MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Weather conditions for the Arkansas vs Texas Tech matchup should be much better than they were for the Liberty Bowl 15 years ago.
The chance of rain in the Home of the Blues had fallen to 16% and the Weather Channel had projected a temperature of 57 degrees heading into Friday night’s Liberty Bowl.
That helped made things extra enjoyable for the fans who make the trek to Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium to see Arkansas score a 13-point win over Texas Tech. When the Razorbacks faced East Carolina in the Liberty Bowl following the 2009 season, however, it was a different story.
Arkansas ended up winning that game on a field goal in overtime, but that’s not what people remember about that game. Many in the crowd of 62,742 still claim it was the coldest they’ve ever been. While the listed temperature at kickoff was 29 degrees, it got colder as the game progressed and the windchill was in the single digits.
Quinn Grovey, who led the Razorbacks to back-to-back SWC titles as a quarterback, will be in the booth with Chuck Barrett for the UA radio broadcast Friday night, but for the East Carolina game, he was on the field as the sideline reporter.
In a recent episode of The Razorback Daily, he shared an embarrassing, yet hilarious, story about that frigid night in Memphis.
“Every time you go to the Liberty Bowl, you always expect it to be really cold, but for this bowl game, it was really, really, really cold, and I didn’t pack a big, big coat,” Grovey said. “I did have on like five layers. I had on like three pairs of leggings, some long johns and then I had on some — I ain’t going to say cheap pants, but I had on some pants that could be combustible if you got close to heat.”
That wardrobe might as well be foreshadowing of what would come during the first half of the matchup, as East Carolina built a 10-0 halftime lead.
Every time the Arkansas offense took the field, Grovey took advantage of the vacated heaters on the sideline. As he described them, they were “big old heaters that are just blowing flames” and he got as close as possible to them to try to stay warm.
At one point, some fans started hollering down at him, trying to get his attention. He eventually turned around and thought he would be greeted by his “adoring fans.” Instead, they told Grovey he was on fire.
“I was like, ‘Oh, thanks man. I appreciate you, bro,’” Grovey recounted. “I’m thinking they’re giving me my flowers, talking about how great things were, but no, they were really trying to save my life.”
The fire ended up burning through four of his layers — as podcast co-host Matt Zimmerman put it, “before it got to your ass.”
With a huge hole in his pants, Grovey went up to the booth at halftime and borrowed a “big old white Barry Switzer coat” from Keith Jackson, the color commentator at the time. Rather than wearing it, though, he tied it around his waist to cover himself up.
“Good thing it wasn’t a whole bunch of YouTube or social media stuff back then, because I would have been all over it,” Grovey said. “I couldn’t even focus.”
Unusual happenings seem to be the norm for Arkansas football in the Liberty Bowl.
Even way back in 1971, when they made their first of what is about to be seven appearances in the game, the Razorbacks were seemingly robbed by a pair of egregious calls by a crew consisting of three SWC and three SEC officials. Tennessee won 14-13. The following year, bowl games started using neutral officiating crews.
Just two years ago, Kansas was aided by another couple of controversial calls, but Arkansas managed to overcome them — as well blowing a 25-point lead — in a wild 55-53 triple-overtime win.
Check out coverage of Arkansas vs Texas Tech post-game here:
Below are updates from Arkansas’ 39-26 win vs Texas Tech in this year’s edition of the Liberty Bowl…
LIVE UPDATES — Arkansas vs Texas Tech
Pregame Tidbits
The rosters for both teams are relatively set, but one major piece is still up in the air. On Thursday, Texas Tech football coach Joey McGuire said star running back Tahj Brooks, the school’s all-time leading rusher, was still “50/50” on whether he’d play in the Liberty Bowl or opt out to prevent injury ahead of the NFL Draft.
UPDATE: Tahj Brooks will not be playing in the Liberty Bowl, per Texas Tech.
Arkansas long snapper Ashton Ngo is in a new jersey number (No. 44, was previously No. 30). Kicker Kyle Ramsey is dressed out and going through warmups after missing the second half of the season with a groin injury. However, Matthew Shipley will probably continue handling the kicking duties tonight.
Brooks Edmonson, a Bryant native who was recently put on scholarship, is snapping the ball to Taylen Green in pregame warmups. It appears he’ll be getting the start at center, as expected. (He was originally listed alongside Joe More with an “or” on the depth chart.)
