Blake Shapen threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Evans III on fourth down with 18 seconds left, lifting Mississippi State over Arkansas 38-35 for its first Southeastern Conference victory of the season. The Bulldogs trailed by 14 points with 13:43 left before Shapen led scoring drives of 75, 43 and 69 yards to overcome the deficit. Arkansas, which entered with the seventh-ranked offense in FBS, lost a total of 15 yards on its final three drives. Davon Booth started the fourth-quarter comeback with a 2-yard touchdown run and Kyle Ferrie followed on the next drive with a 46-yard field goal to trim the deficit to four points. The Razorbacks ran just three plays on the ensuing drive before punting, setting up Mississippi State’s go-ahead score.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Blake Shapen threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Evans III on fourth down with 18 seconds left, lifting Mississippi State over Arkansas 38-35 on Saturday for its first Southeastern Conference victory of the season.
The Bulldogs trailed by 14 points with 13:43 left before Shapen led scoring drives of 75, 43 and 69 yards to overcome the deficit. Arkansas, which entered with the seventh-ranked offense in FBS, lost a total of 15 yards on its final three drives.
Davon Booth started the fourth-quarter comeback with a 2-yard touchdown run and Kyle Ferrie followed on the next drive with a 46-yard field goal to trim the deficit to four points. The Razorbacks ran just three plays on the ensuing drive before punting, setting up Mississippi State’s go-ahead score.
Shapen completed 16 of 28 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns. He missed the middle part of the game after being hit on a roughing-the-passer penalty on the first play of the third quarter. Back-up Kamario Taylor entered and led two scoring drives, one capped with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Evans and the other with a 20-yard touchdown run.
Arkansas led 13-7 at halftime behind a touchdown pass from Taylen Green to Rohan Jones and two field goals by Scott Starzyk. Green added an 8-yard rushing touchdown followed by a 20-yard score on the ground by Mike Washington Jr. that provided Arkansas with a 14-point lead midway through the third quarter.
Taylor and Braylen Russell traded touchdowns on the next two possessions before the Bulldogs’ rally.
Green finished 19-of-31 passing for 194 yards and a score with another 46 yards rushing on 17 carries. Washington added 116 yards rushing with a touchdown.
Arkansas hurt itself by committing 18 penalties for 193 yards.
Brenan Thompson, who caught a 32-yard pass on fourth-and-7 to put the Bulldogs into Arkansas territory on their go-ahead drive, had six catches for 107 yards. Evans caught five passes for 111 yards.
Mississippi State won its first SEC game since Oct. 21, 2023, a victory that also came over the Razorbacks. Saturday’s win also snapped a four-game losing streak.
Arkansas is yet to win under interim coach Bobby Petrino. The Razorbacks remained winless in SEC play just six seasons after back-to-back winless seasons in-conference.
Mississippi State will host Georgia on Nov. 8.
Arkansas travels to LSU on Nov. 15.
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