An Arkansas offensive lineman is under fire after being accused of a dirty play during Friday’s Liberty Bowl matchup against Texas Tech. The game, which ended in a 39-26 victory for Arkansas, has sparked controversy after Texas Tech cornerback CJ Baskerville publicly accused Arkansas lineman Fernando Carmona of intentionally stepping on his ankle during the fourth quarter.
The incident gained attention on Saturday when Baskerville took to social media to share a video of the alleged act.
In the footage, Carmona appears to step forcefully on Baskerville’s ankle after the play had already been blown dead. Baskerville also claimed that Carmona directed a profane insult at him following the alleged stomp.
“There’s no denying that Arkansas played a great game last night, I am not taking that away from them,” Baskerville wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “But #55 Fernando Carmona blatantly stepping on my ankle and pressing down on it on purpose is straight up dirty. Proceeds to say ‘got your b**** a***.’ Do better @RazorbackFB.”
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The video, which Baskerville shared along with his statement, appears to show the moment Carmona stepped on Baskerville’s ankle.
Fans and analysts have debated whether the act was intentional, but Baskerville’s accusation has drawn significant attention and criticism toward Carmona and the Arkansas program.
Carmona, a redshirt junior in his first season with Arkansas after transferring from San Jose State, has had an otherwise stellar year. He started in 10 games for the Razorbacks and earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors twice. However, this incident casts a shadow over what was an otherwise successful season for him individually and for the team.
As of now, Arkansas has not released an official statement regarding the accusations.
With Carmona’s actions now under scrutiny, the Razorbacks’ victory celebration has been overshadowed by questions about sportsmanship and the nature of competitive play in college football.
