2003 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

The 2003 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Houston Nutt, the Razorbacks compiled an overall record 9–4 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, placing fourth in the SEC's Western Division.. Arkansas was invited to the Independence Bowl, where the Razorbacks defeated Missouri. The team played home games at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas and War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas.

2003 Arkansas Razorbacks football
Independence Bowl champion
Independence Bowl, W 27–14 vs. Missouri
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Division	Western Division
Record	9–4 (4–4 SEC)
Head coach	Houston Nutt (6th season)
Offensive coordinator	Roy Wittke (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Dave Wommack (2nd season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium War Memorial Stadium
Seasons ← 2002 2004 →

2003 Southeastern Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Eastern Division
No. 7 Georgia xy		6	–	2					11	–	3
No. 15 Tennessee x		6	–	2					10	–	3
No. 24 Florida x		6	–	2					8	–	5
South Carolina		2	–	6					5	–	7
Vanderbilt		1	–	7					2	–	10
Kentucky		1	–	7					4	–	8
Western Division
No. 2 LSU xy$#		7	–	1					13	–	1
No. 13 Ole Miss x		7	–	1					10	–	3
Auburn		5	–	3					8	–	5
Arkansas		4	–	4					9	–	4
Alabama		2	–	6					4	–	9
Mississippi State		1	–	7					2	–	10
Championship: LSU 34, Georgia 13
# – BCS National Champion $ – BCS representative as conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

On November 1, Arkansas beat Kentucky in a game that went to seven overtimes. At the time, it tied the record for the most overtimes in an National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football game.

Seven Razorbacks were named to the 2003 All-SEC football team after the regular season: RB Cedric Cobbs, WR George Wilson, TE Jason Peters, OT Shawn Andrews, LB Caleb Miller, CB Ahmad Carroll, and S Tony Bua. Andrews was also awarded the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the best offensive lineman in the SEC, for the second consecutive year. Andrews was also named a consensus All-American for the second straight season as well.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 6	6:00 pm	Tulsa*		Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR		W 45–13	69,442
September 13	11:00 am	at No. 6 Texas*		Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium Austin, TX (rivalry)	ABC	W 38–28	83,271
September 20	6:00 pm	North Texas*	No. 14	War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR		W 31–7	55,825
September 27	2:30 pm	at Alabama	No. 9	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL	CBS	W 34–31 2OT	83,818
October 11	11:30 am	Auburn	No. 7	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR	JPS	L 3–10	74,026
October 18	2:30 pm	Florida	No. 11	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR	CBS	L 28–33	73,934
October 25	6:15 pm	at Ole Miss	No. 21	Vaught–Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS (rivalry)	ESPN2	L 7–19	58,717
November 1	6:00 pm	at Kentucky		Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY	ESPN2	W 71–63 7OT	66,124
November 6	6:30 pm	South Carolina		War Memorial Stadium Little Rock, AR	ESPN	W 28–6	55,617
November 15	1:00 pm	New Mexico State*		Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR		W 48–20	53,725
November 22	1:00 pm	Mississippi State		Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR		W 52–6	62,547
November 28	1:30 pm	at No. 3 LSU		Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry])	CBS	L 24–55	92,213
December 31	6:30 pm	vs. Missouri*		Independence Stadium Shreveport, LA (Independence Bowl)	ESPN	W 27–14	49,625
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

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Game summaries

Tulsa

	1	2	3	4	Total
Golden Hurricane	3	0	3	7	13
Razorbacks	7	21	7	10	45

See also: 2003 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team

At No. 6 Texas

	1	2	3	4	Total
Razorbacks	14	7	7	10	38
No. 6 Longhorns	7	7	0	14	28

See also: 2003 Texas Longhorns football team

North Texas

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mean Green	7	0	0	0	7
No. 14 Razorbacks	7	24	0	0	31

See also: 2003 North Texas Mean Green football team

At Alabama

	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	Total
No. 9 Razorbacks	7	3	7	14	3	0	34
Crimson Tide	7	3	21	0	0	0	31

See also: 2003 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

Auburn

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	0	7	0	3	10
No. 7 Razorbacks	0	0	3	0	3

See also: 2003 Auburn Tigers football team

Florida

	1	2	3	4	Total
Gators	0	13	13	7	33
No. 11 Razorbacks	7	0	0	21	28

See also: 2003 Florida Gators football team

At Ole Miss

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 21 Razorbacks	0	7	0	0	7
Rebels	7	3	3	6	19

