NIU loses 1st road game in 3 years to Arkansas
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Bret Bielema remained confident all week while facing questions about Arkansas' ability to throw the football after only 17 pass attempts in its last two games.
The Razorbacks and quarterback Brandon Allen lived up to their second-year coach's belief in a 52-14 win over Northern Illinois on Saturday night - flat out having fun with their continued and sudden turnaround in the process.
Allen accounted for three touchdowns, including two through the air, as Arkansas (3-1) won its third straight on the heels of a school-worst 10-game losing streak. It's won its last three games by a combined score of 174-49, finally putting the ghosts of the Bobby Petrino scandal behind it and thriving under Bielema.
None have enjoyed the turnaround more than Allen, the junior who finished 15-of-22 passing for 199 yards. After only 17 attempts over his previous two games while Arkansas' rushing attack dominated, Allen was at his best against the Huskies - also rushing for a score in the Razorbacks third straight blowout win.
"How about that passing game," Bielema said, smiling.
Arkansas snapped a 17-game road winning streak for Northern Illinois (3-1), which last lost on the road at Central Michigan in 2011.
Drew Hare threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns for the two-time defending Mid-American Conference champion Huskies, who were overmatched in falling to 1-10 all-time against the Southeastern Conference. The loss was their first in the regular season since the opening game of the 2012 season against Iowa.
"We're proud of the streak," Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey said. "There's no question about that, but it's time to start a new one."
Arkansas earned its first win over a power five conference team under Bielema with a 49-28 win at Texas Tech last week.
Korliss Marshall wasted little time in carrying that momentum forward against the Huskies on Saturday, following the blocks of Khalia Hackett and Keon Hatcher before sprinting 97 yards for a touchdown on the game's opening kickoff.
The kickoff return for a score to open the game was Arkansas' first since Dennis Johnson did the same against Missouri State in 2009.
"It's been a while since we've got a couple wins like this," Marshall said. "I've never seen our team so riled up and so happy all at one time, you know. Everybody still has that adrenaline times two now."
The outcome was rarely in doubt after that, thanks in large part to the rejuvenated Allen - who played much of last season with a shoulder injury that limited his practice time and effectiveness.
The junior connected for touchdown passes to Jared Cornelius and Hatcher, and his 2-yard touchdown scramble in the third quarter put the Razorbacks up 35-7. Allen, who had only 12 pass attempts in the win over Texas Tech while Arkansas ran the ball 68 times, now has eight touchdown passes and only one interception this season.
Hatcher capped the Arkansas fun early in the fourth quarter, catching a 44-yard touchdown pass from Allen to put the Razorbacks up 45-14. The junior finished with six catches for 107 yards and the score.
Northern Illinois entered the game no stranger to playing some of the top teams in the country, having defeated three Big Ten Conference teams during its road winning streak and playing in the Orange Bowl following the 2012 season. The Huskies, however, were overmatched by their SEC opponent - with their rushing offense, which ranked 7th nationally (325.3 yards per game) entering the week, held to 123 yards by Arkansas.
Hare had touchdown throws to Aregeros Turner and Joel Bouagnon, but Northern Illinois trailed 28-7 at halftime and never threatened in the second half.
The Razorbacks, meanwhile, had no problems extending the dominance of their SEC-leading rushing attack. Alex Collins, Jonathan Williams and Marshall combined to rush for 188 yards on 36 carries, and Arkansas finished with 212 yards rushing to go with 215 yards through the air.
It was a balanced recipe the rejuvenated Razorbacks, who have lost 13 straight SEC games, hope to carry into next week against No. 6 Texas A&M.
"I think we always expect to be really balanced, especially when you play tough competition," Allen said. "You're not going to be able to run over every team. That balance is going to help us win a lot of games."