by throwing for one and running for two more.

The Razorbacks (2-1, 0-1 SEC) countered with another explosive outing from quarterback Taylen Green. 

He completed 22 of 35 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 115 yards on 14 carries with another score. Green kept Arkansas in position for an upset, but the team’s lone turnover, a fumble by redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jalen Brown with 1:52 remaining, sealed their fate.

Running back Mike Washington contributed 65 yards and two touchdowns, while Braylen Russell and O’Mega Blake also reached the end zone.

 In all, Arkansas piled up 522 yards of offense, but Ole Miss capitalized on key moments, converting 8 of 12 third downs and finishing with 475 total yards.

Back-and-Forth First Half

On the very first play, Taylen Green connected with Jaden Platt for a 34 yard gain, but the drive stalled when kicker Scott Starzyk pushed a 51 yard field goal wide right. Ole Miss answered with a methodical 13 play, 67 yard march, capped by a 2 yard touchdown run from Kewan Lacy.

Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, starting in place of the injured Austin Simmons, benefited from an early defensive pass interference against Arkansas. The Razorbacks struck back late in the opening quarter when Green found O’Mega Blake wide open for a 30 yard touchdown, tying the score at 7–7.

Ole Miss wasted no time responding. Chambliss connected with Cayden Lee for a 62 yard strike as the first quarter ended, then finished the drive himself with a 2 yard run. Arkansas quickly countered when Mike Washington broke free for a 47 yard touchdown burst, but the Rebels regained the lead moments later on a 64 yard catch and run by Dae’Quan Wright.

The Razorbacks drew even again when a holding penalty erased a Green interception in the end zone. Braylen Russell capped the drive with a 3 yard plunge to tie it 21–21.

After another swift Rebel touchdown, Arkansas responded once more. Green connected with Washington for 35 yards to set up his own touchdown run around the right edge, making it 28–28 with just over a minute left in the half.

That still left time for Ole Miss, which drove for a field goal to take a 31–28 advantage into the locker room. The second quarter alone produced 45 combined points, with Arkansas holding a 333–301 edge in total yardage at the break.

Rebels Pull Ahead

Both defenses finally forced punts to start the third quarter. Punter Devin Bale pinned Ole Miss inside its own 10 yard line, but Chambliss answered by finding De’Zhaun Stribling for a 6 yard touchdown late in the period, pushing the Rebels’ lead to 38–28.

Early in the fourth quarter, play was halted for several minutes after Arkansas defensive back Kani Walker suffered an injury. He gave a thumbs-up as he left the field on a stretcher.

Ole Miss later extended its lead to 41–28 with a 23 yard field goal with 10:58 remaining, aided by a defensive holding call against the Razorbacks.

Razorbacks Rally Falls Short

The Razorbacks fought back with an 11-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Washington’s second rushing touchdown, pulling within 41–35 with 4:56 to play.

A rare defensive stop gave Arkansas one final chance. Green connected with Raylen Sharpe on an 18-yard pass, and the Razorbacks advanced deep into Rebel territory. But with less than two minutes remaining, Jalen Brown fumbled at the Ole Miss 24-yard line.

The Rebels ran out the clock to secure the victory.

Chambliss Shines in First Start

Entering the night, questions surrounded Ole Miss’ quarterback position after Austin Simmons suffered an ankle injury the previous week. Trinidad Chambliss, not listed on the official injury report, earned the start and delivered a standout debut.

Chambliss completed 21 of 29 passes for 353 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 62 yards and two additional scores. Despite his limited experience at the Power Four level, he appeared composed and effective against Arkansas.

Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman said his staff had prepared for both quarterbacks. “A heck of a game by two good offenses,” Pittman said. “It certainly came down to the end where we had a chance to win it, and unfortunately we couldn’t. But I was really proud of our offense. They kept us in it. Our defense couldn’t do anything in the first half, especially most of the game. We have problems there, and we’ve got to get them fixed. But the offense kept us in the game, then the defense got a stop, and we had a chance to win at the end. Two good SEC football teams out there, unfortunately we came up on the short end.”

Defensive Struggles

Arkansas linebacker Xavian Sorey, who finished the game with seven tackles, expressed frustration at the defense’s struggle to consistently pressure the quarterback. He stressed that the front seven must do more to support the secondary, while the secondary also needs to perform its role.

Penalties and missed tackles compounded Arkansas’ problems. The Razorbacks committed seven penalties, six on defense, resulting in 58 yards and four automatic first downs. Missed tackles allowed Ole Miss to turn short gains into big plays throughout the game.

Looking ahead, Arkansas will step out of SEC play for its second-to-last nonconference game of the season. The Razorbacks, now 2-1, travel to Memphis to face the undefeated Tigers, who are 3-0, at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. CDT, with the game broadcast on ABC.