NCAAF News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Newsletter

Arkansas Razorbacks tight end Hunter Henry (84) laterals the ball as he is tackled by Mississippi Rebels defensive back Tony Bridges (1) during overtime at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Arkansas won 53-52. Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Pittman remembers play that changed Rebels, Razorbacks season in 2015

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Jacob Davis | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 7:00 PM ET

It's been a decade since Arkansas took down No. 18 Ole Miss in double overtime at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Although the Razorbacks spoiled its season before it even started, there was still some left to do by knocking off the Rebels in pursuit of its first SEC Championship Game appearance in program history.

Instead, quarterback Brandon Allen was masterful in a quarterback duel with Chad Kelly, completing 33-of-45 passes for 442 yards and six touchdowns in an entertaining back-and-forth affair.

While Allen's senior season lives in the minds of Razorbacks to this day, the chaotic 4th-and-25 play lives on forever, an unbelievable finish in a series that comes down to the wire more often than not.

"Yeah, [4th-and-25] certainly was unbelievable and I mean that in every sense of the word, the ending," Arkansas coach Pittman told reporters during the SEC Teleconference Wednesday. "Not only did we have to get 4th-and-25 but we had to, we went for two and the first one we got a face-mask penalty on Brandon on their defense."

If the facemask penalty weren't blatant, Arkansas fans would be wondering about what could have been instead of reminding Ole Miss fans of how their team spoiled a historic season.

Pittman, who at the time was the Razorbacks offensive line coach, had recruited the largest offensive line at any level of football in 2014 and 2015 with Denver Kirkland (6-foot-5, 337 pounds), Dan Skipper (6-foot-10, 319 pounds), Mitch Smothers (6-foot-3, 322 pounds), Frank Ragnow (6-foot-5, 317 pounds), and Sebastian Tretola (6-foot-5, 344 pounds).

The Razorbacks had an electric offense that averaged 466 yards and 38 points per game, which ranked No. 27 nationally in each statistical category.

Former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze had recruited plenty of dynamic defensive weapons to test Arkansas' veteran offensive line. When push came to shove, the Rebels' Robert Nkemdiche, Channing Ward, and Marquise Haynes couldn't keep Arkansas at bay for the two-point conversion.

"We got half the distance and then decided to run it in with [Allen] as well," Pittman said. "They were a really, really good team. I think they had beaten Alabama that year. And so it was a big win and a lot of fun."

Pittman continued to praise the 2015 team full of players with high football IQ's who just wanted it more that night than its opponent on the opposite sideline.

"One of those you get into the locker rom and you go, man, I don’t know how that happened but I’m glad it did," Pittman said. "Hunter did that on his own. We had not talked to him about if he catches it short or we didn’t know he was going to be the guy. He’s a smart player and he heaved it back there on his own and luckily Dan tipped it and we were able to pick it up and run it for a first down. Unbelievable play, very fortunate play for the Hogs. But yeah, it was a great win for Arkansas that day."

Arkansas will get the opportunity to play spoiler once again as an unranked team playing a top-20 Ole Miss team looking to play itself into the College Football Playoff conversation.

Kickoff between the Razorbacks and Rebels is set for Saturday, Sept. 13 at 6 P.M. CST and will air on ESPN.