Battle for the Boot Arkansas Set for LSU

BATTLE FOR THE BOOT, ARKANSAS SET FOR LSU: Arkansas travels to Baton Rouge, La., to take on top-ranked LSU in the battle for the Boot on Friday, Nov. 23, at Tiger Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1:40 p.m. on CBS.

NOTING THE RAZORBACKS:

• Arkansas and LSU will meet for the 53rd time on the gridiron on Friday when the two teams meet in Little Rock. LSU leads the series 33-17-2 including wins in five of the last six meetings. The Tigers have won 10 of 15 meetings since the Razorbacks entered the SEC in 1992.

• Heisman Trophy candidate Darren McFadden is Arkansas’ career rushing leader with 4,279 yards entering Friday’s game. He passed Ben Cowins (3,570 yards) against Auburn and enters the LSU game needing 25 yards to pass Auburn’s Bo Jackson (1982-85) for third place on the SEC career rushing list and 279 yards to eclipse LSU’s Kevin Faulk (1995-98) for second place.

• The Maxwell Club named Darren McFadden as one-of-three finalists for the 71st annual Maxell Award, which goes to the nation’s college football player of the year. McFadden joins Florida’s Tim Tebow and Oregon’s Dennis Dixon as finalists.

• McFadden is also in pursuit of the Doak Walker Award, which annually goes to the country’s top running back. McFadden captured the 2006 Doak Walker Award and leads a contingent of finalists including Rutgers’ Ray Rice and Michigan’s Mike Hart in 2007. McFadden is looking to join Texas’ Ricky Williams (1997 & 1998) as the only two-time winner of the Doak Walker Award.

• For the 12th-consecutive year since its inception, Arkansas and LSU will be playing for

"The Golden Boot," a trophy shaped like the two states combined. The trophy was introduced into the series prior to the 1996 game. It is believed to be the heaviest trophy awarded in a college football rivalry. It weighs approximately 175 pounds.

• Arkansas faces off against the nation’s top-ranked team for the first time since the 2005 season when the Hogs traveled to Los Angeles to face Southern California. It is UA’s 15th meeting with a No. 1-ranked team with a 3-11 all-time record. The Razorbacks’ last win over a No. 1 team was a 42-11 triumph over Texas in 1981. It is the fourth time Arkansas has faced a No. 1 SEC squad.

• McFadden ranks fourth nationally in rushing with 138.1 yards per game. That mark also leads the conference. He is averaging 174.27 all-purpose yards per game, which ranks 14th nationally and tops in the SEC.

• One of the favorite sayings around the Arkansas football program comes from legendary football coach and athletic director Frank Broyles who says, ‘They Remember in November,’ and that is just what McFadden has proven in his career. The junior has 1,506 yards on 254 in 10 November games with 11 touchdowns. That averages out to 150.6 yards per game and 5.93 yards per carry.

• McFadden has also been at his best against the best during his Razorback career, averaging 126.0 yards per game over 16 games against ranked opponents. He has racked up 2,016 yards against ranked opponents with 14 touchdowns and a 5.86 yards per carry average on 344 totes. (game-by-game chart vs. ranked opponents on page 8).

• Casey Dick’s four touchdown passes vs. Mississippi State tied Arkansas’ single-game school record and it was the sixth time it has been accomplished. In the process, Dick also tied Barry Lunney Jr., for third place in career TD passes at UA. His 17 touchdown passes this season are the fifth-most is school history.

• Dick was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week vs. the Bulldogs. While his right tackle Nate Garner captured SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week with 18 knockdown blocks vs. Mississippi State.

• McFadden is just the second player (Georgia’s Herschel Walker) in the SEC to rush for 1,000 yards as a freshman, sophomore and junior. McFadden is the second UA player to rush for 1,000 yards three times, joining Ben Cowins (1976-78), but the first to do it in his first three years.

• Arkansas not only ranks 13th nationally in scoring offense at 38.91 points per game, but the Hogs have been a big-play threat as well with 19 offensive scoring plays from scrimmage of 25 yards or longer. That mark ranks tied for third nationally, trailing only Oklahoma (25) and Nevada (20).

• Jones and McFadden are the first teammates in Southeastern Conference history to both rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. They are the third pair of teammate to both rush for 1,000 yards in a season in conference history. The other SEC rushing duos to both go for 1,000 yards in a season are Auburn’s James Brooks and Joe Cribbs (1979), and Tennessee’s Gerald Riggs Jr. and Cedric Houston (2004).

• McFadden and Jones are just the second pair of teammates in NCAA history to have back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons. (Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney – Minnesota).

