2014 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

2014 Arkansas Razorbacks football
Texas Bowl Champions
Texas Bowl vs. Texas, W 31–7
Conference	Southeastern Conference Western Division
2014 record	7–6 (2–6 SEC)
Head coach	Bret Bielema (2nd year)
Offensive coordinator	Jim Chaney (2nd year)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Robb Smith (1st year)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (Capacity: 72,000) War Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 53,955)

2014 SEC football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Eastern Division
#14 Missouri x		7	–	1					11	–	3
#9 Georgia		6	–	2					10	–	3
Florida		4	–	4					7	–	5
Tennessee		3	–	5					7	–	6
South Carolina		3	–	5					7	–	6
Kentucky		2	–	6					5	–	7
Vanderbilt		0	–	8					3	–	9
Western Division
#4 Alabama x$^		7	–	1					12	–	2
#11 Mississippi State		6	–	2					10	–	3
#17 Ole Miss		5	–	3					9	–	4
#22 Auburn		4	–	4					8	–	5
LSU		4	–	4					8	–	5
Texas A&M		3	–	5					8	–	5
Arkansas		2	–	6					7	–	6
Championship: Alabama 42, Missouri 13
^ – College Football Playoff participant $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 2014 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas during the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Razorbacks played their home games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. They competed as a member of the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference. They were led by second year head coach Bret Bielema. They finished the season 7–6, 2–6 in SEC play to finish in last place in the Western Division. They were invited to the Texas Bowl where they defeated Texas.

Personnel

Coaching staff

Name	Position	Seasons at Arkansas	Alma Mater
Bret Bielema	Head Coach	2	Iowa (1992)
Jim Chaney	Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks	2	Central Missouri State (1985)
Sam Pittman	Associate Head Coach/Offensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator	2	Pittsburg State (1986)
Barry Lunney Jr.	Tight ends	2	Arkansas (1996)
Michael Smith	Wide receivers	2	Kansas State (1991)
Joel Thomas	Running backs	2	Idaho (1998)
Robb Smith	Defensive Coordinator/Secondary	1	Allegheny College (1997)
Randy Shannon	Senior Associate Head Coach/Linebackers	2	Miami (FL) (1989)
Clay Jennings	Secondary	1	North Texas (1996)
Rory Segrest	Defensive Line/Specialists	1	Alabama (1996)
Ernest "E.K." Franks	Director of Recruitng	1	Kansas State (2002)	Reference:

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30	3:00 p.m.	at #6 Auburn	Jordan–Hare Stadium • Auburn, AL	SECN	L 21–45	87,451
September 6	3:00 p.m.	Nicholls State*	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR	SECN	W 73–7	63,108
September 13	2:30 p.m.	at Texas Tech*	Jones AT&T Stadium • Lubbock, TX	ABC	W 49–28	60,277
September 20	6:00 p.m.	Northern Illinois*	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR	ESPNU	W 52–14	67,204
September 27	2:30 p.m.	vs. #6 Texas A&M	AT&T Stadium • Arlington, TX (Rivalry)	CBS	L 28–35 OT	68,113
October 11	5:00 p.m.	#7 Alabama	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR	ESPN	L 13–14	72,337
October 18	3:00 p.m.	#10 Georgia	War Memorial Stadium • Little Rock, AR	SECN	L 32–45	54,959
October 25	11:00 a.m.	UAB*	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR	SECN	W 45–17	61,800
November 1	6:15 p.m.	at #1 Mississippi State	Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, MS	ESPN2	L 10–17	63,207
November 15	7:00 p.m.	#20 LSU	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR (Battle for the Golden Boot)	ESPN2	W 17–0	70,165
November 22	2:30 p.m.	#8 Ole Miss	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR (Rivalry)	CBS	W 30–0	64,510
November 28	1:00 p.m.	at #17 Missouri	Faurot Field • Columbia, MO	CBS	L 14–21	71,168
December 29	8:00 p.m.	vs. Texas*	NRG Stadium • Houston, TX (Texas Bowl, Rivalry)	ESPN	W 31–7	71,115
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Central Time.

Schedule Source:

Game notes

at #6 Auburn

See also: 2014 Auburn Tigers football team

Arkansas at Auburn

1 2 3 4 Total Razorbacks 7 14 0 0 21 • #6 Tigers 14 7 14 10 45 Date: August 30 Location: Jordan-Hare Stadium Auburn, Alabama Game start: 3:00 PM CST Television network: SECN

Nicholls State

See also: 2014 Nicholls State Colonels football team

Arkansas vs. Nicholls State

1 2 3 4 Total Colonels 0 0 7 0 7 • Razorbacks 35 21 7 10 73 Date: September 6 Location: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, Arkansas Game start: 3:00 PM CST Television network: SECN

Arkansas drives toward the end zone

With the 73–7 victory over the Colonels, the Razorbacks managed to end their 10-game losing streak, the longest in school history. Arkansas scored 63 unanswered points before Nicholls State scored a touchdown in the third quarter. The 73 points scored are tied for the third most in school history.

at Texas Tech

See also: 2014 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team

Arkansas at Texas Tech

1 2 3 4 Total • Razorbacks 14 14 7 14 49 Red Raiders 7 14 7 0 28 Date: September 13 Location: Jones AT&T Stadium Lubbock, Texas Game start: 2:30 PM CST Television network: ABC

The win against the Red Raiders gave Arkansas their first back-to-back wins since September 2013. The Razorbacks had 31 first downs during the game, only punting the ball once, while racking up 438 rushing yards on 68 carries.

