FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- In the end, Tennessee quarterback Casey Clausen, tailback Travis Stephens and kicker Alex Walls were worth more than an extra 20,000 Arkansas fans.

Casey Clausen and the sputtering Vols almost hand Arkansas an upset victory.(AP)

Clausen's 30-yard pass on third down set up the go-ahead score as the No. 8 Vols beat Arkansas 13-3 Saturday night in the first game in renovated and expanded Razorback Stadium. Although the game was delayed twice by bad weather, more than 70,000 showed up.

"It was a great atmosphere to play a game in," Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said. He said he told the offense what it would take to perform under the circumstances -- and that the unit never got rattled despite the bad weather and a charged-up crowd.

Walls' 25-yard field goal made it 6-3 with 3:52 to play. He tied it earlier in the quarter with a 33-yarder.

For the Vols (2-0, 1-0 SEC), Clausen's pass and Walls' kicks salvaged a game in which Tennessee dominated Arkansas (1-1, 0-1), but could not finish off the Razorbacks until Travis Stephens scored from the 3 with 59 seconds to play.

Arkansas did not make a first down on six second-half possessions and was outgained 99-2 in the third quarter.

"On a positive note, we found out we can play with anybody in the country," Arkansas coach Houston Nutt said.

Clausen floated his all-important pass to Kelley Washington one play after fumbling the snap from center for a 5-yard loss. Washington got inside position on Marvin Jackson and came down with the pass at the Arkansas 16.

Tennessee relied heavily on Stephens, who carried 41 times for 206 yards, because the Vols lost wide receiver Eric Parker with a shoulder injury in the first quarter. They lost wide receiver Dante Stallworth a week ago in a victory over Syracuse.

"We knew we were going to have to work," Stephens said. "They always play us tough here."

On the first play after Walls gave Tennessee the lead, Arkansas' Ryan Sorahan threw over the middle. The ball slipped through the fingers of safety Rashad Baker, but was easily picked off by linebacker Eddie Moore. Moore got to the sidelines, stepped out of bounds at the Arkansas 21 and casually flipped the ball over his shoulder. The interception led to Stephens' TD.

Faced with fourth-and-1 at the Arkansas 41, Fulmer decided to punt on the first play of the fourth and that decision led to the Vols' tying field goal.

"We had to make them go the distance and not give up field position," Fulmer said. "It was real tempting to go for it."

Dustin Colquitt's punt only went 29 yards, but Richie Butler shanked his punt 16 yards and the Vols were in business at the Arkansas 24.

The Vols made one first down before safety Corey Harris slanted down the line to tackle Stephens for a 1-yard loss and Curt Davis sacked Clausen.

In the first half, Tennessee failed to score despite five possessions in Arkansas territory, including drives to the 2 and 29.

The Vols' best opportunity started from the Arkansas 47 after Baker returned a punt 18 yards. On third-and-6, Clausen delivered a pass to a well-covered Jason Witten on a short crossing pattern for 7 yards. Stephens popped up the middle for 25 yards to the 3. On second down, Stephens was confronted inside by a linebacker, tried to get outside and was smacked by Tony Bua. The ball came loose and Ken Hamlin recovered at the 4.

Arkansas took a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter.

Following a 21-minute weather delay -- which came after a 13-minute at the start of the game -- Sorahan threw to George Wilson who ducked under Baker and made 25 yards. Two plays later, Cedric Cobbs broke tackles and made people miss on a 40-yard run that reached the Tennessee 13. Eventually, Arkansas settled for Brennan O'Donohoe's 24-yard field goal.