• McFadden’s school-rushing record of 4,279 yards also ranks fourth in career rushing among active Bowl Subdivision players. He also leads all active Bowl Subdivision players in all-purpose yards per game (152.4), while ranking third in rushing yards per game (118.9) and ninth in rushing touchdowns (40).

• McFadden needs just 29 yards to become just the second player in SEC history to establish two of the league’s top-10 single-season rushing marks. Herschel Walker (Georiga) holds three of the top-10 rushing marks (1st, 1981; 3rd, 1982; 6th, 1980). McFadden turned in the fifth-best season in 2006 with 1,647 yards and currently ranks 11th, 28 yards back of Garrison Hearst’s 1992 season (1,547).

• Fellow junior Felix Jones ranks 41st nationally and third in the SEC in rushing with 93.82 yards per contest. That number was plummeted since being injured on the Hogs’ first kickoff at Tennessee. He carried the ball just three times at UT and only saw action on one snap (one recpetion) vs. Miss. St. He has 1,032 yards rushing on the season with 10 touchdowns while accounting for 147.64 all-purpose yards per game (1,624) to rank 25th nationally.

• Jones’ 9.05 yards per carry average leads the country. He is averaging 2.19 yards per rush more than the second-best mark nationally, Southern California’s Stafon Johnson (6.86). Jones also leads the country in career yards per carry among active players with 7.70 per tote.

• Jones has been lethal on his first carry of game this season with 157 yards on 10 carries with two touchdowns and five first downs. He opened the Troy game with a 40-yard tote, went 35 yards for a touchdown on his first carry vs. North Texas and then scampered 38 yards for a TD at Ole Miss. Jones picked up a first down on an 18-yard carry vs. FIU and then got another first down on a 15-yard run vs. South Carolina. He is averaging 15.7 yards per rush on his first carry of the game this season.

• Arkansas’ rushing attack ranks fourth nationally at 288.73 yards per game. That mark also leads the SEC by 67.8 yards over second-place LSU. UA has led the SEC in rushing four of the last five years. UA has rushed for at least 300 yards in five-of-11 games this season and has rushed for at least 200 yards in 13 of their last 18 games, including eight times this year.

• Arkansas ran for 542 yards vs. South Carolina, which is the second-best total in school history (594 vs. Pittsburg [Kan.] State in 1936). That total is the sixth-best in SEC history and the most for an SEC team against another SEC member.

• Marcus Monk made his fourth-straight start of the season vs. State and has three touchdowns in those four starts. He has 27 career TD grabs, which moves him into a tie for seventh on the career SEC receiving touchdown chart with Jabar Gaffney of Florida. Monk has now caught at least on pass in 40-of-41 career games after breaking that streak vs. Auburn when he played one snap. He has caught a pass in all 40 of his starts.

• The Arkansas defense boasts the No. 6 ranked pass efficiency defense (98.48) in the nation. Reggie Herring’s defense has allowed just 189.9 yards passing per game and just 45.1 completion percentage.

• The Arkansas offense is on a record-breaking pace through the first nine games of the 2007 season. The Hogs are averaging 38.9 points per game, which ranks third in the SEC and ranks 13th nationally. UA is on pace to break the school record of 36.5 points per game set during the 1970 season. The 428 points that the Razorbacks have scored already ranks second in school history, just nine points from breaking the record.

• McFadden and Jones have combined to rush for 100 yards apiece in six of the Hogs’ 11 games this season and 10 times in their careers. McFadden has cracked the 100-yard barrier in a school-record eight games, while Jones has eclipsed 100 yards in six games and just missed a seventh with 96 yards at Alabama.

• McFadden and Jones also rank 14th and 25th respectively, in the NCAA Bowl Subdivision in all-purpose yards. McFadden is averaging 174.27 all-purpose yards per game, while Jones is totaling 147.64 per contest.

• McFadden also broke Arkansas’ career all-purpose yardage record vs. Auburn, passing Gary Anderson (4,535). McFadden now has 5,488 career all-purpose yards, which ranks fourth among active Bowl Subdivision players. Jones is second in career all-purpose yards at Arkansas with 4,733, which ranks 10th among active players.

• Jones has two kickoff returns for touchdowns this season on 90-yard and 82-yard bursts. He ranks sixth nationally in kickoff return average at 32.73 ypr. He currently leads the SEC in career kickoff return average at 28.87 yards per on 55 career returns.

• True freshman PK Alex Tejada is making a big impact early in his Razorback career. Tejada is 17 for 21 on field goal attempts and 51 of 53 on PATs. Tejada is tied for 24th nationally in field goal made (1.55) and also tied for 20th in scoring 9.27 points per game.

• Michael Grant is having an outstanding senior season at cornerback for the Razorbacks. He is tied for eighth in the NCAA with 1.45 passes defended per game. The mark is also tied for the SEC outright lead with LSU’s Chevis Jackson. UA coaches’ film has Grant credited with 15 this season, which is the second-most in school history.

