FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Texas State was unable to overcome five first-half Arkansas touchdowns as the 24th-ranked Razorbacks defeated the Bobcats 42-3 Saturday evening in Fayetteville, Ark.
 
Arkansas (3-0) finished the contest with 467 total yards (226 rushing, 241passing) as Austin Allen was 16 of 21 for 241 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Rawleigh Williams III led the Razorbacks' ground game with 121 yards and two scores on 19 attempts. Keon Hatcher finished with three receptions and 96 yards on four targets.
 
Texas State (1-1) totaled 105 yards of offense. Tyler Jones was 11 of 26 for 83 yards through the air. Stedman Mayberry counted 34 rushing yards on 10 attempts and Elijah King finished as the Bobcats' leading receiver with 24 yards on one reception. Bryan London made 10 stops to lead the defense, while Clarence Guidry III registered nine total tackles.
 
Arkansas used 10 plays and 5:45 off the clock to move 82 yards on the game's opening possession for a 7-0 lead. The Razorbacks were 2-of-2 on third downs on the drive, including the 9-yard Allen to Hatcher scoring strike in the left corner of the end zone.
 
Texas State picked up a first down on its first possession of the game as Mayberry rushed for two yards following a 9-yard Jones to Luna hookup. However, the drive would stall at the Bobcats' own 41, bringing out Lumi Kaba for the senior's first punt of the evening.
 
Arkansas wasted little time finding the end zone for a second time, using only five plays to cover 87 yards. Starting at its own 13-yard line, Arkansas ran three plays that netted 13 yards, but the fourth play of the drive turned into what appeared to by a 74-yard TD reception for Hatcher. However, the play was reviewed and Hatcher was ruled down at the 1-yard line. Kody Walker took advantage of the opportunity and plunged up the middle for the touchdown and a 14-0 Razorback lead.
 
Texas State went three-and-out on its next possession and the Bobcats forced an Arkansas punt on the following series. After a 3-yard Devwah Whaley rush, Ishmael Davis and Gavin Graham broke up a back-to-back Allen passes.
 
Following a Texas State punt Arkansas started on its own 18-yard line, but three rushes for 32 total yards by Williams III set the Razorbacks up at the 50. A holding call on first-and-10 set Arkansas behind the chains and Texas State would force a punt as Jordan Eastling broke up Allen's third down pass.
 
Three plays later Arkansas' Ryan Pulley intercepted Jones and returned the ball 25 yards to pay dirt and a 21-0 Razorback advantage.
 
Arkansas made it 28-0 as Allen tossed his second TD of the night, this time a 10-yard score to tight end Jeremy Sprinkle who had drifted behind the Bobcat linebackers in the end zone. The drive, which started a midfield, lasted seven plays and took 4:03 off the clock.
 
Despite going three-and-out on its next series, the Bobcats wound up with the ball in Razorback territory three plays later as freshman linebacker Nikolas Daniels strip sacked Allen and recovered the fumble at the Arkansas 42. The Texas State offense was unable to take advantage of the fortuitous field position and punted away to the Razorbacks after three plays.
 
The Razorbacks' Williams III added a final touchdown before the half on a 1-yard run up the middle, bringing the score to 35-0. Starting on its own seven, Arkansas took eight plays to move 93 yards in 1:57. Allen accounted for 52 yards through the air and eight on the ground during the drive.  
 
James Sherman put Texas State on the board with a 39-yard field goal to cap the Bobcats' opening drive of the second half. Starting on its own 25, Texas State picked up two quick first downs, moving the ball out to the 43. Jones then connected with King for 24 yards, setting the Bobcats up at the Arkansas 33. Bobcats then took advantage of an offside call and Mayberry gained four yards on fourth-and-1 down to the Razorback 20. The drive would stall as Jones was sacked on third down and a substitution infraction against the Razorbacks set up Sherman's career-long field goal.
 
Williams III scored his second touchdown of the game with a 15-yard scamper up the middle on Arkansas' ensuing possession, making the score 42-3. The Razorbacks converted three third downs and a fourth down during the 15-play drive.
 
The teams then traded punts for the next three possessions before time ran out with the Texas State offense on the field at their own 38-yard line.
 
Texas State will make its 2016 debut at Bobcat Stadium next Saturday (Sept. 24) hosting No. 6 Houston. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. live on ESPNU.
 
Note: The fourth quarter was shortened to 10 minutes due to inclement weather entering the Fayetteville area.