Toledo vs. Arkansas: Score, Highlights, Twitter Reaction for Rockets' Upset

On a Saturday when Auburn escaped Jacksonville State's upset bid, the 18th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks weren't as fortunate, falling to the Toledo Rockets, 16-12, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. 

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Toledo's triumph was among the most impressive in program history—and easily its most notable this decade:

"Obviously they did not disappoint," Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema said, according to the Arkansas News Bureau's Eric Bolin. "The only ones disappointed today were us."

Days after Bielema publicly ripped Ohio State for having a weak schedule, those comments came back to bite him, as ESPN's Danny Kanell explained on Twitter: 

According to ESPN.com's Austin Ward, one Buckeyes player celebrated at the expense of Arkansas on Saturday night:    

Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith noted that a couple of Saturday's performances brought the SEC down a peg: 

The Razorbacks (1-1) couldn't muster enough offense during crucial red-zone opportunities to stave off a feisty Toledo team, and it cost them dearly.   

Quarterback Brandon Allen (32-of-53, 412 yards and an interception) worked Arkansas down to the Toledo 4-yard line with over two minutes remaining, but the Razorbacks came up empty on all four chances in a goal-to-go situation with the game on the line. 

A backbreaking holding penalty following a run inside the 1 pushed the Razorbacks to the 14-yard line, and Allen couldn't solve the Rockets secondary from that point on. The team's last gasp following an intentional Toledo safety proved futile.   

"We've really got to look at our red-zone package," Bielema said, per Bolin. "Being able to run the football has to be first and foremost."

The Razorbacks had no problem eating up chunks of yards between the 20s, but the Rockets were actually the more disciplined and efficient side despite the absence of suspended running back Kareem Hunt, who helped Toledo finish 14th in total rushing among all FBS teams last season. 

To wit: Arkansas orchestrated a massive 21-play drive that spanned portions of the third and fourth quarters, but the near-11-minute possession resulted in a field goal that cut Toledo's lead to six, 16-10. 

Danny Johnston/Associated Press

Penalties also dogged the Razorbacks. In addition to the holding call by the goal line, Jared Cornelius returned a punt 59 yards for a touchdown, but an illegal block from Eric Hawkins negated the score. Rushing for 3.3 yards per carry on 31 attempts didn't exactly help matters either. 

On the flip side, Toledo (1-0) was starving to get into the scoring column after its season opener against Stony Brook was suspended because of severe weather, and it struck first behind the arm of quarterback Phillip Ely.

A five-yard strike from the signal-caller to wide receiver Corey Jones gave Toledo an early 6-0 lead, but Arkansas was able to respond. A 21-yard touchdown scamper from running back Alex Collins briefly thrust the Razorbacks ahead before Toledo tacked on a 38-yard field goal shortly before halftime.   

An 11-yard touchdown run from Damion Jones-Moore (10 carries, 61 yards) with just over five minutes left in the third quarter proved to be the difference.

Ely went on to finish with 237 yards and a touchdown on 21-of-37 passing, which was huge considering Toledo mustered just 2.2 yards per carry sans Hunt.  

The Rockets will face another Power Five test next week when Iowa State comes to town, but Toledo should be confident knowing it can hang with a team previously revered as a sleeper in the SEC West. 

Bielema's boys will need to right the ship next weekend at home against Texas Tech before their SEC schedule gets underway. But if they can't, the Razorbacks could be in for a rude awakening. From Sept. 26 to Oct. 24, Arkansas is slated to square off against Texas A&M, Tennessee, Alabama and Auburn in consecutive games, with the first three contests coming on the road. 

That's a recipe for disaster.