• Fellow cornerback Jerell Norton is making a name for himself as well. He has five interceptions and 10 pass breakups this season and he isn’t even listed as a starter. The sophomore ranks tied for 20th nationally in interceptions and is tied for 26th in passes defended (1.27). The five interceptions is the most by a Razorback in a single season since Zac Painter had five in 1998.

• The Razorbacks are bowl eligible for the eighth time in 10 years under Houston Nutt after a 48-36 win over No. 23 South Carolina.

• Arkansas’ hogs up front on the offensive line have not only done a fantastic job opening holes in the running game, but they have been one of the best teams in the country at protecting the quarterback. The Hogs’ offensive line has allowed just 20 sacks in their last 25 games for an amazing average of just 0.800 per game. UA ranks fourth nationally in sacks allowed this season (0.91).

• Alex Tejada’s 51 PATs is a school record, breaking Bill McClard’s previous record of 50 in 1970, while his 102 points is tied for the most in school history with Kendall Trainor’s 1988 season.

• UA ranks No. 1 in rushing offense in the SEC during Nutt’s tenure (1998-2007). The Hogs have averaged 198.61 yards per game in Nutt’s 10 years (24,230 yards in 122 games).

• Arkansas has now scored in 146 consecutive games, a school record for scoring in the most consecutive games in team history. Arkansas has not been shut out since a 28-0 loss to LSU in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 18, 1995.

THE McFADDEN REPORT:

• Darren McFadden extended his Arkansas’ career rushing record with a school-record 321 yards vs. South Carolina that included a career-high-tying 80-yard touchdown run. He then ripped off 117 at Tennessee and 88 vs. Mississippi State. He now has 4,279 yards rushing during his 36-game Razorback career and 37 rushing TDs.

• McFadden has run for 1,519 yards on 272 carries and tallied 12 rushing touchdowns this season. He equaled the school record with five-consecutive 100-yard rushing games (Jerry Eckwood, 1975) and has set the school record with eight in 2007. The 1,519 yards rushing is second in school history to his 1,647 yards last season and ranks 11th in SEC history.

• McFadden threw his third touchdown pass of the season and the sixth of his career with a 24-yard strike to Robert Johnson vs. Mississippi State. He has completed 3-of-6 passes for 89 yards and three touchdowns this season and is 11-of-16 for his career. McFadden boasts a career passing efficiency rating of 269.8 and a 407.5 this season.

• McFadden has caught a career-high 21 passes this season for a career-best 164 yards. His four grabs vs. Mississippi State was a career high for receptions in a game. He has 46 catches for 365 yards and two touchdowns during his UA career.

• He has accounted for 1,608 yards of total offense and racked up 1,917 all-purpose yards through 11 games this season. The 1,917 all-purpose yards is the 10th-most in a single season SEC history.

• McFadden’s performance vs. South Carolina garnered him the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Bowl Subdivision Player of the Week. McFadden was also named the AT&T All-America Player of the Week award following his efforts vs. South Carolina. McFadden it is the second time in his career he has been honored by AT&T.

• For all of your D-MAC related questions visit his official web site at 5DarrenMcFadden.com.

SERIES HISTORY: Arkansas and LSU will meet for the 53rd time on the gridiron on Friday when the two teams meet in Baton Rouge. LSU leads the series 33-17-2 including wins in five of the last six meetings. The Tigers have won 10 of 15 meetings since the Razorbacks entered the SEC in 1992.

LSU holds a 7-1-1 advantage in games played in Baton Rouge. Arkansas won in its first league contest in Baton Rouge by a score of 42-24 in 1993. The Hogs featured three 100-yard rushers in that win over the Tigers. The last Razorback win came in 2002 by a score of 21-20 at War Memorial Stadium.

From 2001-03, the winner of the game went on to represent the SEC West in the SEC Championship Game. This week’s game will mark the 12th time the two teams have met on the Friday following Thanksgiving. The post-holiday football tradition began in 1996.

BATTLE FOR THE BOOT: For the 12th-consecutive year since its inception, Arkansas and LSU will be playing for "The Golden Boot," a trophy shaped like the two states combined.

The trophy was introduced into the series prior to the 1996 game. It is believed to be the heaviest trophy awarded in a college football rivalry. It weighs approximately 175 pounds.

