Copyright Arkansas Online
FAYETTEVILLE -- Last Saturday's 38-35 loss to Mississippi State added a new chapter to the frustrating ways the University of Arkansas football team has lost games this season with a jaw-dropping school record 18 penalties for 193 yards. The Razorbacks (2-7, 0-5 SEC) lost a fourth-quarter lead for the second game in a row and for the third time this season. Arkansas entered its second open week alone in last place in the SEC standings after falling in back-to-back weeks to previously winless league teams in Auburn and Mississippi State. The loss also highlighted three shortcomings afflicting the Razorbacks in recent seasons that must be fixed before the formerly stout football program can begin to challenge again in the SEC. Arkansas has struggled at home; it has not taken care of business against Mississippi State, a program the Hogs once stood head and shoulders above; and it has dropped a maddeningly high percentage of one-score games. "This season we've been right there and haven't been able to get it done in the fourth quarter, (haven't) been able to make the plays under pressure in all three phases," interim Coach Bobby Petrino said on Wednesday's weekly SEC coaches webinar. "It's hurt us with our ability to win in the fourth quarter. That's when you've got to be able to make those plays." The Razorbacks, outscored 34-7 at home in the fourth quarters of their past two games, clinched their sixth losing season in the past nine seasons by going 0-3 on a homestand that had the potential of reversing the team's fortunes while vaulting Petrino and the revamped coaching staff into the bowl picture. Arkansas has now lost its past eight home games against Power 5 competition and its past seven at home against SEC opponents, dating to a 19-14 upset of No. 4 Tennessee on Oct. 5, 2024. The Razorbacks have just one winning SEC record at home since 2015, a 2-1 mark in 2021 when they defeated Mississippi State (31-28) and Missouri (34-17) at Reynolds Razorback Stadium after losing to Auburn (38-23). Arkansas fans have not enjoyed an unblemished conference season at Razorback Stadium since 1998-2000, when Coach Houston Nutt opened his tenure with a 9-0 record at home against SEC teams. Nutt's 1998 and 1999 teams are the only ones of the Hogs' SEC era to go 4-0 at home in league play. Given the difficulty in collecting road wins in the SEC, a break even or losing home record in league play doesn't translate to being in contention. The Razorbacks are 14-33 (.298) against SEC opponents in Fayetteville and Little Rock since Petrino wrapped up his first tenure as head coach in 2011. Included in the recent run is a perplexing record of frustration against Mississippi State, which has won in six of its past seven visits to Arkansas, with five of those victories coming in Fayetteville. The Bulldogs were 0-9-1 in the state before the reversal began with 24-17 overtime win in Little Rock in 2013 under Coach Dan Mullen. Mississippi State operates with one of the smallest athletic department budgets in the SEC, has one of the league's smallest stadiums and has traditionally struggled in conference play. The Razorbacks have to regain control of their series with Mississippi State as a preliminary rung on climbing the ladder back to contention. Finally, Arkansas must find the grit to prevail in the fourth quarter. Sam Pittman was fired Sept. 28 in his sixth season at the helm with a 7-21 record in one-score games. Petrino is 0-3 in those games this season as the interim boss, all by three points. The tight-game results: a 34-31 loss at Tennessee, a 45-42 loss to Texas A&M and the 38-35 loss to Mississippi State. The Hogs have an appalling 7-24 record (.226) in one-score games since 2020. Petrino was 13-7 (.650) in one-score games during his first stint, including 7-2 while leading the Razorbacks to a 21-5 record in his final two seasons. This from a program that has one of the strongest overtime records in college football at 15-8. The Hogs' one-score record is demonstrably poor since 2020, but it is 3-1 in overtime games in that span, with all three wins away from home: 16-13 at LSU in 2021, 55-53 in triple overtime against Kansas at the Liberty Bowl in 2022, and 39-36 at Florida in 2023. Arkansas will return to action with an 11:45 a.m. Central game at LSU on Nov. 15. The Razorbacks have 2-3 record in Baton Rouge since 2015.
