Basically, the 2010 Liberty Bowl pitting Arkansas against East Carolina came down to the following stat line:
That, in a nutshell -- well, along with turnovers -- was the story of the game tonight as the admittedly tough conditions in the kicking game helped propel the Razorbacks to a 20-17 overtime win over the Pirates.
And, oddly enough, it was a field goal -- a 37-yarder by Alex Tejada in the first overtime -- that was the difference in the game.
ECU actually led in most of the major statistical categories -- 390-280 in total yards; 178-78 in rushing yards; 24-10 in first downs; 37:55-22:05 in time of possession. However, in the category that usually counts the most, the Pirates failed miserably.
The Pirates turned the ball over three times to just once for the Razorbacks. One of those turnovers led directly to seven points as Tramain Thomas returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to tie the game at 10 apiece.
Oh, one more thing that I think was learned tonight: Ryan Mallett really needs at least one more season of college ball. Mallett, a redshirt sophomore who’s been rumored to be seriously thinking of giving the NFL a go this year, completed just 15 of 36 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown.
While one game is not a career, Mallett showed that he is in dire need of a little bit more seasoning. There’s no denying the athletic ability and talent are there; the experience, though, isn’t.