Ole Miss vs. Arkansas: Score and Twitter Reaction

The Arkansas Razorbacks waited 17 games to return to the win column in SEC play, and now they want to stay awhile.   

Bret Bielema's squad throttled No. 8 Ole Miss 30-0 Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in a complete 60-minute drubbing. The Razorbacks notched their second straight shutout against a ranked foe, after blanking LSU 17-0 last week to snap a 17-game SEC skid.

Arkansas (6-5) is also now bowl-eligible with the rest of the SEC West. It's the first time ever that an entire division has pulled off that feat, per the SEC's Chuck Dunlap:

After Arkansas starting quarterback Brandon Allen gave his team a 17-0 lead, freshman Austin Allen finished the game in relief when his brother suffered a back injury early in the second quarter. He didn't have to do much, as the Arkansas defense forced six turnovers.

Many of those came at the expense of Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace, who returned from a first-half ankle injury to throw two costly interceptions in the end zone. He finished 16-of-31 with 235 yards, but one of his picks was returned 100 yards for a game-clinching score.

Here's a glance at the quarter-by-quarter scoreboard:

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Ole Miss	0	0	0	0	0
Arkansas	17	0	10	3	30

The eighth-ranked Rebels knew they weren't facing a typical last-place team in the division, with Arkansas on a high after the streak-ending win over LSU. Wallace commented entering the game on how important offensive possessions would be.

"It's important for us to get points on every possession," he told The Clarion-Ledger's Hugh Kellenberger. "We trust our defense to give us the ball."

Early on, Wallace's offense didn't follow suit—and his trust of the defense didn't pay off.

Sarah Bentham/Associated Press

Ole Miss started with a three-and-out, and Arkansas took over near midfield intent on taking advantage. The Razorbacks went unconventional, straying from their between-the-tackles style to score in three plays on Brandon Allen's 25-yard strike to Keon Hatcher.

The Rebels' disastrous start only got worse two plays later. Wallace fumbled on a quarterback run, and Arkansas' Trey Flowers fell on it to set his team up at the Ole Miss 29.

Looking to blow it open midway through the first quarter, Arkansas lined up for a crazy trick play on 3rd-and-1 with seven players out left and the center all alone—and eligible for a pass. The Hogs barely picked up the first down after Ole Miss covered it well, but Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples commended Bielema's style:

Ole Miss got a big stop inside the 5-yard line to hold Arkansas to a 22-yard field goal, but the offense couldn't get into a rhythm. The Rebels' first three drives yielded just 12 total yards.

All of a sudden, they were dazed by Arkansas' rushing strength again, as the Razorbacks pushed down the field on a nine-play drive ending on Alex Collins' one-yard rushing score.

A 17-0 hole before the end of the first period wasn't exactly the start Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze had talked about, as ESPN.com's Edward Aschoff noted:

Also not to be overlooked was Arkansas' offensive dominance against one of the nation's best defensive units. Sporting News' Matt Hayes compared the Razorbacks to Alabama, who scored all of 10 points offensively against the Rebels:

After the shocking start, injuries hit both backfields at nearly the same time. 

Wallace was injured on his sack-fumble and shortly left the field for treatment before returning, but Brandon Allen wasn't as fortunate, as ESPN's Brett McMurphy reported:

Ole Miss finally found some resolve defensively after being torched in its first few possessions, holding Arkansas scoreless in the second quarter. But it didn't come without some help, as the Razorbacks executed a great two-minute drill only to miss a 37-yard field goal before the half.

The Rebels had avoided a 20-0 hole before the half, but Jake Thompson of The Oxford Eagle noted the origin of Ole Miss' problems:

With Wallace back and operating well, Ole Miss found some success offensively to start the second half. But it never materialized into points. 

The Rebels' first second-half drive ended on a turnover on downs in Arkansas territory. The next one all but clinched the game, as Rohan Gaines intercepted Wallace on a cross-field throw to the end zone and returned it 100 yards for a score. As a result, Arkansas went up 27-0.

For the second time in the game, Wallace was intercepted after floating one across the field into the end zone, and Aschoff couldn't help but notice:

"

A major problem with having a gunslinger QB is that they can get careless close to the end zone. Bo Wallace has done that twice today

— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) November 22, 2014"

Ole Miss obviously still had a chance down four scores with more than a quarter to go, but Arkansas' defensive dominance shut the door. The Razorbacks forced another turnover on downs when Wallace slung four incomplete passes at the Arkansas 27 to end the third quarter.

The offensive turnaround for Ole Miss was apparent in the third period. But no points from it and a 27-0 deficit on the road meant this one was over after 45 minutes. It also marked an incredible streak for Arkansas' defense, per Dudley E. Dawson of Scout.com:

If things weren't over then, it ended when DeVante Kincade fumbled and Arkansas returned it to the goal line with 13:35 to go.

Ole Miss held the Razorbacks to a field goal, but as Arkansas News Bureau's Robbie Neiswanger noted, there wasn't much drama left for the Rebels:

The Razorbacks' defensive dominance isn't new, according to Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee:

Arkansas is now bowl-eligible with the win, something that seemed like an impossibility just three weeks ago. And the best days should be ahead for the Razorbacks, as USA Today's Paul Myerberg analyzed:

A last-place finish in the SEC West for Arkansas is still possible, but after this late-season dominance, closing out with a win over Missouri next week would make the hype around the program unreal entering its bowl game and the 2015 season. 

On the other side, the Rebels are crushed, after their third defeat of the season undoubtedly ends what was already an outside shot at the College Football Playoff. There's still the Egg Bowl against No. 4 Mississippi State next week, but pride is about all that's left for a team that was vying all season for the championship.

One thing is certain: The SEC West is downright scary.