OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Connor Noland allowed one run over 7 2/3 environment friendly innings, Chris Lanzilli hit a tiebreaking three-run homer and Arkansas beat No. 2 nationwide seed Stanford 17-2 on Saturday within the most-lopsided School World Collection sport in 34 years.
The Razorbacks knocked out Pac-12 pitcher of the yr Alex Williams within the fifth inning and went on to log their greatest margin of victory in 36 CWS video games. It was Stanford’s greatest loss of their 73 CWS video games.
“I assumed we performed only a implausible sport,” Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn mentioned. “Began on the mound with pitching. Excellent. Lots of strikes. Protection behind him was excellent as nicely. And offensively swung the bat extraordinarily nicely up and down the lineup. Bought manufacturing 1 via 9.”
The Razorbacks (44-19) will play Monday in opposition to Mississippi, a 5-1 winner over Auburn within the evening sport. Stanford (47-17) will face Auburn in an elimination sport.
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Arkansas scored 11 runs within the final three innings and completed with a season-high 21 hits, together with Cayden Wallace’s thirtieth profession homer within the ninth.
“That’s not what you need the nation to see. We haven’t been that staff,” Stanford coach David Esquer mentioned. “You may’t let (the gamers) fear about that or really feel like that’s their defining second of the season. It’s simply a type of that you simply’ve bought to flush.”
Noland (8-5) surrendered a homer to Stanford leadoff man Brock Jones on his third pitch, however with the assistance of a protection that turned double performs to get him out of two jams, Stanford did not rating once more till Carter Graham greeted reliever Kole Ramage with a base hit within the eighth.
Noland threw solely 79 pitches on a scorching, humid afternoon when the feels-like temperature reached 106 levels. He induced 11 groundball outs and 7 flyouts, and his solely strikeout got here within the sixth inning. Apart from Jones’ homer, all of the Cardinal mustered in opposition to him have been 5 singles and a stroll.
“I knew they have been going to swing the bat. They’re an aggressive staff, they wish to put the ball in play,” Noland mentioned. “We had the wind blowing in. I get lots of floor balls usually. I simply caught to the plan. I let the protection work behind me.”
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Razorbacks followers rose and gave Noland an ovation, a lot of them “Calling the Hogs,” as he hugged teammates and walked from the mound to the dugout.
“Our offense did an excellent job of placing the ball in play and testing their protection,” Jones mentioned. “That they had actually good protection right this moment, and he was capable of pound the zone.”
Williams (8-4) struggled for a 3rd straight begin within the NCAA Event. He gave up a triple to Braydon Webb on the sport’s first pitch, hit a batter and issued a stroll however bought out of the inning down solely 1-0.
Williams settled down the subsequent three innings, then gave up back-to-back singles within the fifth earlier than Lanzilli hammered a changeup a dozen rows into the left-center seats to make it 4-1.
“To play on this stage is absolutely why I got here right here,” mentioned Lanzilli, who transferred from Wake Forest. “And to do one thing like that’s superior, and to win the sport is even higher. I simply need to hold it rolling.”
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When Robert Moore adopted with a base hit, the day was over for Williams, who has allowed 16 runs in his final 10 1/3 innings (13.94 ERA).
The Razorbacks, who managed solely three hits in a 5-0 loss to Stanford in February, went on handy the Cardinal the worst loss in a CWS since Arizona State hammered Wichita State 19-1 in 1988.
It was Arkansas’ first win over the Cardinal for the reason that 1985 CWS.
“At the moment’s rating bought out of hand,” Van Horn mentioned. “And I feel coach Esquer was — he didn’t need to say it — however he threw some guys they wouldn’t usually pitch. These final three innings we scored 10, 11 runs. You may take these off the board a bit of bit. He’s making an attempt to get via this the place we could play once more.”
Stanford is in a well-recognized place after having to win three elimination video games in regionals and two in tremendous regionals to advance.
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“We’ve been taking part in with our backs up in opposition to the wall for a while now,” Esquer mentioned. “Looks as if we have performed our greatest when that’s the case.”
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Hope springs eternal every offseason, but Arkansas football got the optimism train for 2025 off the tracks Friday night in its 2024 season finale.
The Razorbacks (7-6) led from start-to-finish in a 39-26 victory over Texas Tech at the Liberty Bowl. The Hogs racked up 559 yards on offense, held the Red Raiders (8-5) to just seven points in the second half and played a near-perfect game on special teams. In all three phases, Arkansas executed, giving the Razorbacks their third winning season in the past four years under head coach Sam Pittman.
But there is also a beacon to the hope in the form of redshirt junior quarterback Taylen Green. The Texas native was dynamic against the Red Raiders, throwing for 341 yards and running for 81 more. He accounted for three touchdowns, and as Arkansas ran away in the second half, Texas Tech’s defense had no answer.
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Green will return to Arkansas for his final college season next year, and why shouldn’t coaches or fans believe he can give SEC defenses the same issues in 2025?
“Taylen took over,” Pittman said. “We have Taylen Green, a lot of teams don’t, and it gives us opportunity to win.”
