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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas running back Alex Collins has been named the Maxwell Award Player of the Week for his 212-yard and two-touchdown performance at Texas Tech, the Maxwell Football Club announced today. This is the first time a Razorback has been recognized as the Maxwell Award Player of the Week. Collins rushed for 212 yards, the ninth-highest single-game total in Arkansas football history, in the Razorbacks’ 49-28 win at Texas Tech. The sophomore also rushed for two touchdowns, including an 84-yard fourth quarter score that gave Arkansas a 21-point lead and put the game out of reach. The 212 rushing yards were the most by a Razorback since running back Darren McFadden matched the SEC single-game rushing record with 321 yards against South Carolina on Nov. 3, 2007. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native leads the SEC with 411 rushing yards this season and ranks second in the conference behind teammate Jonathan Williams with five touchdowns. The Maxwell Award has been given annually to America’s outstanding collegiate football player since 1937, and the award is named in honor of sportswriter Robert W. “Tiny” Maxwell. Collins was named to the Maxwell Award watch list in July. The Maxwell Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Arkansas will host Northern Illinois on Sept. 20, at 6 p.m., in Donald W. Reynolds Stadium. The match-up will be broadcasted on ESPNU. A limited supply of tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 1-800-982-HOGS (4647) or going online to ARKANSASRAZORBACKS.COM. For more information on Arkansas Football, follow @RazorbackFB on Twitter.
9:25 p.m. 52-14 Arkansas, final.
While we were on our way downstairs, Korliss Marshall put the capper on a game he all but decided the first time he touched the ball, racing 27 yards around left end for the final touchdown. Marshall of course started it all with a 97-yard kickoff return.
That that ended it, a surprising (to oddsmakers, to me) 38-point win over NIU as the Hogs now look to next week’s matchup in Arlington, Texas, vs. Texas A&M.
You can read more from the post-game interviews and my analyst on the Two-Minute Drill on this site.
8:55 p.m. 45-14 Arkansas — The Hogs will take over on their 32. I’m going to call it from here, unless there is something really bloggable, and rejoin you later after the post-game interviews.
I can tell you that with 8:25 to go, Arkansas has 359 total yards to 272 by NIU and the Hogs have almost an 8-minute edge in possession time, which has been partially a factor. But the biggest edge was in speed, exhibited on the opening kickoff by Korliss Marshall, and the defensive line’s overwhelming superiority. This should be expected when a power SEC team is playing a mid-major like NIU. Arkansas hasn’t been in a position in three years to call itself a power member of the SEC, but maybe that is changing. The oddsmakers saw this as a 14.5 margin that dropped to 13.5 on Friday. They usually know something. Arkansas has definitely looked 31 points better than NIU tonight.
Austin Allen is in for his brother at quarterback and Kody Walker is at the running back spot.
8:54 p.m. — A WHOLE lot of that 67,204 has packed up and left now. Yes, I get that the game is decided. But I never understand why Arkansas fans rush to the parking lots. Yes, I understand it’s a night game and for a lot of Central Arkansas fans it’s a 3-hour drive back.
8:53 p.m. — Attendance is an announced 67,204 fans. The play is stopped on the field, with Rohan Gaines down, then up and walking off but favoring his right arm. Tackle Bijhon Jackson, a freshman, just planted NIU quarterback Drew Hare with a hard rush.
8:46 p.m. — It’s 45-14 by the way. Arkansas’s one play drive is a 44-yard strike from Brandon Allen to a wide-open Keon Hatcher running a post. I suppose NIU was expecting Arkansas to just pound away as they have most of the second half. The Hogs and Jim Chaney made them pay for having 8 in the box and three others up close. Hatcher had a 20-yard edge on the defenders when Allen let it go.
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