BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Sophomore running back Gary Anderson, revitalized after a four-week rest, scored two touchdowns from long range and set up another score with a 44-yard run as Arkansas clobbered Tulane  34-15 in the Hall of Fame Bowl Saturday night. The game was played before an estimated 41,000 fans in near-freezing weather.

 

Anderson returned a punt 80 yards for one touchdown and cut back across the grain for 46 yards and another score as Arkansas jumped out to a 28-0 half time lead. Both the punt return and the scoring run set records in the 4-year-old college football bowl game.

 

Anderson was moved to wide receiver for the Razorbacks' regular season finale but returned to running back for the bowl game. He was switched to receiver because of the pounding he took during the season, because that is where he is expected to play next year and because Arkansas needed help at that position.

 

He rushed for more than 500 yards in the Razorbacks' first seven games but managed only 46 yards in 14 carries in the next three games. Fresh, he was too much for Tulane. He carried eight times for 126 yards in the first half and wound up with 156 yards on 11 carries.

 

Tulane Coach Vince Gibson admitted prior to the game that his team had been vulnerable outside and Arkansas exploited that weakness. On the Razorbacks' second possession, Anderson got the ball on a counter option and followed Derek Holloway's block 44 yards to the Tulane 4. James Tolbert scored three plays later.

 

Later in the first period, Anderson fielded a punt on his 20 near the right sideline. He juked one defender, slipped through a crack and broke free down the right sideline for a 14-0 lead.

 

Early in the second quarter, Arkansas took over on its 30, and moved the distance in 10 plays. The Razorbacks made five first downs in the drive and were so effective that they did not face a third down until Tom Jones, brother of NFL star, Bert Jones, fired 9 yards to Steve Clyde in the end zone for a touchdown.

 

The tough Arkanas defense, led by sophomore tackle Billy Ray Smith, immediately forced the Green Wave to punt and the Razorbacks went 56 yards in three plays on the next drive.  Anderson covered the final 46 when he look a pitch heading to the left, cut back and went the rest of the way untouched.

 

Nickie Hall, Tulane's strong-armed quarterback, had trouble throwing against Arkansas. Rarely was he able to find a receiver open downfield and had to be satisfied dumping the ball off to a short man. In fact, Hall threw 22 times in the first half and his favorite receiver, Robert Griffin, managed only two catches.

 

The Green Waves' best first half threat came late in the second quarter when Griffin caught a pass for 43 yards and a first down at the Arkansas 17. Hall dropped back to pass and, while in the arms of Richard Richardson, tried to unload the ball. His pass fluttered into the arms of nearby defensive end Ron Faurot, who felt to the ground at the Arkansas 32.

 

Tulane got both its touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a 62-yard bomb from Hall to flanker Marcus Anderson at the 11:42 mark and a 1-yard dive by freshman Kelvin Robinson with 4.08 left to play. For the game, Tulane’s Hall completed 16-of-37 passes for 241 yards and two interceptions.

 

The 34 points were the most ever scored by an Arkansas team in a bowl game. Both teams finished the season with 7-5 records.