11:28, 1Q – Arkansas 7, Texas Tech 0
Rodney Hill ripped off a 70-yard run on Arkansas’ second play of the game and then Taylen Green got the edge on a keeper for a 12-yard touchdown. The Hogs covered 84 yards on just three plays.
8:19, 1Q – Arkansas 7, Texas Tech 3
Kee’yon Stewart missed a tackle that led to a 40-yard catch-and-run by Caleb Douglas, but the Razorbacks limited Texas Tech to a field goal thanks to a great tackle by Xavian Sorey on third down. The Red Raiders lined up to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the 14, but a false start backed them up and led to them taking the 37-yard field goal, which Gine Garcia made.
7:14, 1Q – Arkansas 14, Texas Tech 3
Taylen Green found Isaac TeSlaa on back-to-back plays that went for 18 and 56 yards. The latter of which was originally ruled a 57-yard touchdown, but replay overturned the call, as he stepped out at the 1. Braylen Russell punched it in on the next play.
2:31, 1Q – Arkansas 21, Texas Tech 3
After a fourth-down stop at the 4, Arkansas got a 94-yard touchdown from Dazmin James. He caught a pass from Green and won the foot race to the end zone. It’s the longest touchdown pass in school history, breaking the record set by a 92-yard connection from Matt Jones to Richard Smith against Tennessee in 2002. That was James’ first career reception.
END of 1Q – Arkansas 21, Texas Tech 3
13:32, 2Q – Arkansas 21, Texas Tech 5
The Razorbacks forced another punt, but were pinned at the 2. Taylen Green ended up getting sacked in the end zone by Isaac Smith for a safety.
11:15, 2Q – Arkansas 21, Texas Tech 12
After the safety, the Red Raiders needed just five plays to get into the end zone for the first time. That came on a 54-yard run by J’Koby Williams. It’s the sixth play of 40-plus yards by the two teams today.
1:58, 2Q – Arkansas 21, Texas Tech 19
Jaheim Singletary looked like he might come down with an interception, but it went through his hands and Caleb Douglas caught it for a 47-yard reception instead. That set up a 2-yard touchdown run by tight end Jalin Conyers, who took a direct snap in the wildcat.
HALF – Arkansas 24, Texas Tech 19
The Hogs managed to get into field goal range just before halftime and Shipley booted a 40-yard field goal as time expired.
10:52, 3Q – Arkansas 27, Texas Tech 19
A bad decision by Rodney Hill to return the opening kickoff of the second half, plus a fumble, gave Arkansas terrible field position. Starting at the 6, the Razorbacks managed to drive 78 yards on 10 plays before stalling out. They had to settle for a 34-yard field goal by Shipley.
7:07, 3Q – Arkansas 34, Texas Tech 19
After the defense forced a three-and-out, Arkansas got in the end zone again. This time it was a 47-yard touchdown catch and run by Tyrell Reed Jr. It was his first career reception, as well. The play was made possible by a great play by Green to keep looking down field and eventually find CJ Brown for a 31-yard gain on third-and-11.
END of 3Q – Arkansas 34, Texas Tech 19
14:21, 4Q – Arkansas 36, Texas Tech 19
Anton Juncaj sacked Will Hammond in the end zone for a safety. Both teams have scored safeties tonight.
5:02, 4Q – Arkansas 39, Texas Tech 19
Arkansas got a long interception return by Miguel Mitchell, but an intentional grounding on Taylen Green resulted in the drive actually losing 1 yard before the Razorbacks got a field goal. Shipley booted the 43-yarder.
3:06, 4Q – Arkansas 39, Texas Tech 26
The Red Raiders covered 70 yards in six plays, with a 15-yard touchdown reception by Coy Eakin capping the drive. He used a stiff arm on Selman Bridges on his way to the end zone.
FINAL – Arkansas 39, Texas Tech 26
How to Watch the 2024 Liberty Bowl
Date: Friday, Dec. 27
Location: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tenn.)
Kickoff/TV: 6 p.m. CT (ESPN)
On the Call: Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), Paul Carcaterra (sideline reporter)
ESPN FPI: Arkansas has a 56.1% chance to win
Betting Line/Odds: Texas Tech, -1 | O/U 53 (BetSaracen)
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Listen to Quinn Grovey’s story about his pants catching fire at the Liberty Bowl 15 years ago starting at the 16:58 mark below:
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Hear why a Hogs offensive lineman compares Texas Tech to West Virginia starting at 31:30 here:
More coverage of Arkansas vs Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl from BoAS…
