2006 Arkansas Razorbacks football team The 2006 Arkansas Razorbacks football team completed the season with a 10 – 4 record . The Razorbacks had a regular season SEC record of 7 – 1 . Schedule . Game notes . USC . USC and Arkansas both came into the game with a number of question marks , as USC had lost stars Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart to the NFL , and Arkansas ' s star running back Darren McFadden was injured in an off - field incident . Although the game was close until the latter minutes of the second quarter , a combination of USC ' s high - powered offense wearing out Arkansas ' s defense , and running back Felix Jones ' three fumbles , stretched the margin in the second half to the final score . Robert Johnson was removed as the starting quarterback this week , replaced by Mitch Mustain . Utah State . After the Razorback ' s hard loss at home against the USC Trojans , the Hogs were looking to bounce back against Utah State . Mustain had replaced Johnson as the starting quarterback , but the Arkansas offense stalled early , losing a fumble at the Aggie 1 - yard line . But under the shoulders of McFadden and Jones , Arkansas bounced back for 3 touchdowns . The Arkansas defense played valiantly in showing of revenge for the embarrassment of the previous game , and the offense , while not up to form , still played well . Vanderbilt . In Week 3 , Arkansas traveled to Vanderbilt University for its first away game of the season . This game proved to be a good early match against two teams not predicted to fare well in SEC play . The game began with alternating possessions , but neither team took a large lead . But at the end of the first half , a busted extra point attempt by the Commodores gave Arkansas a 14 – 13 lead . During the fourth quarter , Arkansas and Vanderbilt both scored , but because of Vanderbilt ' s situation , they opted to go for a two point conversion , and failed . Although they got one last possession , a missed field goal ended Vanderbilt ' s chance of victory . Alabama . This game was well played by both teams playing evenly matched with Alabama leading at halftime 10 – 3 . However Arkansas bounced back with a touchdown from Darren McFadden and a fumble return for a touchdown by Randy Kelly , making the score 17 – 10 at the end of the third quarter in favor of the Razorbacks . Alabama answered by scoring a touchdown in the fourth , tying the game and eventually sending it into overtime . During regulation , Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin had missed two field goal attempts wide right . And after a scoreless first overtime , the Crimson Tide scored but again missed the extra point . On the next series quarterback Mitch Mustain threw a touchdown pass to tight end Ben Cleveland to tie the game , and the Razorbacks won it with a completed extra point by Jeremy Davis . Auburn . In an SEC West bout , the Arkansas Razorbacks visited the # 2 ranked Auburn Tigers at Jordan - Hare Stadium . The Hogs scored first with a 34 yard field goal by Jeremy Davis to make it 3 – 0 with 7 : 56 left in the first quarter . Arkansas scored again with a 50 yard pass from Mitch Mustain to Marcus Monk to make it a surprising 10 – 0 lead with 3 : 43 remaining in the first quarter . On the first play of the second quarter Auburn countered with a 24 yard TD strike from Brandon Cox to Rodgeriqus Smith to make the score 10 – 7 . With 5 : 00 left to go in the first half , Arkansas came back with Darren McFadden running for a 63 yard TD making it 17 – 7 . However , Auburn kicker John Vaughn kicked a 36 yard field goal to make the score 17 – 10 with 1 : 50 remaining in the first half . After the half , it was all Arkansas as their defense kept Auburn from scoring . With 4 : 54 left in the third quarter Felix Jones ran in a 1 yard TD . And with 3 : 34 left in the game , Arkansas sealed it with a 22 yard field goal from Jeremy Davis . With the win the Hogs had control of their own destiny in the SEC West . Southeast Missouri State . On Arkansas ' homecoming they faced the Redhawks from Southeast Missouri State . From the get - go , it was clear Arkansas was going to dominate this game . Darren McFadden scored the first two touchdowns making it 14 – 0 at the end of the first quarter . In the second quarter the Hogs burst wide open and scored four touchdowns ; two coming from Felix Jones and one coming from Michael Smith , and an interception return by DT Keith Jackson . At the Half , the score was 42 – 0 . The Hogs scored three times in the second half , with the Redhawks only score coming in the third quarter by a 8 yard run from John Radney . The final score was 63 – 7 . Ole Miss . In an SEC West match , # 18 Arkansas Razorbacks squared off with the Ole Miss Rebels at Razorback Stadium . Felix Jones returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown making the score 7 – 0 . Darren McFadden ran in