Arkansas football vs. Cincinnati report card: Only A is awarded to coaches

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas football earned a Top 25 win in its season opener Saturday, surviving Cincinnati 31-24. The No. 23 Razorbacks weren't without flaw, but they took advantage of the No. 22 Bearcats' errors and forced some, too.

Here's how we graded each phase of Arkansas' win over Cincinnati.

MORE:The origin of Arkansas football quarterback KJ Jefferson's family's matching T-shirts

HIGHLIGHTS:Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Cincinnati Bearcats highlights

Offense: B

Arkansas made some costly errors on offense, including a fumble inside its own 5-yard line and some erratic throws. Arkansas' new receivers showed flashes, including Jadon Haselwood with a 19-yard score, but the questions about the Razorbacks' wideouts are far from answered. The run game on the other hand, led by Raheim Sanders, kept Arkansas afloat enough for the win. The sophomore put on the second 100-yard rushing performance of his young career.

Defense: B+

The Razorbacks' secondary found itself in front of Cincinnati's receivers on multiple occasions, giving up chunk plays through the air. Luckily for Arkansas, penalty problems and accuracy struggles for Bearcats quarterback Ben Bryant helped bail out the defense. On the plus side, Arkansas managed three sacks, an early interception and two forced fumbles.

QB1:'He's a winner': Arkansas football puts faith in leadership of quarterback KJ Jefferson

Special teams: C

Arkansas gave punting duties to freshman Max Fletcher over redshirt senior Reid Bauer. Fletcher, whose older brother punts for Cincinnati, had a lackluster debut. His second punt of the game went just 26 yards, giving the Bearcats the ball at midfield. In the fourth quarter, when the Razorbacks were clinging to a one-score lead, Arkansas allowed Cincinnati a 30-yard return on a 43-yard punt. Arkansas' defense held up enough, however, and Cincinnati had special teams woes of its own. Kicker Ryan Coe missed a 25-yard field goal attempt on the ensuing drive.

Coaching: A

Arkansas wasn't faced with many tough decisions from a coaching standpoint, and the Razorbacks managed to stay cool even as momentum swung wildly. Coordinators Kendal Briles and Barry Odom called solid games, and the Razorbacks now have a much better idea of their strengths and weaknesses with one game behind them.

Overall: B

Arkansas wasn't without flaws in its opener. Jefferson and his receivers showed promise despite mistakes, and the defense held up well when threatened. It wasn't always pretty, but it was a Top 25 win the Razorbacks needed against their tough schedule.

Christina Long covers the Arkansas Razorbacks for the Southwest Times Record and USA Today Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@swtimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas football vs Cincinnati report card: Grades for the Razorbacks