Northern Illinois

See also: 2014 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

Arkansas vs. Northern Illinois

1 2 3 4 Total Huskies 0 7 0 7 14 • Razorbacks 21 7 7 17 52 Date: September 20 Location: Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, Arkansas Game start: 7:00 PM CST Television network: ESPNU

The Razorbacks got their first score of the game when Korliss Marshall returned the opening kick 97 yards for a touchdown; this was the first time since 2009 vs Missouri State that Arkansas returned the opening kick for a touchdown. Unfortunately, Marshall would be dismissed from the team later in the season. With the win, Arkansas had outscored their previous three opponents 174-49.

at #6 Texas A&M

See also: 2014 Texas A&M Aggies football team

Southwest Classic

1 2 3 4 OT Total Razorbacks 7 14 7 0 0 28 • #6 Aggies 7 7 0 14 7 35 Date: September 27 Location: AT&T Stadium Arlington, Texas Game start: 2:30 PM CST Television network: CBS

The Aggies scored a touchdown and extra point in the first minute of the game, but the Razorbacks quickly overtook them, maintaining a lead that was not broken until the Aggies scored in overtime. The Aggies lagged for much of the game but came back in the final quarter, sending the game into overtime tied at 28. The Aggies won the coin toss and quickly threw a 25-yard touchdown and converted the extra point. The Razorbacks were unable to convert a first down and lost 35-28.

vs #7 Alabama

See also: 2014 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

An early Crimson Tide drive

Arkansas vs. Alabama

1 2 3 4 Total • #7 Crimson Tide 0 7 0 7 14 Razorbacks 0 6 0 7 13 Date: October 11 Location: Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, Arkansas Game start: 5:00 PM CST Television network: ESPN

vs #10 Georgia

See also: 2014 Georgia Bulldogs football team

Arkansas vs. Georgia

1 2 3 4 Total • #10 Bulldogs 7 31 0 7 45 Razorbacks 6 0 13 13 32 Date: October 18 Location: War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, Arkansas Game start: 3:00 CST Television network: SECN

The opening Arkansas drive

vs UAB

See also: 2014 UAB Blazers football team

Arkansas vs. UAB

1 2 3 4 Total Blazers 0 0 10 7 17 • Razorbacks 14 21 10 0 45 Date: October 25 Location: Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, Arkansas Game start: 11:00 CST Television network: SECN

at #1 Mississippi State

See also: 2014 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

Arkansas at Mississippi State

1 2 3 4 Total Razorbacks 3 7 0 0 10 • #1 Bulldogs 0 7 3 7 17 Date: November 1 Location: Davis Wade Stadium Starkville, Mississippi Game start: 6:15 CST Television network: ESPN2

vs. #20 LSU

See also: 2014 LSU Tigers football team

Battle for the Golden Boot

1 2 3 4 Total #20 LSU 0 0 0 0 0 • Razorbacks 3 7 0 7 17 Date: November 15 Location: Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, Arkansas Game start: 7:00 CST Television network: ESPN2

This was the first win in SEC play since October 13, 2012, when the Razorbacks beat Kentucky 49-7 and their first win over LSU since 2010. It was the first time Arkansas shut out LSU in a conference game. The Hogs also took home the Golden Boot, a trophy which goes to the winner of each game and remains at that school until the following years contest.

vs. #8 Ole Miss

See also: 2014 Ole Miss Rebels football team

Arkansas vs. Ole Miss

1 2 3 4 Total #8 Ole Miss 0 0 0 0 0 • Razorbacks 17 0 10 3 30 Date: November 22 Location: Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, Arkansas Game start: 2:30 CST Television network: CBS

Arkansas became the first unranked team ever to shut out two ranked opponents in consecutive games, and got bowl eligible for the first time since 2011.

at #17 Missouri

See also: 2014 Missouri Tigers football team

Arkansas at Missouri

1 2 3 4 Total Arkansas 7 7 0 0 14 • #17 Missouri 0 6 0 15 21 Date: November 28 Location: Faurot Field Columbia, Missouri Game start: 1:00 CST Television network: CBS

In the first annual "Battle Line Rivalry" game between these two schools, Missouri overcame an Arkansas lead in the fourth quarter to win this inaugural contest.

vs. Texas–Texas Bowl

See also: 2014 Texas Longhorns football team and 2014 Texas Bowl

This matchup of former Southwest Conference rivals was only the fifth time the Hogs and Horns have met since Arkansas left the old SWC following the 1991 season. The Razorbacks beat Texas in the 2000 Cotton Bowl, and in 2003 in Austin. The Longhorns defeated Arkansas in Fayetteville in 2004, and in Austin in 2008. Texas is coached by native-Arkansan Charlie Strong.

Texas Bowl

1 2 3 4 Total • Razorbacks 3 21 0 7 31 Longhorns 0 7 0 0 7 Date: December 29 Location: NRG Stadium Houston, Texas Game start: 8:00 CST Television network: ESPN