From 1998-2002, the trophy changed hands after every game. Since 2003, the Tigers have won the trophy in four-straight match ups. The Razorbacks have never held on to the Boot for more then four seasons in a row (1922-25). The last time UA has brought the trophy back to Fayetteville in consecutive seasons was 1992 and 1993. (see page 9 for more info on The Boot)

OTHER SERIES NOTES: LSU has outscored Arkansas 791-707 in the series … the teams first met in 1907 in Baton Rouge … between 1913 and 1936 the teams played 23 times with all of those games played in Shreveport … there have been 17 shutouts in the series including a scoreless tie in 1947 … the last true shutout came in 1995 when LSU posted a 28-0 victory in Baton Rouge … there have been 18 games decided by a touchdown or less, with LSU holding a 15-3 advantage in those games … the largest margin of victory in the series was 51 points by Arkansas in a 51-0 win in 1910.

LEADING THE PACK: When it comes to rushing the ball, no team in the Southeastern Conference has done it more effectively in recent years than the Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Hogs have led the SEC in rushing yardage in four of the last five seasons, including 2005 and 2006, and they are on their way once again in 2007 after racking up 3,176 yards (288.37 ypg). UA became the first team to pace the SEC in rushing four times in five seasons since Alabama led the league in four-consecutive seasons from 1971-74.

In 2007, the Hogs lead the country in yards per carry as a team with 6.08 yards per tote and are fourth in rushing yards per game (288.37). UA has tallied 200 or more rushing yards in 25 of its last 40 games dating back to the eighth game of the 2004 season. In addition, the Hogs earned 190 or more yards in two other games. That also includes nine games of 300 yards or more, three 400-yard-plus games and two 500-plus-yard games.

Arkansas is attempting to become the first team to pace the SEC in rushing five times in six seasons since Ole Miss led the league in six-consecutive seasons from 1957-62.

2007 Rushing Leaders

Team Gms Att Net Avg. TDs Yds/pg

1. Navy 11 685 3931 5.74 47 357.36

2. Air Force 12 660 3582 5.43 33 298.50

3. West Virginia 10 496 2894 5.83 37 289.40

4. Arkansas 11 522 3176 6.08 27 288.37

5. Oregon 10 476 2681 5.63 30 268.10

McFADDEN & JONES FORM DYNAMIC DUO: The Arkansas tailback duo of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones are the most-productive rushing teammates in the country (among the NCAA top 100) in 2007, averaging 246.30 yards per game. McFadden ranks fourth nationally at 143.1 ypg while Jones is 30th accounting for 103.2 ypg. The Central Florida combo of Kevin Smith and Phillip Smith are second at 204.15 yards per game.

Rushers (Individual Avg.)

Team Combined YPG

1. Darren McFadden (138.09) / Felix Jones (93.82) Arkansas 231.91

2. Kevin Smith (176.82) / Phillip Smith (27.33) Central Florida 204.15

3. Steve Slaton (98.80) / Patrick White (95.80) West Virginia 194.60

4. Michael Desormeaux (103.73) / Tyrell Fenroy (90.3) Louisiana-Lafayette 194.17

5. Rashard Mendenhall (127.17) / Isiah Williams (64.5) Illinois 191.67

SEC ELITE: Darren McFadden is quickly etching his name in the SEC record books among some of the best running backs the conference has ever produced. His 1,647 yards last season rushing ranks as the fifth-best total in a single season in the history of the SEC, while his 1,519 yards this season currently ranks 11th. Herschel Walker’s (Georgia) 1,891 yards in 1981 leads the way. McFadden’s 2006 total was the most in the SEC since Bo Jackson (Auburn) rushed for 1,786 yards in 1985.

In 2005, McFadden became just the seventh freshman in league history to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark in his first season. He joined Walker, Emmitt Smith (Florida), Reggie Cobb (Tenn.), Chuck Webb (Tenn.), Jamal Lewis (Tennessee) and Justin Vincent (LSU). His 1,113 yards was the sixth-best freshman rushing total in SEC history.

McFadden also ranks fourth in career rushing in the Southeastern Conference with 4,279 yards on the ground in just 36 games. He needs 25 yards to pass Auburn’s Bo Jackson (1982-85) for third place on the SEC career rushing list. McFadden is just the second running back in SEC history (Herschel Walker) to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons.