the next score from 4 yards to make the score 14 – 0 with 9 : 43 left in the first quarter . Peyton Hillis scored from 1 yard out to make it 21 – 0 with 8 : 27 left in the second quarter . Ole Miss scored a field goal by Joshua Shene from 27 yards out to make it 21 – 3 . After the half , Darren McFadden scored with a 70 yard screen pass from Mitch Mustain making it 28 – 3 . In the fourth , Arkansas scored on a Jeremy Davis field goal and a London Crawford touchdown catch making it 38 – 3 at the final . With this win , Arkansas became bowl eligible after a two year absence . Louisiana - Monroe . The 14th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks returned to Little Rock to face the Sun Belt ' s Louisiana Monroe Warhawks . The Warhawks struck first with a 17 yard pass from Kinsmon Lancaster to Lagregory Sapp for a TD . With the score 7 – 0 , the Warhawks were fired up . With 7 : 41 left in the first quarter , Felix Jones rushed in a 7 yard TD , however Jeremy Davis missed the extra point to make the score 7 – 6 . Arkansas scored in the second quarter with a 12 yard TD pass from Mitch Mustain to Marcus Monk , and completed a two point conversion to make it 14 – 7 . With 4 : 14 left in the first half , the Warhawks ' Calvin Dawson was tackled in their own endzone for a safety making it 16 – 7 . Nearing the end of the first half , RB Darren McFadden threw a 10 yard TD pass to Wes Murphy . The score at the Half was 23 – 7 . In the third quarter , Darren McFadden rushed 18 yards for a touchdown but was flagged for excessive celebration . The penalty was counted on the extra point and Jeremy Davis missed it and the score was 29 – 7 . Later , Mitch Mustain threw a 12 yard TD pass to Marcus Monk , and a two point conversion made it 37 – 7 . In the fourth , Michael Smith rushed for a 3 yard TD to make it 44 – 7 . The Warhawks scored a field goal late in the game to make the final 44 – 10 . South Carolina . The 12th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks went on the road to face a dangerous South Carolina Gamecocks team at Williams - Brice Stadium in Columbia , South Carolina . The Gamecocks scored on their second drive with a field goal from 3 yards by Ryan Succop after an interception gave South Carolina great field position . Arkansas countered with a 43 yard TD run from Darren McFadden making the score 7 – 3 at the end of the first quarter . In the second quarter , Darren McFadden rushed for a 14 yard TD to make the score 14 – 3 . With 9 : 19 remaining in the first half , the Gamecocks scored another field goal from Ryan Succop to make it 14 – 6 . Arkansas then blocked a punt and the Gamecocks recovered it in their own endzone for a safety to make it 16 – 6 . And with 0 : 02 left in the first half , Casey Dick threw a 50 yard hail - mary that was tipped off two Gamecock defenders and into the hands of Mike Rhim to make it 23 – 6 going into the half . During the half , Steve Spurrier replaced Gamecock quarterback Syvelle Newton with Blake Mitchell who came out swingin ' . After an Arkansas field goal , Mitchell threw 13 yard TD pass to Kevin McKinley to make it 26 – 13 at the end of the third . In the fourth , Mitchell threw a 10 yard TD pass to Sydney Rice to make it 26 – 20 . After a missed field goal by Arkansas , Mitchell drove the field in an attempt to win the game but was intercepted by Darius Vinnet to make the final 26 – 20 . In this game Houston Nutt switched quarterback Mitch Mustain with Casey Dick . Tennessee . ESPN ' s College Game Day came to Fayetteville this week to host the matchup between the 11th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks and the 13th ranked Tennessee Volunteers . In the first quarter , Casey Dick through a 10 yard TD pass to Marcus Monk for a 7 – 0 lead . In the second quarter , Darren McFadden ran 17 yards for a TD to make it 14 – 0 . Tennessee bounced back with a 27 yard TD pass from Jonathan Crompton to Robert Meachem to make the score 14 – 7 . With 6 : 51 remaining in the half , Darren McFadden threw a 12 TD pass to Marcus Monk to make it 21 – 7 . Darren McFadden also ran in a 5 yard TD score to end the half with a score of 28 – 7 . After a scoreless third quarter Arkansas hit a 28 yard field goal while Jonathan Crompton hit Bret Smith for a 39 yard TD pass late in the game to make the final 31 – 14 . Mississippi State . The 6th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks visited the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Scott Field in Starkville , MS . In the first quarter , Mississippi State was threatening to score when Arkansas CB Chris Houston intercepted a pass and returned it 87 yards for a TD . Miss . St . countered with a 65 yard TD run from Anthony Dixon . This made the score 7 – 7 . On the ensuing kickoff , Darren McFadden returned it 92 yards for a TD making the score 14 – 7 . In the second quarter the Bulldogs fought back with a 22 