LITTLE ROCK --- The Arkansas running back tandem of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones combined to rush for 263 yards Saturday to lead the Razorbacks to a 34-15 victory over Chattanooga in a game played in Little Rock, Ark.
McFadden, who needed 153 yards to become the school's all-time leading rusher, was held to a season low by the Mocs, 122 yards on 25 carries. Jones ended up with the better total with 141 yards on 13 carries while scoring two touchdowns.
UTC back Bryan Fitzgerald beat McFadden's total by one yard. The second-string tailback earned his first career 100-yard game with 123 yards on 14 rushes. He scored on an exciting 65-yard touchdown run right up the middle of the Arkansas defense.
Fitzgerald's scoring run came at 1:49 of the third quarter and sliced Arkansas' lead to 24-15. The Mocs went for the two-point conversion, but the pass play failed.
“We've tried to get him in there,” UTC Head Coach Rodney Allison said of Fitzgerald. “He is a quality back. I thought it was a great run he made. Erroll (Wynn) is good too. Maybe we could have a mini version of what Arkansas has. I like to have two good backs. Both of our two are unselfish, just like the Arkansas backs. Our hope is as we go through the next six games we can get production out of both of them.”
Arkansas, now 3-2, added a one-yard Jones touchdown run with 13:43 to play and a 32-yard Alex Tejada field goal at the 10:39 mark of the fourth quarter for the final margin.
The Mocs, 1-4, enjoyed a short-lived lead in the first quarter. Arkansas snapped the ball over the quarterback's head on the first play of the game and fell on it in the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 UTC lead. It was the second safety for the Mocs in as many weeks.
McFadden gave the Razorbacks the lead, 7-0, on a two-yard touchdown run with 8:43 left in the first quarter. Fullback Peyton Hillis hauled in a 24-yard pass from Casey Dick to push the margin to 14-2 at 1:40 of the opening period.
The Mocs cut the deficit to 14-9 at 7:28 of the second quarter as quarterback Antonio Miller hit fullback Brent Hayes with a three-yard touchdown pass. It was Miller's sixth TD toss in the last three games.
Arkansas tacked on a 47-yard Tejada field goal right before the half, and the Razorbacks owned a 17-9 halftime lead.
Miller finished the game completing 4-of-22 pass attempts for 11 yards. He threw one interception while also gaining 32 yards on five rushes. Back Erroll Wynn picked up 32 yards on 19 carries.
McFadden and Jones ran for over 100 yards in the same game for the eighth time. Quarterback Casie Dick was 12-for-22 passing for 116 yards and one touchdown. UTC linebacker Joseph Thornton picked off a Dick pass.
“I thought our defense was the difference and kept us in the game,” Allison said. “We held our ground there for a little bit. I thought our kids played hard and competed as hard as they could. We had a very upbeat, positive approach. Our guys understand that they played well against a very physical team.”
UTC safety Chris Camacho set a career high with 18 tackles on the night. Linebacker Chris Johnson added 14, and Steven Mills compiled seven.
The Mocs return home next Saturday, hosting Southern Conference foe Western Carolina at 6 p.m. at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga for Homecoming.