SEC’s Top 15 Career Rushing Totals

Yards Player, School (games) Years

1. 5,259 Herschel Walker, Georgia (33 games) 1980-82

2. 4,557 Kevin Faulk, LSU (41 games) 1995-98

3. 4,303 Bo Jackson, Auburn (38 games) 1982-85

4. 4,279 Darren McFadden (35 games) 2005-present

5. 4,163 Errict Rhett, Florida (48 games) 1990-93

6. 4,050 Dalton Hilliard, LSU (44 games) 1982-85

7. 4,035 Charles Alexander, LSU (44 games) 1975-78

8. 3,928 Emmitt Smith, Florida (31 games) 1987-89

9. 3,835 Sonny Collins, Kentucky (41 games) 1972-75

10. 3,831 Carnell Williams, Auburn (42 games) 2001-04

11. 3,565 Shaun Alexander, Alabama (42 games) 1996-99

12. 3,523 James Brooks, Auburn (38 games) 1977-80

13. 3,420 Bobby Humphrey, Alabama (35 games) 1985-88

14. 3,368 Joe Cribbs, Auburn (38 games) 1976-79

15. 3,333 Moe Williams, Kentucky (33 games) 1993-95

SEC’s Top 10 Single-Season Rushing Totals

Player, School (# rushes) Year Yards

1. Herschel Walker, Georgia (385 rushes) 1981 1,891

2. Bo Jackson, Auburn (278 rushes) 1985 1,786

3. Herschel Walker, Georgia (335 rushes) 1982 1,752

4. Charles Alexander, LSU (311 rushes) 1977 1,686

5. Darren McFadden, Arkansas (265 rushes) 2006 1,647

6. Herschel Walker, Georgia (274 rushes) 1980 1,616

7. Moe Williams, Kentucky (294 rushes) 1995 1,600

8. Emmitt Smith, Florida (284 rushes) 1989 1,599

9. Rudi Johnson, Auburn (324 rushes) 2000 1,567

10. Garrison Hearst, Georgia (228 rushes) 1992 1,547

11. Darren McFadden, Arkansas (272 rushes) 2007 1,519

FELIX THE CAT: Felix Jones had five 100-yard rushing games last season and has six 100-yard games this season with 129 vs. Troy, 133 vs. Kentucky, 132 vs. North Texas, 141 vs. Chattanooga, 101 at Ole Miss and a career-best 166 vs. South Carolina. Jones is currently 41st nationally and third in the SEC in rushing at 93.8 yards per game while leading the country in yards per carry at 9.05. His 13 100-yard career rushing games are third in school history. Jones’ 2,826 yards rushing is sixth in school history, while his 4,733 all-purpose yards is second.

Jones has also returned his third and fourth kickoff returns for touchdowns of his career with a 90-yard dash vs. Troy and an 82-yarder against Kentucky. He is sixth nationally in kickoff returns with a 32.73 ypr average and 19th in all-purpose yards with a 162.4 average.

Last season he rushed for 106 yards vs. Southeast Missouri St., 104 yards at then-No. 2 Auburn, a then-career-high 141 yards vs. Louisiana-Monroe, 137 yards vs. LSU and a career-high 150 yards vs. Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl. Jones finished second in the SEC and 34th nationally in rushing with 83.43 yards per game. He had a career-best 1,168 yards rushing that ranks seventh in school history on just 150 carries. Jones’ 7.58 yards per carry average led the SEC and ranked second in the country.

DYNAMIC DUO SETS NCAA RECORD: Darren McFadden and Felix Jones’ 487-combined yards against South Carolina set the NCAA record for most yards gained by two players on the same team. McFadden ripped off 321 yards, setting the UA record and tying the SEC mark. Jones set career highs of is own with 166 yards (13 carries) and three touchdowns. The previous mark was 476 held by Kansas’ Tony Sands (396) and Chip Hilleary (80) vs. Missouri, Nov. 23, 1991.

ALL-EVERYTHING RECORD: Darren McFadden set a new school record for both rushing and all-purpose yards vs. South Carolina with 321 yards rushing and 355 (321 rushing, 30 on two kickoff returns, four on one reception) all-purpose. The 321 yards on the ground tied the SEC single-game rushing record. He broke his own school record of 315 set vs. South Carolina last season. The 355 all-purpose yards is also the fourth-best mark in SEC history.

PROTECTING THE QB: The Hogs’ offensive line has not only produced some of the best rushing numbers in college football over the past two seasons, but has also been outstanding at protecting the quarterback. The UA front line has allowed just 20 sacks over the last 25 games, dating back to the start of the 2006 season (.80 per game). Rutgers is the only team to better that number with just 16 sacks in the last 24 games (.667) per game average. UA is currently tied for fourth nationally in sacks allowed with .91 per game.

TRIPLE-DIGIT RUSHERS: The Razorbacks’ rushing success has resulted in a school-record 15 100-yard rushing efforts in 10 games this season.

Junior Heisman Trophy candidate Darren McFadden has rushed for at least 100 yards in a school-record eight games with 151 vs. Troy, 195 at Alabama, 173 against Kentucky, 138 in the first half vs. North Texas, 122 vs. Chattanooga, 110 at Ole Miss, 321 vs. South Carolina and 117 at Tennessee.