See also: 2003 Ole Miss Rebels football team

At Kentucky

	1	2	3	4	OT	2OT	3OT	4OT	5OT	6OT	7OT	Total
Razorbacks	7	14	0	3	7	7	3	8	6	8	8	71
Wildcats	7	0	7	10	7	7	3	8	6	8	0	63

Main article: 2003 Arkansas vs. Kentucky football game

See also: 2003 Kentucky Wildcats football team

• (Q1, 7:57) ARK DeCori Birmingham 10 yard run (Chris Balseiro kick)
• (Q1, 0:10) UK Andrew Hopewell 6 yard blocked punt return (Taylor Begley kick)
• (Q2, 8:54) ARK – Richard Smith 26 yard pass from Matt Jones (Chris Balseiro kick)
• (Q2, 6:45) ARK – Tom Crowder recovered blocked punt in end zone (Chris Balseiro kick)
• (Q3, 3:44) UK – Alexis Bwenge 51 yard pass from Jared Lorenzen (Taylor Begley kick)
• (Q4, 7:11) UK – Taylor Begley 34 yard field goal
• (Q4, 3:22) ARK – Chris Balseiro 37 yard field goal
• (Q4, 1:38) UK – Chris Bernard 13 yard pass from Jared Lorenzen (Taylor Begley kick)
• (OT) ARK – Mark Pierce 1 yard run (Chris Balseiro kick)
• (OT) UK – Alexis Bwenge 2 yard run (Taylor Begley kick)
• (2OT) UK – Alexis Bwenge 7 yard run (Taylor Begley kick)
• (2OT) ARK – Jason Peters 7 yard pass from Matt Jones (Chris Balseiro kick)
• (3OT) ARK – Chris Balseiro 25 yard field goal
• (3OT) UK – Taylor Begley 24 yard field goal
• (4OT) UK – Jared Lorenzen 1 yard run (Derek Abney run)
• (4OT) ARK – Matt Jones 3 yard run (Mark Pierce pass from Matt Jones)
• (5OT) ARK – George Wilson 15 yard pass from Matt Jones (pass failed)
• (5OT) UK – Jared Lorenzen 2 yard run (pass failed)
• (6OT) UK – Jared Lorenzen 1 yard run (Tommy Cook run)
• (6OT) ARK – Mark Pierce 2 yard run (George Wilson pass from Matt Jones)
• (7OT) ARK – DeCori Birmingham 25 yard run (Jason Peters pass from Matt Jones)

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South Carolina

	1	2	3	4	Total
Gamecocks	3	0	3	0	6
Razorbacks	7	7	7	7	28

See also: 2003 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

New Mexico State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Aggies	0	10	7	3	20
Razorbacks	0	14	28	6	48

See also: 2003 New Mexico State Aggies football team

Mississippi State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	3	3	0	0	6
Razorbacks	0	21	21	10	52

See also: 2003 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

At No. 3 LSU

	1	2	3	4	Total
Razorbacks	10	7	0	7	24
No. 3 Tigers	10	24	21	0	55

See also: 2003 LSU Tigers football team

Vs. Missouri—Independence Bowl

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	7	0	7	0	14
Razorbacks	3	18	3	3	27

Main article: 2003 Independence Bowl

See also: 2003 Missouri Tigers football team

• (Q1, 8:50) ARK – Chris Balseiro 33 yard field goal
• (Q1, 6:50) MIZZ – Zack Abron 1 yard run (Michael Matheny kick)
• (Q2, 13:09) ARK – Chris Balseiro 28 yard field goal
• (Q2, 7:24) ARK – Matt Jones 1 yard run (George Wilson pass from Matt Jones)
• (Q2, 5:59) ARK – Cedric Cobbs 41 yard run (Chris Balseiro kick)
• (Q3, 5:21) ARK – Chris Balseiro 25 yard field goal
• (Q3, 0:39) MIZZ – Brad Smith 5 yard run (Michael Matheny kick)
• (Q4, 12:57) ARK – Chris Balseiro 24 yard field goal

Arkansas RB Cedric Cobbs and LB Caleb Miller were named the bowl games Offensive and Defensive MVPs, respectively.