Arkansas edges East Carolina in OT, 20-17

Published 11:11 pm Saturday, January 2, 2010

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Alex Tejada kicked a 37-yard field goal in overtime to give Arkansas a 20-17 win in the Liberty Bowl on Saturday night after East Carolina’s Ben Hartman missed two field goal attempts late in regulation and another in the extra session.

Hartman missed from 39 yards with 1:03 remaining and from the same distance on the final play of the fourth quarter, then missed from 35 in overtime. Tejada, who has struggled with kicks in pressure situations himself, made his attempt to end the game.

Arkansas won despite going 0 of 13 on third down.

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It was the second straight overtime game for the Razorbacks (8-5), who fell 33-30 to LSU in the regular-season finale. Tejada missed a kick to end that game and also missed from 43 yards in the fourth quarter Saturday.

That was nothing compared to what Hartman went through. He missed four attempts in all, each at the same end of the field. He was short from 45 yards in the first quarter, then hit the left upright with just over a minute left. He was wide right on the second potential game-winner, then wide left in overtime.

East Carolina (9-5) lost in the Liberty Bowl for the second straight season. Last time it was a late fumble return by Kentucky that did in the Pirates.

Dominique Lindsay rushed for 151 yards on 33 carries for East Carolina. His 3-yard touchdown run opened the scoring in the second quarter, ending a 99-yard drive by the Pirates. It was 10-0 at halftime, the first time the Razorbacks had been shut out in the first half since September against Alabama.

Arkansas had been averaging 37 points per game.

Cotton Bowl

Mississippi 21,

Oklahoma State 7

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dexter McCluster gave Mississippi fans a finale to remember, rushing for 182 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 2-yard run on a direct snap with 4:03 left as the Rebels beat No. 21 Oklahoma State 21-7 in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.

McCluster also had an 86-yard TD run in the second quarter after the senior had already become the first Southeastern Conference player with 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in the same season.

Ole Miss (9-4) had five turnovers in the game, but Oklahoma State had six in the fourth quarter, and seven overall.