LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Casey Dick threw an 8-yard touchdown

pass to D.J. Williams with 1:22 remaining, and Louisiana-Monroe's

Jeremy Gener missed a 45-yard field goal, enabling Arkansas to

escape with a 28-27 victory Saturday night.

The Razorbacks (2-0) trailed 24-6 in the third quarter and 27-14

in the fourth, but rallied for the second straight week to avoid a

major upset. On fourth-and-1 from the Louisiana-Monroe 32 with 2:03

remaining, Dick faked a handoff and lobbed a deep pass down the

middle while under a heavy pass rush. Chris Gragg came down with

the ball at the 7 for his first career catch.

Moments later, Dick threw the winning touchdown pass, but the

Razorbacks had to withstand one final drive by the gutsy Warhawks.

Kinsmon Lancaster competed passes of 27 and 12 yards to Anthony

McCall, but the Warhawks eventually stalled and Gener's final kick

was off the mark.

Louisiana-Monroe (0-2) lost to Auburn 34-0 in its opener, but

the Warhawks shocked Alabama in November and nearly took out

another Southeastern Conference team in Little Rock.

Lancaster found McCall for a 33-yard touchdown strike early in

the third quarter, and Gary Frazier's 1-yard scoring run made it

24-6. Dick answered with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Williams, then

threw to Williams for a 2-point conversion.

Gener's 40-yard field goal gave the Warhawks a 27-14 advantage,

but Dick found Williams over the middle for a 76-yard

catch-and-run, the longest pass of the senior quarterback's career.

Michael Smith scored on a 4-yard run on the next play, and just

like that it was 27-21.

The winning drive began at the Arkansas 21 with 4:24 to play.

For the second straight week, the Razorbacks needed a big

fourth-down conversion. Last week, Dick completed a fourth-down

pass, then ran for the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter

in a 28-24 victory over Western Illinois.

Smith rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He was back in

the lineup for Arkansas after being suspended for the opener.

Smith rushed for 121 yards in the first half, but the Razorbacks

trailed 10-6 after two quarters thanks to an abysmal stretch of

special teams. Alex Tejada missed field goals of 45 and 25 yards in

the first quarter, then missed an extra point early in the second.

After missing the extra point, Tejada was called for delay of game

on the ensuing kickoff and then kicked the ball out of bounds,

giving Louisiana-Monroe the ball at its 45.

The Warhawks capitalized, taking the lead on a 1-yard pass from

Lancaster to McCall. On Arkansas' next possession, McCall blocked a

punt, and Louisiana-Monroe took over at the Arkansas 21. Gener's

20-yard field goal made it 10-6.

On the next kickoff, Arkansas freshman Dennis Johnson caught the

ball next to the sideline at the 1, then accidentally stepped out

of bounds at his own 5 as he ran up the field.

Shay Haddock took over for Tejada on extra points and made

Arkansas' last two - including the one that provided the winning

margin.

Bobby Petrino was hired in December as Arkansas' coach, and he

faces a bit of a rebuilding project after the Razorbacks lost

running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones to the NFL. Dick went

22-of-34 for 323 yards and two touchdowns, and Williams caught five

passes for 124 yards.

Lancaster was 23-of-39 for 270 yards and two touchdowns. McCall

caught six passes for 125 yards.

Arkansas was cheered on by a home crowd at Little Rock's War

Memorial Stadium, but the Razorbacks were technically the visitors

under an agreement that allowed Louisiana-Monroe to count the

game's attendance of 55,048.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)