FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) _ Arkansas did what it was supposed to do to Middle Tennessee in a 58-6 thrashing Saturday night.

Over the game's first 17 minutes, Arkansas' Cedric Cobbs returned a kickoff 95 yards, while Chrys Chukwuma broke tackles and jumped over defenders, Carlos Hall blindsided the quarterback, Jamel Harris intercepted a pass and Boo Williams outjumped a defender on a 30-yard touchdown pass.

It was 21-0 with 3:34 to play in the first quarter and the Razorbacks (3-2) were on their way to the rout.

The Blue Raiders (1-5) are in their first year in Division I-A and have 65 players on scholarship _ 20 less than their opponent. They started the game giving up almost 42 points a game, last among the 114 teams in Division I-A, and Arkansas led 44-0 at halftime.

The Blue Raiders tried hard, but they gave up long plays and long drives _ 80 yards in 14 plays and 86 yards in eight plays in the first half.

Middle Tennessee's first-half highlight came when Kelverrick Green took a short snap in punt formation and fooled the Razorbacks for 4 yards on fourth-and-1 from the Blue Raiders' 20.

Arkansas gained 333 yards in the first half and the Blue Raiders helped with three turnovers while netting 76 yards.

Cobbs, in the deep spot on the kickoff return team for the first time this year, set the tone on the opening kickoff. Cobbs started right under control, and turned upfield at the 20. Glen Jones raked his fingertips down Cobbs' back at the Arkansas 30 before Cobbs accelerated away from him. Kareem Bland's desperate grab for him at the other 30 near the right sideline did not bother Cobbs.

The Razorbacks' first touchdown drive included an 18-yard run by Chukwuma, a 13-yard pass from Clint Stoerner to Williams, a fourth-down conversion made possible by Cobbs' speed and a 13-yard run by Cobbs. On third down, Marvin Caston slipped out of the backfield and caught Stoerner's 4-yard scoring pass backing into the end zone.

Hall's sack preceded Harris' interception and Chukwuma broke two tackles on a 13-yard scoring run that made it 21-0.