No. 23 Liberty gets goal-line stop, beats Arkansas 21-19

Updated Nov. 5, 2022 7:32 p.m. ET

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Johnathan Bennett threw three touchdown passes in the first half and No. 23 Liberty used a late goal-line stop on a 2-point conversion try to beat Arkansas 21-19 on Saturday.

Liberty (8-1) stopped KJ Jefferson’s conversion attempt with 1:11 left to seal the win.

The Razorbacks (5-4) scored 19 unanswered points on a field goal, safety, two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion. Jefferson took a shotgun snap up the middle on the conversion try and was marked short of the end zone near the goal line. Officials upheld the call after more than two minutes of review.

Liberty raced to a 21-point lead behind Bennett's three first-half TD passes. Bennett finished 15 of 25 for 224 yards. But the Flames were held to just 79 yards in the second half while Arkansas had 250.

Jefferson was 23 of 37 passing for 284 yards with two touchdown passes, both to tight end Trey Knox, and two interceptions. One of the picks was late in the first half when he looked for Knox on a 26-yard pass in the end zone. The ball bounced off the tight end and into the hands of a Liberty defender.

Bennett led Liberty on an 80-yard drive on eight plays on the ensuing drive for what proved to be the winning score.

Arkansas entered with the sixth-ranked rushing game in FBS, averaging more than 244 yards. Liberty held Arkansas to 144, including just 60 from Rocket Sanders, the ninth-ranked rusher in the nation.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Liberty could jump a couple spots after beating an SEC opponent.

Arkansas picked up votes last week, but is unlikely to get that result again.

THE TAKEAWAY

Liberty’s lone loss came by one point to Wake Forest in Week 3. The Flames may be the best non-power-conference team in FBS.

Arkansas’ bowl-eligibility hopes are in trouble as the Razorbacks face ranked opponents the next two weeks before finishing in a rivalry game against Missouri.

UP NEXT

Liberty: The Flames play at Connecticut in Week 12.

Arkansas: The Razorbacks get another home game when Ole Miss visits Saturday.

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Trey Knox

KJ Jefferson

Arkansas Razorbacks

Liberty Flames