FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — After Bryce Young was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury in the second quarter, No. 2 Alabama turned to Jahmyr Gibbs and backup quarterback Jalen Milroe to pull away from No. 20 Arkansas 49-26 Saturday.
Young left with 10:34 remaining in the second quarter with what coach Nick Saban called a sprained right, throwing shoulder and did not return. Young was on the sideline in uniform for the second half.
Alabama (5-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) led 14-0 when Young was hurt. Milroe led Alabama to touchdowns on his first two drives to open a 28-0 lead.
No. 20 Arkansas (3-2, 1-2) scored the next 23 points and held the Alabama offense, missing Young, to minus-1 yard in the third quarter.
Young won the Heisman Trophy last year, throwing for 4,872 yards and 47 touchdowns.
On the first drive of the fourth, Milroe restored order for Alabama.
His 77-yard scramble on third-and-15 put the Crimson Tide on the Arkansas 3 and Jase McClellan scored three plays later.
After forcing an Arkansas punt, Gibbs ran 73 yards around the right side to the end zone on the first play and gave Alabama a 19-point lead with 12:17 left.
Arkansas had rallied behind a touchdown pass from KJ Jefferson to Ketron Jackson, an 11-yard touchdown run from AJ Green, a recovered onside kick and a short TD run by Rocket Sanders touchdown after a bad snap on a punt by Alabama.
Milroe, a second-year player, was 4 for 9 for 65 yards with a touchdown and ranf for 91 yards and two scores.
Gibbs had 206 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, including a 76-yard touchdown to seal it in the fourth quarter.
Sanders, the SEC’s leading rusher entering the game, had 101 yards on 22 carries for his fourth 100-yard game of the season. Jefferson was 13 of 24 passing for 155 yards with.
Alabama has now won 16 straight games over the Razorbacks.
THE TAKEAWAY
Alabama always has answers. Without Young, it simply leaned into its running game.
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman was bold with an onside kick to steal a possession, but the Razobacks’ defense couldn’t take advantage of Young’s absence.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Alabama will likely stay at No. 2 in the rankings, but with more than half the season to play, Young’s status will likely determine whether they stay there for the long term.
Arkansas could drop out of the Top 25 following a second straight loss.
UP NEXT
Alabama: Hosts Texas A&M, the only team to beat the Crimson Tide during the regular season last year, next week.
Arkansas: Travels to Mississippi State for Week 6.
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