FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In a stunning upset, the Arkansas Razorbacks (4-2, 2-1 SEC) took down the No. 4-ranked Tennessee Volunteers (4-1, 1-1 SEC) 19-14 on Saturday at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas dominated the time of possession and controlled Tennessee’s explosive offense, holding the Volunteers scoreless through the first half and limiting them to just 77 total yards.
The Razorbacks, returning home for only the second time in six weeks, capitalized on a late touchdown run by freshman quarterback Malachi Singleton to seal their first win against a Top 5 team since 2007.
Tennessee, which had averaged 54 points and 565.8 yards per game entering the matchup, struggled offensively early. Arkansas’ defense was stellar, with kicker Kyle Ramsey putting the Razorbacks on the board first with a 20-yard field goal in the first quarter. Despite outgaining Tennessee in the first half, the Razorbacks couldn’t convert those opportunities into more points, heading into halftime with a narrow 3-0 lead.
The Volunteers found their rhythm in the third quarter as star running back Dylan Sampson, the SEC’s leader in rushing touchdowns, broke free with a 53-yard run before punching in two touchdowns from four yards out. This surge gave Tennessee a 14-3 lead with 8:18 left in the third.
Arkansas answered back when Ja’Quinden Jackson finished an eight-play, 75-yard drive with a two-yard rushing touchdown, cutting Tennessee’s lead to 14-10. In the fourth quarter, Matthew Shipley’s 22-yard field goal brought the score to 14-13, setting the stage for a late-game comeback.
After Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green went down with an injury, redshirt freshman Malachi Singleton stepped up, orchestrating a game-winning drive and running 11 yards into the end zone to put the Razorbacks ahead 19-14 with just over a minute remaining.
Arkansas’ defense held strong in the final moments, stopping Tennessee’s final drive and securing the upset victory. The Razorbacks now enter their bye week and will return to action at home against LSU on October 19.
