Five Most Memorable Runs of Alex Collins' Arkansas Career

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — One of the finest careers of any running back in Arkansas football history comes from Alex Collins. Sadly, his life came to a tragic end following a motorcycle accident on this day in 2023.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native signed with the Razorbacks in the 2013 recruiting class during a ceremony that showed he was going to make headlines one way or another. While his mom wasn't too keen on him playing college football so far from home, he ended up becoming one of the greatest players to ever come through the program.

In 38 career games, Collins compiled 665 carries for 3,703 yards and 36 touchdowns across three short seasons.

Arkansas Razorbacks running back Alex Collins (3) carries the ball to score a touchdown against the LSU Tigers in the first half at Tiger Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He sits No. 2 all-time among Arkansas running backs in rushing yards (3,703), No. 3 in touchdowns (36), No. 2 in total carries, and holds the single season school record with 20 touchdowns during the 2015 season.

Collins joined the legendary Darren McFadden as the only two running backs in school history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in their first three seasons.

Following his Arkansas career, Collins went on to be drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks, playing for them before joining the Baltimore Ravens and later returned to Seattle.

During his five-year professional career, Collins compiled 2,464 yards of total offense and 19 touchdowns.

84 Yards Untouched vs. Texas Tech (2014)

Coming off a 3-9 season, there was plenty of optimism for a turnaround year and Collins was at the forefront of the charge. While sharing backfield duties with his sidekick Jonathan Williams, the 5-foot-11, 215 pound running back thrashed Texas Tech on the road led by first-year coach Kliff Kingsbury.

Collins recorded a career-high 27 carries for 212 yards and two touchdowns, which included him going untouched for 84 yards through the Red Raiders' defense.

Ending SEC Losing Streak (2014)

Sitting at 4-5 overall with an SEC losing streak that spanned 17 games, Arkansas was finally able to take the gorilla off its back in a big way. With just over 11 minutes left to go in the fourth quarter, the Razorbacks were already up by 10 but needed one more score to put LSU away.

Arkansas quarterback Brandon Allen took the third-and-one snap with a heavy 22 personnel grouping and Collins deep in the backfield of an offset I-formation. This may not have been one his longest or most impressive runs, but it signified that the Razorbacks were far from dead under former coach Bret Bielema.

For a program that hadn't celebrated an SEC victory in more than two years, those few yards might as well have been 80.

Collins' touchdown to go ahead 17-0 can be viewed at the 5:15 mark of this video

Going 80 vs. LSU (2015)

There were plenty of moments after a 1-3 start to the regular season in 2015 that included Collins.

It was one of those daunting night games in a stadium also known as Death Valley. The Razorbacks were looking for its first victory over a top-10 team in a calendar year and build off a 17-0 victory from the previous season.

What is likely considered the most epic run of his career took place in Baton Rouge when he silenced a Tiger Stadium crowd with an 80-yard run up the middle of the LSU defense. He hit the middle of the defense and suddenly his the afterburners with nothing between him and the end zone.

He finished the night with 16 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-14 upset of the No. 9 Tigers.

Domination of Missouri (2015)

Wins in this series with Missouri have become few and far between. With a bad taste in his mouth due to a late fourth quarter fumble in the 2014 game, Collins made things personal by Irish dancing his way through the Tigers' defense.

In his final game in Razorback Stadium, the Hogs' beloved tailback recorded 30 carries for 130 yards and three touchdowns during a 21-0 victory.

His three touchdown day starts at the 4:03 mark of the highlight video.

Dancing on K-State (2015)

Collins wasn't done cruising past defenders that season as he helped the Razorbacks to a dominant 45-23 win in the Liberty Bowl over Kansas State. He finished the day with his second-highest yardage total of his college career with 23 carries for 185 yards and three touchdowns.

He had a return of 68 yards, and long runs of 36, 22, 21, and a memorable 14-yarder using his unique blend of speed, strength and shiftiness to push himself through the heart of the Wildcats' defense into the end zone.

The dreadlocks bouncing behind his helmet, quick feet and that unmistakable running style helped him become a fan favorite at Arkansas. While Collins only spent three seasons in Fayetteville, he left behind enough memories to last generations.

Sign up to our free newsletter, and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter) for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google