New Mexico State 13, Arkansas 63

1234T
NMSU (0-1)076013
ARK (1-0)142814763

Final

7:00 PM ET, September 4, 2004
Razorback Stadium
FAYETTEVILLE, AR

Arkansas 63, New Mexico State 13

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Team Stat Comparison
 
1st Downs1325
Total Yards216548
Passing161327
Rushing55221
Penalties5-4010-85
3rd Down Conversions3-1311-16
4th Down Conversions0-00-1
Turnovers30
Possession26:2433:36
Individual Leaders
New Mexico State Passing
 C/ATTYDSTDINT
Pierce17/2316120
Dombrows...0/3000
Arkansas Passing
 C/ATTYDSTDINT
Jones13/1619510
Johnson5/813220
New Mexico State Rushing
 CARYDSTDLG
Buries1240016
Jones2908
Romaka1404
Arkansas Rushing
 CARYDSTDLG
Jones83818
Dickerson1134110
Hillis932210
New Mexico State Receiving
 RECYDSTDLG
Jones329014
Lawson31718
Dombrowski236129
Tolbert21207
Arkansas Receiving
 RECYDSTDLG
Ousley647012
Harris259050
Washington250131
Birmingham216011
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTERNMSUARK
TD7:57PEYTON HILLIS 1 YD RUN (CHRIS BALSEIRO KICK)
Drive info: 12 plays, 58 yards.
07
TD3:34MATT JONES 2 YD RUN (CHRIS BALSEIRO KICK)
Drive info: 6 plays, 52 yards.
014
SECOND QUARTERNMSUARK
TD12:50DE'ARRIUS HOWARD 6 YD RUN (CHRIS BALSEIRO KICK)
Drive info: 6 plays, 28 yards.
021
TD11:47CHRIS HOUSTON 1 YD PUNT RETURN (CHRIS BALSEIRO KICK)028
TD5:46CHRIS BAKER 74 YD PASS FROM ROBERT JOHNSON (CHRIS BALSEIRO KICK)
Drive info: 3 plays, 77 yards.
035
TD2:13PAUL DOMBROWSKI 29 YD PASS FROM BUCK PIERCE (RYAN GUARDIA KICK)
Drive info: 6 plays, 64 yards.
735
TD0:17MARCUS MONK 38 YD PASS FROM MATT JONES (CHRIS BALSEIRO KICK)
Drive info: 7 plays, 71 yards.
742
THIRD QUARTERNMSUARK
TD13:53PEYTON HILLIS 2 YD RUN (CHRIS BALSEIRO KICK)
Drive info: 4 plays, 74 yards.
749
TD9:22CEDRIC WASHINGTON 19 YD PASS FROM ROBERT JOHNSON (CHRIS BALSEIRO KICK)
Drive info: 5 plays, 42 yards.
756
TD5:12JEREMY LAWSON 8 YD PASS FROM BUCK PIERCE (BLOCKED XP)
Drive info: 8 plays, 63 yards.
1356
FOURTH QUARTERNMSUARK
TD0:05KYLE DICKERSON 4 YD RUN (CHRIS BALSEIRO KICK)
Drive info: 4 plays, 31 yards.
1363

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Senior quarterback Matt Jones was the star as a young Arkansas team beat overmatched New Mexico State 63-13 Saturday. But freshmen provided some of the brightest highlights for the Razorbacks.

Jones completed 13 of 16 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. The Razorbacks' only returning offensive starter, Jones also ran for 38 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game after the first drive of the third quarter.

Coach Houston Nutt praised Jones' leadership as well as his play.

"He's excellent in the huddle, he's excellent on the sidelines. He's just a winner for us," Nutt said.

As pleased as the coach was with his most experienced player, he had to be ecstatic over the performance of his freshmen -- who have known since before they arrived on campus last month that they would have to contribute quickly if the Razorbacks are to go to a record-setting seventh straight bowl game.

Among their highlights: Kevin Woods blocked a punt attempt by Steven Smith at the New Mexico State 1 and classmate Chris Houston grabbed the ball and ran it in. Peyton Hillis ran nine times for 32 yards and two touchdowns.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Robert Johnson threw for 132 yards and two touchdowns, including a 74-yard strike to Chris Baker that made the score 35-0 with 5:46 left in the first half.

Six-foot-6 freshman Marcus Monk caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Jones, leaping to catch the ball over defenders at the 5, and keeping his feet long enough to roll into the end zone.

"I'm very proud of them," Nutt said of his least experienced players. "I just don't want them to change. I get so nervous when they have a great (preseason) camp."

Arkansas' defense, an overall more-experienced squad, held the Aggies to 216 yards of total offense. By the time New Mexico State earned its initial first down, with 10:37 left in the second quarter, Arkansas had put together three scoring drives and scored on a blocked punt.

"First of all, their defensive front looks better than the one we faced last year," said New Mexico State coach Tony Samuel, whose Aggies lost to Arkansas 48-20 last season. "I know they had a bunch of young ones, but they penetrated the line of scrimmage really well and that took away some of the things we thought we'd have time to do."

Arkansas improved to 5-0 against New Mexico State and has won 22 straight nonconference games -- 21 under Nutt, who remains undefeated in seven season openers at the school.

The Aggies got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter when quarterback Buck Pierce hit Paul Dombrowski on the right sideline near the goal line for a 29-yard touchdown play. In the third quarter, Pierce threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Lawson.

Pierce was 16-of-21 for 159 yards and both New Mexico State scores. Justine Buries carried 12 times for 40 yards.

Jones and most of Arkansas' first-team offense sat out the majority of the second half. Jones was never sacked, but many of his rushing yards came as he scrambled from the pocket under pressure. Jones scored on a naked bootleg from the 2 -- loping at least 30 yards laterally as he ran for the left corner pylon.

Junior Carlos Ousley was Jones' favorite target, catching six passes for 47 yards.

College Football Scores

Other Scores:

Saturday, September 4th
Middle Tennessee State Postponed
10 Florida
South Carolina 31 Final
Vanderbilt 6
Louisiana-Monroe 0 Final
Auburn 31
Georgia Southern 28 Final
Georgia 48
Oregon State 21 Final
LSU 22 OT
Tulane 7 Final
Mississippi State 28
New Mexico State 13 Final
Arkansas 63
Memphis 20 Final
Mississippi 13
Utah State 17 Final
Alabama 48
Sunday, September 5th
Kentucky 0 Final
Louisville 28
UNLV 17 Final
Tennessee 42