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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Outplaying two Arkansas quarterbacks and the nation's eighth-ranked team, Louisiana-Monroe stunned the Razorbacks, earning a 34-31 overtime win Saturday at War Memorial Stadium.
After Arkansas kicked an overtime field goal, Warhawks quarterback Kolton Browning took a shotgun snap and rolled right into national prominence with a 16-yard touchdown run.
"There were certainly people that doubted us," ULM coach Todd Berry said. "I had a lot of faith. That doesn't guarantee anything. But this team has great character."
Great character and a great quarterback, Arkansas coach John L. Smith said of Browning beating the Hogs with his arm (42 of 67 for 412 yards and three touchdowns vs. one interception) and his legs (69 yards net on 16 carries including the game-winning touchdown, but also key first downs on third and fourth down).
"We got outplayed and outreached, and we couldn't get them off the field," Smith said. "That guy (Browning) did a tremendous job. He made play after play after play. He had a phenomenal game. We couldn't stop him."
ULM, a 30-point underdog, trailed 28-7 with 9:42 remaining in the third quarter. Browning began the rally with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, capped by Jyruss Edwards' 3-yard run, cutting the deficit to 28-14 after three quarters.
Early in the fourth quarter, Browning hit Kevin Steed for a 1-yard touchdown pass. The Warhawks tied the game with 47 seconds remaining in regulation when Browning completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Brent Leonard.
ULM cornerback Mitch Lane made two great breakups of passes thrown by Arkansas backup quarterback Brandon Allen in overtime before placekicker Zach Hocker's 37-yard field goal gave Arkansas the 31-28 lead that Browning's run overcame.
Arkansas played the entire second half and overtime without senior All-SEC quarterback Tyler Wilson, who suffered an injury announced as "above the shoulders" in the second quarter. Wilson finished 11 of 20 for 196 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Redshirt freshman Allen quarterbacked a touchdown drive early in the second half but finished six of 20 and threw an interception late in regulation.
Arkansas cornerback Tevin Mitchel, immobilized and carried off the field on a stretcher during the second half, will be OK, Smith said he was told by doctors.
ULM scored the first touchdown and just missed a fourth-and-1 pass from scoring the last one in the first half.
In between, Arkansas managed to do enough to lead 21-7 at halftime.
With just a 7-7 score to show for it, the Warhawks dominated the first quarter, possessing the ball 10:12 to Arkansas' 4:48.
Arkansas' struggling tone was set on its first series. Wilson sailed a second-down pass too far for wide open Cobi Hamilton and then underthrew the next one, which was intercepted by Warhawks cornerback Vincent Eddie at the ULM 33.
Browning kept Arkansas with off balance with his legs (five carries for 31 first-quarter yards even against a 15-yard sack) and his accurate short passing, eight of his first nine, including a 2-yarder on fourth-and-1 from his own 42. He led ULM to a 13-play, 67-yard drive consuming 5:03. Browning's 4-yard pass to Centarius Donald gave the Warhawks a 7-0 lead with 9:19 left in the first quarter.
Arkansas tied it with a nine-play, 75-yard drive, which was capped by Wilson's 20-yard TD pass to Julian Horton late in the first quarter.
Only defensive end Chris Brown's 15-yard sack of Browning kept the Warhawks from leading again before Wilson got in rhythm. He completed four consecutive short passes -- three to tight end Chris Gragg -- before finding Hamilton beyond the Warhawks' secondary for a 39-yard touchdown with 11:08 left in the second quarter.
Wilson and freshman receiver Mekale McKay connected on a 61-yard pass, setting up running back Knile Davis' 3-yard scoring run, making it 21-7 with 2:25 left in the half.
Browning, 18 of 24 in the first half, marched the Warhawks from their 20 to the Arkansas 2 but eschewed the field goal on fourth down. Browning's throw sailed too high for Tavarese Maye, who was open in the back of the end zone.
Allen took the final snap when the Razorbacks ran out the first-half clock.
After Arkansas kicked an overtime field goal, Warhawks quarterback Kolton Browning took a shotgun snap and rolled right into national prominence with a 16-yard touchdown run.
"There were certainly people that doubted us," ULM coach Todd Berry said. "I had a lot of faith. That doesn't guarantee anything. But this team has great character."
Great character and a great quarterback, Arkansas coach John L. Smith said of Browning beating the Hogs with his arm (42 of 67 for 412 yards and three touchdowns vs. one interception) and his legs (69 yards net on 16 carries including the game-winning touchdown, but also key first downs on third and fourth down).
"We got outplayed and outreached, and we couldn't get them off the field," Smith said. "That guy (Browning) did a tremendous job. He made play after play after play. He had a phenomenal game. We couldn't stop him."
ULM, a 30-point underdog, trailed 28-7 with 9:42 remaining in the third quarter. Browning began the rally with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, capped by Jyruss Edwards' 3-yard run, cutting the deficit to 28-14 after three quarters.
Early in the fourth quarter, Browning hit Kevin Steed for a 1-yard touchdown pass. The Warhawks tied the game with 47 seconds remaining in regulation when Browning completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Brent Leonard.
ULM cornerback Mitch Lane made two great breakups of passes thrown by Arkansas backup quarterback Brandon Allen in overtime before placekicker Zach Hocker's 37-yard field goal gave Arkansas the 31-28 lead that Browning's run overcame.
Arkansas played the entire second half and overtime without senior All-SEC quarterback Tyler Wilson, who suffered an injury announced as "above the shoulders" in the second quarter. Wilson finished 11 of 20 for 196 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Redshirt freshman Allen quarterbacked a touchdown drive early in the second half but finished six of 20 and threw an interception late in regulation.
Arkansas cornerback Tevin Mitchel, immobilized and carried off the field on a stretcher during the second half, will be OK, Smith said he was told by doctors.
ULM scored the first touchdown and just missed a fourth-and-1 pass from scoring the last one in the first half.
In between, Arkansas managed to do enough to lead 21-7 at halftime.
With just a 7-7 score to show for it, the Warhawks dominated the first quarter, possessing the ball 10:12 to Arkansas' 4:48.
Arkansas' struggling tone was set on its first series. Wilson sailed a second-down pass too far for wide open Cobi Hamilton and then underthrew the next one, which was intercepted by Warhawks cornerback Vincent Eddie at the ULM 33.
Browning kept Arkansas with off balance with his legs (five carries for 31 first-quarter yards even against a 15-yard sack) and his accurate short passing, eight of his first nine, including a 2-yarder on fourth-and-1 from his own 42. He led ULM to a 13-play, 67-yard drive consuming 5:03. Browning's 4-yard pass to Centarius Donald gave the Warhawks a 7-0 lead with 9:19 left in the first quarter.
Arkansas tied it with a nine-play, 75-yard drive, which was capped by Wilson's 20-yard TD pass to Julian Horton late in the first quarter.
Only defensive end Chris Brown's 15-yard sack of Browning kept the Warhawks from leading again before Wilson got in rhythm. He completed four consecutive short passes -- three to tight end Chris Gragg -- before finding Hamilton beyond the Warhawks' secondary for a 39-yard touchdown with 11:08 left in the second quarter.
Wilson and freshman receiver Mekale McKay connected on a 61-yard pass, setting up running back Knile Davis' 3-yard scoring run, making it 21-7 with 2:25 left in the half.
Browning, 18 of 24 in the first half, marched the Warhawks from their 20 to the Arkansas 2 but eschewed the field goal on fourth down. Browning's throw sailed too high for Tavarese Maye, who was open in the back of the end zone.
Allen took the final snap when the Razorbacks ran out the first-half clock.