A certified snoozefest quickly turned into an all-time classic on Wednesday night between Kansas and Arkansas.
The two programs met in Memphis, Tenn. for the Liberty Bowl. There was little entertainment for most of the night as Arkansas was laying a beatdown on Kansas, leading 38-13 midway through the third quarter. But suddenly, the Jayhawks arose like the “Call an ambulance, but not for me” meme.
After clawing back ten points by the beginning of the fourth quarter, Kansas somehow managed to score 15 points in the final 1:05 of regulation to tie the game at 38 all (after recovering an onside kick). Jalon Daniels found Luke Grimm for a 21-yard touchdown strike with 41 seconds left, then found Lawrence Arnold for the game-tying two-point conversion.
Kansas was down 15 points with 66 seconds left in the game against Arkansas.
They scored 15 points in the final 1:05 to tie the game and send it to OT 😱
🎥 @Big12Conferencepic.twitter.com/FJqC7mtqH1
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 29, 2022
The 2 Point Conversion for Kansas to tie the game. https://t.co/zsoODvnxLb
— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) December 29, 2022
Overtime was even wilder as it took three of them (!!!) to finally decide the victor. The two teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime (tying the game at 45-45) and then traded touchdowns AND two-point conversions in the second overtime (tying the game at 53-53). Arkansas had stuffed Kansas on the Jayhawks’ initial two-point try. But Kansas got another shot (which they converted) after the Razorbacks were flagged for targeting on the play.
https://twitter.com/FTBeard7/status/1608291849101508608
Per NCAA rules, the third overtime consisted only of alternating two-point attempts. Arkansas converted theirs, then stopped Kansas’ razzle-dazzle trick play try to finally escape with the 55-53 victory.
Kansas, down two, go for the two-point conversion to tie things up in the third overtime and… ???
Arkansas win the Liberty Bowl 🐽
🎥 @SportsCenter | @RazorbackFB pic.twitter.com/RJQ0CvSccP
— The Athletic CFB (@TheAthleticCFB) December 29, 2022
The win probability graphic for that chaotic fever dream of a game looked just about how you would expect it to. Check it out (with special emphasis on how close Arkansas was to 100 percent near the end of regulation as well as after their touchdown and two-point conversion in the second overtime).
The Arkansas vs. Kansas win probability looked like my EKG during the game.
Either that or it’s literally like an earthquake on a seismograph.
What a wild game! #WPS #GoHogs pic.twitter.com/b1TLX1Mp3j
— Dan Skoff (@weatherdan) December 29, 2022
We have seen some ridiculous multiple-overtime affairs in college football before but perhaps none that was quite like that. Blessings to bowl season.