More: Former Missouri wide receiver Courtney Crutchfield transfers to Arkansas
More: Here’s how we graded Arkansas football in Liberty Bowl win over Texas Tech
Green did all of the things Arkansas fans have seen in flashes throughout the season Friday night. He hit receivers in stride and extended plays with his legs. Some of those resulted in long runs, and others finished with him finding an open target on the move.
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The quarterback led Arkansas to touchdowns on its first three possessions of the game and slammed the door shut on a potential Texas Tech comeback with a 47-yard touchdown pass to Tyrell Reed Jr. in the third quarter. It was the first reception of Reed’s Arkansas career.
A similar milestone was set in the first quarter. The first catch of Dazmin James’ college career resulted in a 94-yard touchdown that gave Arkansas a 21-3 lead. It was the longest touchdown reception in Arkansas history and the longest pass in Liberty Bowl history.
“It’s crazy, we were talking about that slant in the hotel, the whole week, and it came to fruition,” Green said.
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Reed and James’ production keyed the Arkansas victory, but it also represented a question answered for Green’s development.
All season, Green relied heavily on wide receiver Andrew Armstrong, who accounted for more than 30% of Green’s passing yards in the regular season. Sometimes, Green keyed too much on Armstrong.
Against Texas Tech, Green showed he can thrive regardless of his weapons. In addition to Armstrong, Arkansas was without the services of Luke Hasz and Isaiah Sategna. James finished with three catches for 137 yards, and freshman CJ Brown had four catches. The only familiar target, Isaac TeSlaa, had three catches for 107 yards.
“It just speaks to our depth, not just at the receiver position, but the running backs, tight ends, O-line,” Green said. “That’s the one thing you know I knew when I committed here — I knew y’all probably didn’t know yet — but just the weapons that we have offensively. I’m just grateful and excited that they have their opportunity.”
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Just as he has all season, Green deflected the praise to his teammates and coaches. He walks the walk and talks the talk as a starting quarterback and program figurehead in the SEC.
Arkansas will have plenty of holes to fill this offseason. The Hogs need to find three new starters on the offensive line and three more at wide receiver. They’ve already started finding replacements through the transfer portal and have a good foundation returning on defense.
But Green is the central focus for any offseason hope. It will be nine months before Arkansas takes the field against Alabama A&M in the 2025 season opener. Taylen Green will be under center, and that’s as good a starting point the Razorbacks can ask for.
The Texas Tech Red Raiders take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Liberty Bowl, and both squads could have an entirely different look compared to the regular season. For Tech, the Red Raiders lost their offensive coordinator but should be a tad more stable in terms of roster outlook compared to the Razorbacks. Arkansas is down to six scholarship offensive linemen and will be missing two key starters in this bowl game. Furthermore, both squads have had players leave for the transfer portal, but the Razorbacks losses were significantly more impactful such as WR Andrew Armstrong heading to the NFL. Furthermore, Arkansas will be without two of its better defensive players: safety TJ Metcalf and EDGE rusher Landon Jackson.
Texas Tech’s biggest loss could be star RB Tahj Brooks, but he has participated in every bowl game practice leading up to the game despite not making an official decision with less than 24 hours to go before kickoff. Stability is key in modern-day bowl game matchups, and while neither side has much, the Red Raiders have a clear edge in that department. With all things considered, I’ll take Texas Tech on the moneyline.
Texas Tech ML (-120) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number up to -140.
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Jaylen Raynor passed for 221 yards and two touchdowns to go with a rushing score, and Zak Wallace had 99 yards rushing and a TD to help Arkansas State beat Bowling Green 38-31 on Thursday night in the 68 Ventures Bowl.
Wallace scored on a 14-yard run with 3:10 left in the fourth quarter for a 38-24 lead. He carried the ball on the last six plays of the drive, gaining 59 yards on the eight-play, 68-yard march. It was his 11th rushing touchdown of the season, nine coming in the last six games.
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Rahkeem Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to give Bowling Green a short field. Five plays later, Smith made a 23-yard catch in the end zone to get within 38-31.
Hunter Summers easily recovered the onside kick and Wallace powered through the middle of the defense for a 19-yard gain to seal it.
Corey Rucker added 107 yards receiving and two touchdowns for Arkansas State (8-5), which won a bowl game for the first time since 2019 — the same year it last won eight games in a season.
Rucker caught a long pass from Raynor and raced for a 79-yard touchdown for a 24-14 lead with 4:13 left in the first half. Following a fumble recovery by Noah Collins, Raynor found Rucker for a 6-yard TD to make it 31-21 early in the third.
Connor Bazelak threw for 390 yards and three touchdowns for Bowling Green (7-6). Harold Fannin Jr. had 17 catches for a career-high 213 yards and a touchdown.
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Fannin reached 125-plus yards with a touchdown for the sixth time this season, which leads the FBS.
Bowling Green’s special teams struggled. Zach Long missed his third field goal attempt of the game (one was blocked) with 10:19 left. The Falcons allowed Courtney Jackson to return a punt for a 60-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and BGSU also had a fake punt come up short of a first down in the second half.
Record Holder
Fannin made a catch midway through the first quarter to become the single-season record holder for receiving yards by a tight end in the FBS. He entered needing just 11 yards to surpass Jace Amaro’s record of 1,352 in 2013 at Texas Tech. Fannin finished the season with 1,555 yards.
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