Felix Jones has six 100-yard rushing efforts with 129 yards against Troy, 133 yards vs. Kentucky, 132 vs. North Texas, a season-high 141 vs. Chattanooga, 101 at Ole Miss and a career-high 166 vs. South Carolina. He came up just four yards shy of 100 at Alabama. Junior-college transfer Brandon Barnett registered his first career 100-yard rushing game vs. North Texas with 105 yards on 16 carries.

The Razorbacks combined for 13 100-yard rushing games last season as McFadden produced seven, Jones five and Michael Smith one.

Most Combined 100-Yard Rushing Games in a Season

15 – 2007

13 – 2006

13 – 1975

11 – 2003

9 – 2005

9 – 1977

RUSHING TO SUCCESS: Arkansas success rushing the football against South Carolina on Nov. 3 is almost unparalleled in the history of the Southeastern Conference. The Razorbacks reeled off 542 rushing yards on 58 attempts (9.34 ypc), which is the second-highest total in school history (594 vs. Pittsburg [Kan.] State, 1936) and the sixth highest-mark in SEC history. But it was the most rushing yards in a game by an SEC institution against another SEC member school. The previous mark was Alabama’s 531 yards vs. Ole Miss in 1971.

TRIO OF 100-YARD RUSHERS: A trio of Razorbacks found plenty of running room in Arkansas’ win over North Texas. The Hogs’ tailback tandem of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones were joined by junior-college transfer Brandon Barnett for a trio of 100-yard rushing efforts.

McFadden reeled off his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season and the 16th of his career. The junior from Little Rock rolled up 138 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.

Jones notched his third 100-yard game of the season with 132 yards on seven-impressive carries. His efforts were highlighted by a sideline-stepping 71-yard-touchdown run. Barnett received his first rushing attempts in a Razorback uniform and ripped off 105 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. Peyton Hillis wasn’t far of the 100-yard mark with 66 yards on 11 carries.

The last time Arkansas boasted three 100-yard rushers was in the 2005 season opener when Jones (137), Hillis (135) and De’Arrius Howard (120) accomplished the feat. UA also did it in 2001’s seven-overtime win at Ole Miss when Matt Jones (110), Cedric Cobbs (100) and Fed Talley (113) did it. The only other time the Hogs have had three 100-yard rushers was in Arkansas’ 1993 win over LSU in Baton Rouge. In the victory, Oscar Malone (143), Carlton Calvin (123) and Marius Johnson (106) turned the trick.

FANTASTIC FRESHMAN: PK Alex Tejada made quite an impression during his first nine games in cardinal and white. The Springdale, Ark., native is 17 for 21 on field goals attempts and is 51 of 53 on extra point attempts to account for 102 points. The 51 PATs is a school record, breaking Bill McClard’s 50 in 1970, while his 102 points is tied for the most in school history with Kendall Trainor’s 1988 season.

He currently ranks tied for 24th in the country in field goals per game (1.55) and also ranks tied for 20th nationally in scoring (9.27). In the Troy game, he became the first Razorback since Chris Balseiro to make four field goals in a game (vs. Missouri, 2003 Independence Bowl, Dec. 31, 2003). Tejada is 5 for 5 from 20-29 yards, 8 for 8 from 30-39 yards, 4 for 7 from 40-49 yards and 0 for 1 from 50 and beyond.

Tejada’s 47-yard field goal vs. Chattanooga was a career long and the longest for any Hog since David Carlton hit from 47 against Tennessee on Oct. 5, 2002. The last field goal longer than Tejada’s 47-yarder was Matt Swartz’s 49-yarder against Southwest Missouri State on Sept. 2, 2000.

MARVELOUS MONK: At 6-6, Marcus Monk has stood out since the day he stepped foot on campus. He led all Southeastern Conference freshmen in receiving in 2004 and set a school record for freshman receiving along the way. Monk broke Richard Smith’s UA record (33) for receptions by a freshman when he hauled in 37 balls for 569 yards and six touchdowns. He tied for the team lead in catches and garnered freshman All-SEC honors for his efforts. As a sophomore in 2005, Monk caught 35 passes for a team-high 476 yards and seven touchdowns.

In 2006, Monk produced the best numbers of his career with 50 catches for a career-high 962 yards. He caught a school record 11 touchdown passes and averaged 19.2 yards per catch, which was the second-best in the SEC. He was ninth in the league in yards per game (68.71). Monk’s 962 yards is the third-most in a single season in school history.

Monk had caught at least one pass in each of his 36 career games before playing just one snap vs. Auburn in early October. He started his first game of the 2007 season vs. FIU and caught two passes fro 19 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown grab. He then followed that with two more catches and at TD vs. South Carolina and three grabs for 26 yards at Tennessee. Monk has caught at least one pass in 40 of his 41 career games at UA and has caught a pass in each of his 40 career starts.

