Arkansas Prevails In OT, 20-17 Over East Carolina In Icy Liberty Bowl

For more on the Liberty Bowl, check SB Nation's excellent Arkansas blog, Arkansas Expats

Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Alex Tejada's 37-yard field goal in overtime gave Arkansas a 20-17 win over East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl.

The Razorbacks were only able to claim victory after ECU's Ben Hartman missed two field goals over the final 1:03 of regulation and another in the extra frame.

Ryan Mallett was 15-of-36 for 202 yards and a touchdown to Jarius Wright, who totaled 90 yards on four receptions for the Razorbacks (8-5), who got their first bowl win since a 27-14 triumph over Missouri in the 2003 Independence Bowl.

Patrick Pinkney completed 17-of-33 passes for 209 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. Dominique Lindsay carried 33 times for 151 yards and a score for the Pirates (9-5), who had won six of their last seven previous contests, including a thrilling 38-32 decision over Houston in the Conference- USA title game.

Dwayne Harris caught a touchdown pass amid a four-catch, 64-yard outing. Darryl Freeney made six grabs for 94 yards in the loss.

Hartman hit the left upright on a 41-yard field goal with 1:03 to play and the game tied at 17. Arkansas, though, went nowhere in three plays and an equally bad 28-yard punt had the Pirates back in business at midfield with 44 ticks remaining.

Hartman was set up for another try with three seconds left at the Arkansas 22, but hung a 39-yarder out to the right to bring on overtime.

Then from 35 yards away, Hartman hooked one wide left after East Carolina won the coin toss and moved to the Razorbacks' 18.

Arkansas then set up Tejada at the East Carolina 20 and the junior split the uprights for the win.

Following a scoreless first quarter, the Pirates built a 10-0 halftime lead. Lindsay's three-yard TD run capped a 13-play, 99-yard trek that spanned nearly half of the second quarter. Pinkney and Freeney hooked up for a 38-yard gain on 3rd-and-1 to set up the game's first score. A 33-yard boot from Hartman just before the break made it 10-0.

Jerry Franklin picked off Pinkney moments into the second half and returned it 31 yards to the East Carolina 20. Arkansas' short drive stalled at the eight and yielded just a 25-yard kick from Tejada.

A second Pinkney pick led directly to seven as Tramain Thomas tied the game at 10 with a 37-yard return for a touchdown with nine minutes left in the third.

East Carolina's ensuing possession ended in Pinkney's 13-yard TD pass to Harris for a 17-10 game. Arkansas, though, wasted little time in tying it back up as Mallett hit Wright deep up the seam for a 41-yard score 36 seconds later.

Tejada missed a 43-yard kick about five minutes into the fourth to keep the game tied at 17.

Hartman finished the game 1-for-5 on field goal attempts...Arkansas had lost 12 of its previous 14 bowl games including a 38-7 setback to Missouri in the 2008 Cotton Bowl...This was the 37th bowl game for Arkansas, which is just 12-22-3 in the postseason...East Carolina's bowl history includes a 5-6 ledger with losses in four of its last five postseason tilts...The Pirates dropped a 25-19 decision to Kentucky in last season's Liberty Bowl...The Razorbacks won despite going 0-for-13 on third down and netting just 10 first downs...East Carolina converted 8-of-19 third-down plays and outgained Arkansas 393-283.