1. Ryan Mallett
Heisman candidate Ryan Mallett did nothing to hurt his chances for the coveted trophy Saturday, completing 21 of 33 for 380 yards, including a three-pass, 73-yard touchdown drive in 32 seconds at the end of the game. His 40-yard pass to Greg Childs put the Razorbacks up by the final margin, 31-24, with 14 seconds to play. His production included three touchdown passes. Mallett moved into seventh place on Arkansas’ career passing yardage list Saturday, to boot. By halftime, he had passed for 4,557 yards, eclipsing Joe Ferguson’s 4,431 and Quinn Grovey’s 4,496. He entered Saturday’s game averaging 350.5 yards per game.
2. Dylan Breeding
A first-quarter run for a first down was the first-ever carry for punter Dylan Breeding. The play officially was ruled a fumble recovery after the long snap bounced to Breeding. He sprinted to the first-down marker to his left and slipped past it before being ridden out of bounds. The drive stalled after that. Breeding’s biggest play came in the fourth quarter when he skied a 57-yard punt out of the Razorback end zone, setting up Georgia with a first-and-10 at is 34 with 2:18 left. Arkansas held on a third-down sack of Aaron Murray, forcing a punt. The sophomore from Hoover, Ala., appeared in 12 games for the Razorbacks a season ago. His highlights included 61 punts his first season with 14 of those downed inside the opponents’ 20.
Mark Buffalo • Stephens Media
3. Jake Bequette/Damario Ambrose
There was no defensive play bigger Saturday than Jake Bequette’s sack of Aaron Murray in the final minute of the game, forcing Georgia to punt. The punt gave the Razorbacks an opportunity to score and win the game. Bequette also recorded five tackles for the game. The defensive end on the other side, Damario Ambrose, helped, too, recording four tackles and forcing a fumble.
4. Zach Hocker
It looks like the decision to make freshman Zach Hocker of Russellville the Razorback placekicker this season was not only a good one, but likely a permanent one. Hocker, who has been perfect on PATs this season, boomed a 48-yard field goal near the end of the half at Athens following a Georgia timeout intended to ice the kicker. The field goal was the longest for the Razorbacks since Sept. 2, 2000, when Matt Swartz hit a 49-yarder against Southwest Missouri State. Hocker replaced Alex Tejada in the lineup as placekicker when Arkansas opened the season against Tennessee Tech. Tejada retained kickoff duties.
5. Joe Adams
Wide receiver Joe Adams went into Saturday’s game against Georgia as the fourth-leading receiver in the SEC. He didn’t do anything to hurt his standing against Georgia with six catches for 130 yards. He also showed his ability as a punt returner, even though his 61-yard first quarter return into the end zone was called back on a block in the back. Officially, he had one return for 1 yard.
— Dennis Byrd • Arkansas News Bureau