MONK ATOP CAREER TD CHART: Marcus Monk’s touchdown catch against Mississippi State was the 27th of his career. That moved him four ahead of Anthony Lucas on the all-time school chart. Monk’s 27th career TD grab also moved him into a tie with Florida’ Jabar Gaffney for seventh all time in the SEC.

SEC Career Touchdown Receptions List

1. Chris Doering, Florida (40 games) 31

2. Terrence Edwards, Georgia (45 games) 30

3. Ike Hilliard, Florida (32 games) 29

Terry Beasley, Auburn (30 games) 29

Jack Jackson, Florida (38 games) 29

6. Craig Yeast, Kentucky (43 games) 28

7. Marcus Monk, Arkansas (39 games) 27

Jabar Gaffney, Florida (23 games) 27

9. Reidel Anthony, Florida (33 games) 26

Dwayne Bowe, LSU (42 games) 26

100-YARD RETURN: Jerell Norton’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown against North Texas is a UA school record, surpassing Orlando Watters 99-yard return vs. LSU in 1993. It is just the 11th 100-yard interception return for a touchdown in SEC history and just the second since 1968. Prior to Norton’s return, LSU’s Greg Jackson had the last 100-yard interception return in the SEC in 1988. It is the fourth 100-yard interception return in the bowl subdivision this season and just the 79th in NCAA history. Norton ranks tied for 20th nationally with .40 interceptions per game (five total) and tied for 26th in passes defended with 1.27 per game.

RASH OF INTERCEPTIONS: The Hogs’ defensive effort has been boosted by a massive influx of interceptions. After picking off just six passes in the first six games, UA intercepted nine passes against Ole Miss and FIU and has 13 over the last five games.

MID-SEASON ALL-AMERICANS: Arkansas tailbacks Darren McFadden and Felix Jones and center Jonathan Luigs have been named to both the SI.com and Phil Steele’s College Football Midseason All-America teams. McFadden and Jones also earned accolades from Rivals.com. Luigs was also named a midseason All-American by CBSsports.com.

The Razorback trio (McFadden, Jones and Luigs) was also honored by Phil Steele’s College Football as first-team midseason All-SEC selections. Senior offensive guard Robert Felton and senior cornerback Michael Grant earned second-team All-SEC accolades. Senior strong safety Matt Hewitt, senior offensive tackle Nate Garner and freshman kicker Alex Tejada were named to the third-team midseason all-conference listing.

TD GRABBING TIGHT END: Andrew Davie became the first Razorback tight end to catch two touchdowns in a game since Jared Hicks caught two vs. Ole Miss on Nov. 13, 2004. Davie snagged two touchdown grabs last week at Ole Miss for his second and third TD catches of the season. He has 10 catches for 89 yards this season.

BIG NUMBERS AGAINST THE MEAN GREEN: The 66 points scored against North Texas was the sixth-highest figure in school history and the most in a non-overtime game since 1928 (73-0 win over Texas Southwestern). The 45-first-half points were the most for a Arkansas team in the Houston Nutt era (1998-present). UA also generated 713 yards of total offense against UNT, which is the second-highest figure in school history. The record is 859 yards against Pittsburg (Kan.) State in 1936.

PROTECT THIS HOUSE: Home field advantage has been good to the Razorbacks, especially during the Houston Nutt Era. Arkansas has the second-most SEC home wins since 1998 with 53. The Hogs are 53-17 (.757) in games played at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Arkansas is 22-2 in Little Rock and 31-15 in Fayetteville in that 10-year span under Coach Nutt. (See chart at bottom right of page 4).

STILL ATOP THE BOWL LIST: Arkansas is atop the bowl appearance list for SEC Western Division teams since 1998. The Razorbacks have once again qualified for a bowl game at the end of the season. UA has made seven bowl appearances since Houston Nutt took over the reins in Fayetteville, including the 2007 Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla. Arkansas has made two appearances in the Cotton Bowl (2000 and 2002) and the Citrus/Capital One Bowl (1999 and 2007) and one in the Las Vegas Bowl (2000), the Music City Bowl (2002) and the Independence Bowl (2003). Although Arkansas has a rich bowl tradition, in the eight seasons prior to Nutt’s arrival the Razorbacks had earned only two bowl berths.

DENTING THE SCOREBOARD: Arkansas has now scored in 146 consecutive games, a school record for scoring in the most consecutive games in team history. Arkansas has not been shut out since a 28-0 loss to LSU in Baton Rouge, La., on Nov. 18, 1995.

UA ranks fourth among league schools in the longest active scoring streak. Florida ranks first in the SEC earning points in 237 consecutive contests.

