Write On Sports LLC - "Arkansas Nips Alabama in 2OT" by Frank Sita

Arkansas Nips Alabama in 2OT

2006-09-24 02:55:42 | By: Frank Sita

Wide right has been a term reserved for Bobby Bowden and the Florida State Seminoles against the Miami Hurricanes.

However Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin will hear about wide right in his sleep tonight. The Crimson Tide kicker missed three field goals and an extra point – all wide right -- against the Arkansas Razorbacks Saturday in Little Rock, allowing the home team to escape with a 24-23 double-overtime victory.

Freshman quarterback Mitch Mustain threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ben Cleveland in the second overtime, and Jeremy Davis made the PAT, giving Arkansas the win. Mustain and Cleveland were teammates in high school at Springdale High before enrolling at Arkansas.

Alabama (3-1 overall and 1-1 in the SEC) had just taken a 23-17 lead on a one-yard touchdown pass from John Parker Wilson to Nick Walker. But Tiffin missed the PAT. The freshman kicker finished his worst day in an Alabama jersey, having already missed a 33-yard field goal in the first half, a 30-yarder late in the fourth period and a 37-yarder that would have won the game in the first overtime.

Mustain was just 7-of-22 passing for 97 yards with three interceptions, including one in the first overtime that gave Alabama a great chance to do something the Tide hasn’t been very well at: winning games in overtime. Alabama fell to 2-6 overall in extra session contests, while Arkansas improved to 6-1 in overtimes.

But Tiffin, whose fourth-quarter field goal beat Vanderbilt two weeks ago, couldn’t connect, helping the Hogs improve to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the SEC. Arkansas has the luck on its side right now as the Razorbacks needed a missed kick by Vanderbilt on the final play of the game to post a 21-19 squeaker.

Wilson had a great day passing for Alabama, completing 16-of-20 aerials for 243 yards and three touchdowns. The sophomore hooked up with D.J. Hall in the second period, giving ‘Bama a 7-3 advantage, and the Tide led 10-3 after Tiffin made one field goal.

Darren McFadden, who had 112 yards rushing for Arkansas, scored from three yards out, but Davis missed the tying PAT, leaving Alabama ahead, 10-9. Randy Kelly then returned a Wilson fumble 39 yards for a score, and Mustain passed to McFadden for two points, upping the Razorback count to 17-10.

Keith Brown caught a 14-yard scoring pass from Wilson later in the fourth period, sending the game down to Tiffin’s kicks and misses.

Alabama travels to Gainesville for face the Florida Gators in the Swamp, while Arkansas is off this week, gearing up for a visit to Auburn in two weeks.

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