Southwest Roundup : Arkansas Holds Off Ole Miss Rally, 24-17

Arkansas Coach Ken Hatfield says his No. 8 Razorbacks’ 24-17 victory over Mississippi Saturday night at Jackson, Miss., boiled down to one thing: “We made one more big play than they did.”

“We’re just that one play better than Ole Miss,” Hatfield said moments after Razorback defender Anthony Cooney intercepted Rebel quarterback John Darnell’s pass into the end zone with 17 seconds left. A completion and the extra point would have tied the game.

Arkansas freshman halfback E.D. Jackson had two touchdowns in the first half, both from short yardage.

Jackson, who gained 80 yards in 22 attempts, pulled the Razorbacks (2-0) even with the Rebels (3-1) at 7-7 early in the second quarter, then gave his team a 14-7 lead with a two-yard burst at 12:54 in the second.

Texas 45, Southern Methodist 13--Mark Murdock’s three touchdown passes helped the Longhorns beat the Mustangs in a Southwest Conference game at Dallas.

The Mustangs, who start 18 freshmen, stunned 40-point favorite Texas by jumping out to a 7-0 lead after a scoreless first period in which the Longhorns’ Wayne Clements missed field goal tries of 47 and 35 yards.

SMU quarterback Mike Romo, the hero of last week’s 31-30 upset of Connecticut, connected with passes of 16 and 12 yards to Mike Bowen to set up an 18-yard scoring pass to Jason Wolf for a 7-0 Mustang lead.

Texas put the game away in the third quarter with 17 points against the tiring Mustangs, who were playing their third game since the expiration of a two-year “death penalty” imposed by the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. for recruiting violations.

Texas is 1-1 overall and 1-0 in SWC play. SMU is 1-2 and 0-2.

Southwest Louisiana 18, Rice 3--Brian Mitchell rushed for 114 yards and completed 12 of 25 passes for 143 yards, chalking up more than 100 yards in both categories for the sixth time in his career, as he led the Ragin’ Cajuns to victory at Houston.

Mitchell rushed for both of the game’s touchdowns as Southwestern Louisiana improved to 2-1. Southwestern Louisiana got its first points in the second quarter when Rice’s Mike Hooks centered the ball out of the end zone for a safety.

The Owls fell to 1-2 and lost starting quarterback Donald Hollas, ranked eighth nationally in total offense, in the first quarter with a neck injury.

Baylor 46, Kansas 3--Tailback Eldwin Raphel scored on tackle-breaking runs of 19 and 7 yards, and linebacker James Francis blocked a punt for a safety as the Bears defeated the Jayhawks at Waco, Tex.

Baylor won its home opener after road losses to Oklahoma and Georgia.

Texas Christian 19, Southern Mississippi 17--Ron Jiles passed for two touchdowns and Tommy Palmer rushed for 120 yards to lead the Horned Frogs past the Golden Eagles at Ft. Worth.