RACKING UP 20: The Razorbacks have made a routine of racking up 20 points since Houston Nutt arrived in Fayetteville. Arkansas has scored 20 points or more in 91 of Nutt’s 122 games (.746) as head coach. Arkansas is 43-13 mark (.768) in game where they score 20 points or more over the last seven seasons.

100 AND COUNTING FOR NUTT: The Razorbacks’ game against Vanderbilt last fall was the 100th in the 10-year career of Hog boss Houston Nutt. He owns a 74-48 (.607) career record at Arkansas. Nutt is just the third coach in school history to coach 100 games (currently 122) at the helm of the Razorback program. Fred Thomsen (1929-41) was the first, posting a 56-61-10 (.480) record while Frank Broyles (1958-76) is the school’s all-time leader with 207 games coached (144-58-5 [.708]) in 19 seasons.

Coach Total Games Seasons

Frank Broyles 207 19 (1958-1976)

Fred Thomsen 127 13 (1929-41)

Houston Nutt 122 10th (1998-present)

Nutt’s tenure at Arkansas is also a rare feat for any SEC coach. Only three coaches hired in the SEC since 1990 have enjoyed a stint of 100 games at the same school. Nutt became the fourth against Vanderbilt last season.

Coach, School (Years) Games

Philip Fulmer, Tennessee (1992-current) 189

Jackie Sherrill, Miss. State (1991-2003) 153

Steve Spurrier, Florida (1990-2001) 150

Houston Nutt, Arkansas (1998-current) 122

HEISMAN No. 2: Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden was the first Heisman Memorial Trophy finalist in school history. The then sophomore finished second to Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, becoming only the fifth underclassman to ever finish in the top two. McFadden earned 45 first-place votes and 878 total points, edging out Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn (13 first-place votes, 782 total). McFadden captured 298 second-place votes with Quinn garnering 276. Below is a breakdown of the voting.

Heisman Trophy Voting

Player, School 1st 2nd 3rd Total

Troy Smith, Ohio State 801 62 13 2,540

Darren McFadden, Arkansas 45 298 147 878

Brady Quinn, Notre Dame 13 276 191 782

Steve Slaton, West Virginia 6 51 94 214

Michael Hart, Michigan 5 58 79 210

ALL-AMERICANS ALL AROUND: Arkansas had four players earn All-America honors following the 2006 season, including Darren McFadden who was a unanimous selection. Joining McFadden was offensive lineman Jonathan Luigs, who was also a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the top center in the nation. Tony Ugoh was a second-team selection at left tackle and Stephen Parker garnered second-team honors at left guard. In 2005, Felix Jones became the first UA freshman to earn first-team All-America honors when he was selected as a kickoff-return specialist.

HOG WILD IN OVERTIME: Arkansas is 6-1 in overtime games dating back to the 1996, which was the first season overtime was used to break ties at the end of regulation. The six wins is tied for the third most overtime wins in NCAA history (Missouri is 8-3). The .857 winning percentage, among teams with at least five overtime games, ranks third to Nebraska, South Florida and Michigan’s 5-0 records.

DARREN McFADDEN VS. RANKED OPPONENTS: McFadden has also been at his best against the best during his Razorback career, averaging 126.6 yards per game over 15 games against ranked opponents. He has racked up 1,899 yards against ranked opponents with 14 touchdowns and a 5.90 yards per carry average on 322 totes. Below is a game-by-game chart of McFadden’s performances against ranked competition during his Razorback career.

2005 Season (5 games)

Team No. Yds TD LG YPC

#1 at Southern California 13 88 0 14 6.77

#20 at Alabama 8 95 1 70 11.88

#21 Auburn 13 108 2 35 8.31

#4 at Georgia 31 190 2 70 6.13

#3 at LSU 24 57 1 13 2.38

2005 Total (107.6 ypg) 89 538 6 70 6.04

2006 Season (7 games)

Team No. Yds TD LG YPC

#6 at Southern California 9 42 0 17 4.67

#24 Alabama 25 112 1 29 4.48

#2 at Auburn 28 145 1 63 5.18

#13 Tennessee 30 181 2 37 6.03

#9 LSU 21 182 2 80 8.67

#4 Florida 21 73 0 15 3.48

#6 Wisconsin 19 89 0 45 4.68

2006 Total (117.7 ypg) 153 824 6 80 5.39

2007 Season (4 games)

Team No. Yds TD LG YPC

#21 Kentucky 29 173 1 56 5.97

#22 Auburn 17 43 0 13 2.53

#23 South Carolina 34 321 1 80 9.44

#22 Tennessee 22 117 0 20 5.32

2007 Total (163.5 ypg) 102 654 2 80 6.41

Career Total (126.0 ypg) 344 2,016 14 80 5.86