Taylen Green led Arkansas to a thrilling 39-26 victory over Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl on Friday night. The Razorbacks’ quarterback threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns, while also running for 81 yards. Green’s performance was key to his team’s win, as they out-executed the Red Raiders in both halves.
The game saw several big plays, including a 54-yard run by Texas Tech’s J’Koby Williams and a 94-yard pass from Green to receiver Dazmin James, which set Liberty Bowl history. Arkansas coach Sam Pittman praised his team’s overall performance, saying they had good players who just needed some attention.
The Razorbacks took an early lead, but the Red Raiders pulled back into the game before halftime. However, Arkansas controlled the second half with upped offense, while holding Texas Tech scoreless for two quarters until the closing minutes.
Green was made more two-dimensional to loosen up the Texas Tech offense, with Pittman planning on running him more and introducing new plays. This strategy seemed to work, as Green’s performance improved in the second half.
For Texas Tech, inexperience at quarterback and mistakes hindered their chances of winning. Coach Joey McGuire acknowledged that his team gave away too many big plays, which were a recurring issue throughout the season.
The win may give Arkansas some attention, but Pittman downplayed the significance of the game. He instead focused on restocking his troops by signing players through the transfer portal to fill vacancies on the offensive line.
Source: https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401677092