Three Takeaways From Arkansas' Dominant 34-6 Win Over South Carolina

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Razorbacks took on the No. 17 South Carolina Gamecocks Saturday night in convincing fashion, 34-6.

This marks the first home SEC win since October 5th, 2024, when the Razorbacks took down the No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers. USC entered the night with an outside shot of making the College Football Playoff.

However, those plans went up in smoke with quarterback LaNorris Sellers and wide receiver Nyck Harbor ruled out before the game.

Jackson Takes Care of Business

After a rough start to the season, KJ Jackson delivered quite the performance, completing 15-of-24 passes for 188 yards and two touchdown throws, while also adding 46 rushing yards on 10 attempts.

The Alabama native was comfortable all night, making the right reads and avoiding errors in tonight's dominant win over the Gamecocks.

Jackson also distributed the ball all over the field, as seven different players ended the night with at least one reception, including the dynamic duo of Chris Marshall and Antonio Jordan leading the charge. Botth receivers hauled in a big-time touchdown grab and finished the game with over 60 receiving yards on four receptions apiece.

Shelton Lewis, Joker Johnson — Arkansas defensive backs Shelton Lewis celebrates with Joker Johnson. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs On SI Images

Shutdown Defensive Performance

The Razorbacks' defense shut down the Gamecocks' offense early in tonight's game and never looked back, as Arkansas overwhelmed USC's offensive line.

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Tulane transfer Joker Johnson had South Carolina quarterback Cutter Woods' number all night as he wreaked havoc on the Gamecocks' offense, being all over the field and forcing the Gamecocks into do-or-die mode as the Johnson finished with a team high 8 tackles while also tacking on two interceptions as he returned one of those for a pick-six.

The Joker is loose 😈 @1_jahiem pic.twitter.com/25UBIjA556
— Arkansas Football 🐗 (@RazorbackFB) November 15, 2026

With Sellers out of the starting lineup, Arkansas defensive coordinator Ron Roberts turned up the pressure on the backup QB Cutter Woods, forcing four turnovers and scoring 17 points off those.

Ben Bogle and Charlie Collins both had their best games of the season, finishing with five total tackles and a pair of turnovers.

Bogle grabbed a late interception that led to a Max Gilbert field goal, and Collins recovered a fumble that led to a Chris Marshall touchdown.

Run Game Continues to Show Improvement

The Razorbacks' rushing attack controlled the tempo of the game and in turn opened up their passing attack, finishing with 167 rushing yards on the ground against the Gamecocks.

Sophomore running back Cam Settles led the way for the Razorbacks, with 64 rushing yards on 17 carries, once again serving as a safety valve for an Arkansas offense that struggled to do so in the early stages of the 2026 season.

Sutton Smith also shined against the Gamecocks' defense, showing flashes of what made him a coveted portal addition by rushing for 60 yards on 13 carries and added a 7-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

The Razorbacks now look to build on this momentum as they head to Austin to take on the No. 6 Texas Longhorns next Saturday inside Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.

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