2022 Outback Bowl

The 2022 Outback Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 2022, with kickoff at 12:00 p.m. EST and televised on ESPN2.^[4] It was the 36th edition and the 26th and final one branded by Outback Steakhouse, of the Outback Bowl, and was one of the 2021–22 bowl games concluding the 2021 FBS football season. Outback Steakhouse was the game's title sponsor. The game featured the Arkansas Razorbacks of the SEC and the Penn State Nittany Lions of the Big Ten. Arkansas pulled away in the second half, scoring 17 unanswered points in the 3rd quarter, to win the game, 24-10. Arkansas Razorback QB K.J. Jefferson was named the game's MVP. Penn State fell to 7-6 for the season, while Arkansas improved to 9-4.

2022 Outback Bowl
36th Outback Bowl
Penn State Nittany Lions Arkansas Razorbacks (7–5) (8–4) Big Ten SEC 10 24 Head coach:  James Franklin Head coach:  Sam Pittman AP Coaches CFP 22 24 21
1 2 3 4 Total Penn State 0 10 0 0 10 Arkansas 7 0 17 0 24
Date	January 1, 2022
Season	2021
Stadium	Raymond James Stadium
Location	Tampa, Florida
MVP	KJ Jefferson (QB, Arkansas)[1]
Favorite	Arkansas by 2.5[2]
Referee	Tuta Salaam (Big 12)[3]
Halftime show	Razorback Marching Band, Penn State Blue Band
Attendance	46,577
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN2
Announcers	Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), and Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
Outback Bowl  < 2021  2023 (ReliaQuest) >

Teams

Consistent with conference tie-ins, the game was played between teams from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and Big Ten Conference. The bowl also has a tie-in with the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) if the ACC's opponent in the Orange Bowl is a Big Ten team, in which case an ACC team is selected for the Outback Bowl.

This was the first time that Arkansas and Penn State had ever played each other.^[5]

Arkansas Razorbacks

Main article: 2021 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

Penn State Nittany Lions

Main article: 2021 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Penn State	0	10	0	0	10
No. 21 Arkansas	7	0	17	0	24

2022 Outback Bowl

at Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, Florida

• Date: Saturday, January 1, 2022
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
• Game attendance: 46,577
• Referee: Tuta Salaam
• TV announcers (ESPN2): Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst), and Stormy Buonantony (sideline)
• Box score

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP Penn State Arkansas 1 0:00 12 61 5:42 Arkansas Raheim Sanders 3-yard touchdown run, Cam Little kick good 0 7 2 10:53 1 42 0:07 Penn State KeAndre Lambert-Smith 42-yard touchdown reception from Sean Clifford, Jake Pinegar kick good 7 7 2 5:19 7 61 2:40 Penn State 33-yard field goal by Jake Pinegar 10 7 3 12:42 7 75 2:18 Arkansas KJ Jefferson 8-yard touchdown run, Cam Little kick good 10 14 3 6:29 10 46 4:32 Arkansas 36-yard field goal by Cam Little 10 17 3 2:08 4 79 1:38 Arkansas Raheim Sanders 1-yard touchdown run, Cam Little kick good 10 24 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 10 24

Game MVP - Arkansas QB K.J. Jefferson, 14 of 19 - 98 yards - 1 INT, 20 carries 110 yards 1 TD.

Statistics

Team statistics

Team statistical comparison

Statistic	Penn State	Arkansas
First downs	17	25
First downs rushing	8	21
First downs passing	8	3
First downs penalty	1	1
Third down efficiency	6–15	4–14
Fourth down efficiency	1–2	3–3
Total plays–net yards	63–323	78–451
Rushing attempts–net yards	28–125	58–361
Yards per rush	4.5	6.2
Yards passing	198	90
Pass completions–attempts	15–35	14–20
Interceptions thrown	2	2
Punt returns–total yards	2–23	1–8
Kickoff returns–total yards	0–0	0–0
Punts–average yardage	5–39.4	5–44.4
Fumbles–lost	1–0	1–0
Penalties–yards	3–10	6–40
Time of possession	23:47	36:13

Individual statistics

Penn State statistics

Nittany Lions passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
Sean Clifford	14–32	195	1–2
Christian Veilleux	1–2	3	0–0
Jordan Stout	0–1	0	0–0
Nittany Lions rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
Sean Clifford	12	46	0
Keyvone Lee	4	35	0
Noah Cain	5	28	0
Parker Washington	2	12	0
Devyn Ford	1	4	0
Christian Veilleux	2	3	0
TEAM	2	−3	0
Nittany Lions receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
Parker Washington	7	98	0
KeAndre Lambert-Smith	3	1
Keyvone Lee	1	15	0
Noah Cain	2	12	0
Tyler Warren	1	0	0
Brenton Strange	1	−1	0

Arkansas statistics

Razorbacks passing
	C–A	Yds	TD–INT
KJ Jefferson	14–19	98	0–1
Warren Thompson	0–1	0	0–1
Razorbacks rushing
	Car	Yds	TD
KJ Jefferson	20	110	1
Raheim Sanders	13	79	2
Dominique Johnson	11	77	0
Malik Hornsby	4	67	0
AJ Green	4	26	0
Trelon Smith	2	6	0
TEAM	2	−6	0
De'Vion Warren	2	−6	0
Razorbacks receiving
	Rec	Yds	TD
De'Vion Warren	3	33	0
Tyson Morris	3	32	0
Warren Thompson	1	12	0
Trey Knox	2	11	0
Blake Kern	1	8	0
Bryce Stephens	3	5	0
Dominique Johnson	1	−3	0