yard TD strike from Michael Henig to Tony Burks . With : 41 left in the half , Casey Dick threw a 29 yard TD pass to Damian Williams . The score at the half was 21 – 14 . In the third quarter , Casey Dick threw another TD pass for 35 yards to Marcus Monk . With a scoreless fourth quarter , the final score was 28 – 14 . With this win , Arkansas clinched the SEC Western Division Title . LSU . The 9th ranked LSU Tigers came to Little Rock to visit the 5th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks at War Memorial Stadium . Arkansas scored quickly when Darren McFadden ran in a 1 yard TD run , but Jeremy Davis missed the extra point . LSU stormed back to score on a 29 TD run by Keiland Williams to make the score 7 – 6 . In the second quarter , JaMarcus Russell threw a 47 yard TD pass to Craig Davis . Arkansas came back with a 21 yard TD pass from Casey Dick to Mike Rhim , but failed to score on the two point conversion making the score 14 – 12 at the half . In the third quarter , Colt David hit a field goal for LSU to make it 17 – 12 . In the fourth , JaMarcus Russell threw a 7 yard TD pass to Early Doucet . On the next Arkansas play , Darren McFadden ran 80 yards for a TD to make the score 24 – 19 . On the ensuing kickoff , Trindon Holliday returned it 92 yards for a TD . With 4 : 53 left , Felix Jones ran in for a 5 yard TD . LSU held on to win 31 – 26 . SEC Championship Game – Florida . The two divisional champions ; the East ' s Florida Gators , and the West ' s Arkansas Razorbacks , faced off in the SEC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta , Georgia . Florida scored first with a 33 yard field goal from Chris Hetland . In the second quarter Florida ' s QB Tim Tebow ran 9 yards for a TD to make it 10 – 0 . Chris Leak then threw a 37 yard TD pass to Percy Harvin . Arkansas fought back with a 48 yard TD pass from Casey Dick to Mike Rhim to make the score 17 – 7 at the half . In the third quarter Arkansas ' Darren McFadden threw a 2 yard TD pass to Felix Jones . With 8 : 33 left in the third , Arkansas ' Antwain Robinson intercepted a pitch from Florida ' s Chris Leak and returned it for a TD to make the score 21 – 17 . With 3 : 47 remaining in the third , Arkansas PR Reggie Fish muffed a punt and the fumble was recovered by Florida ' s Wondy Pierre - Louis for a TD making it 24 – 21 . In the fourth , Percy Harvin ran 67 yards for a TD to make the score 31 – 21 . Arkansas came back with a 29 yard TD pass from Cedric Washington to Felix Jones to make the score 31 – 28 . On the next possession , Florida ' s Andre Caldwell threw a 5 yard TD pass to Tate Casey . Florida held Arkansas and won the SEC , 38 – 28 . Capital One Bowl – Wisconsin . The 15th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks went to Orlando , Florida to the Capital One Bowl to face the 7th ranked Wisconsin Badgers . Wisconsin struck first by scoring a 52 yard field goal from Taylor Mehlhaff . Arkansas came back and scored on a 76 yard TD run by Felix Jones to make the score 7 – 3 . Wisconsin answered with a 22 yard TD pass from John Stocco to Paul Hubbard . In the second quarter , Wisconsin scored on a 13 yard TD pass from John Stocco to Travis Beckum to make it 17 – 7 at the half . In the fourth quarter , Felix Jones ran for a 12 yard TD . Wisconsin held on to win the Capital One Bowl 17 – 14 . Postseason . Though Arkansas had a strong year , turmoil developed on the team . The largest conflict occurred between head coach Houston Nutt and offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn over the direction of the offense . Malzahn came to Arkansas in 2006 from Springdale High School with some of his players who had committed to Arkansas , including QB Mitch Mustain and WR Damian Williams . These players felt that Malzahn would be able to implement his spread , no - huddle offense at Arkansas . Over the course of the season , speculation arose that this offense was not being implemented and that Malzahn had less control over the offense than he was promised , claims that Malzahn has not verified publicly . Some of the parents of these players met with Arkansas athletic director Frank Broyles in December to question the role of their sons on the team . After the season , Williams and Mustain transferred to Southern California . Malzahn left to be the offensive coordinator at Tulsa and wide receiver Andrew Norman transferred to Tulsa as well . In the offseason , fans raised questions about Houston Nutt ' s handling of recruits , management of the offense , and off - the - field relationships . Certain fans filed Freedom of Information requests for Nutt ' s phone records . However , a number of fans remained strongly supportive of Nutt . The rift that formed in the fanbase over these issues ultimately contributed to Nutt ' s departure after the 2007 regular season , just after the Razorbacks upset the number one team in the nation , LSU .