Razorbacks even finding creative new ways to lose games this time

Arkansas lost again, continuing a tiring routine of close games slipping away in new late-game ways.

LSU Tigers running back Caden Durham (29) is bumped out off bounds by Arkansas Razorbacks defensive back Kani Walker (13) during the second half at Tiger Stadium. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas continued a familiar and frustrating trend Saturday, falling 23-22 to LSU in yet another one-possession loss that followed the same pattern fans have seen all season.

The Razorbacks again started fast, again held a second-half lead, and again found a new way for the game to slip away.

Interim coach Bobby Petrino said the story felt all too familiar. Somehow there's a nagging thought it didn't take him this long to figure it out.

Fans have already been feeling that way for weeks.

“We just had a lot of chances to win that game, going all the way back to the first half,” Petrino said. “We were down in the red zone too many times to come away with no points, which certainly hurt us.”

Those comments came after a game that looked early as if Arkansas might finally break the cycle. The Razorbacks jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind a blocked punt returned for a touchdown by Caleb Wooden and an 11-yard scoring run from quarterback Taylen Green.

For a moment, it seemed like this week might be different.

But that early momentum didn’t hold. LSU responded with 16 straight points to grab a 16-14 halftime lead, shifting the pressure back to the Razorbacks.

Arkansas fought back again in the third quarter, taking advantage of short fields and strong runs.

Mike Washington scored on a 9-yard carry, and Green added a two-point conversion by hurdling an LSU defender to push the Razorbacks ahead 22-16.

Even as Arkansas retook the lead, the sense of déjà vu continued. At some point we're going to be wondering if the players have it, too.

Opportunities were there to extend the advantage, especially on a fourth-and-inches play from the LSU 1-yard line. But the Tigers held firm, and Arkansas walked away with no points.

For a team that has lost so many close games, those missed moments have become routine.

A different ending built from the same pattern

The fourth quarter brought the newest twist in this season-long storyline.

LSU, using a backup quarterback and a bundle of gadget plays, moved 92 yards down the field in a drive that seemed to come from a backyard playbook.

Double reverses, toss-backs and three different players throwing passes kept Arkansas off balance.

Backup quarterback Michael Van Buren, playing in place of the injured Garrett Nussmeier, delivered the final strike.

After a key 21-yard completion on third-and-10, he found Bauer Sharp on a 12-yard touchdown to give LSU a 23-22 lead.

Petrino said the defense needed a stop but couldn’t find the key moment.

“We played really hard,” Petrino said. “We needed to find a stop in the fourth quarter on that last drive. The big scramble just kills you.”

Arkansas was not finished, though. The Razorbacks got fortunate field position when LSU’s kickoff bounced out of bounds, starting the potential go-ahead drive at the Arkansas 35.

Green guided the offense into range for a 48-yard field goal that could have put Arkansas back in front. But freshman kicker Scott Starzyk pushed the kick wide.

It was the latest entry in a season full of late-game swings that have leaned the wrong way.

Turnovers added to the frustration. Green threw two interceptions, and the Razorbacks also lost a fumble. Those mistakes have marked nearly every game during the eight-game losing streak, which includes six one-possession defeats and five losses by a field goal or less.

Caleb Wooden said the team executed the blocked punt perfectly, but even early big plays haven’t been enough to change the weekly outcome.

“We practiced it all week long,” Wooden said. “Anytime you get a blocked punt in a game, your chances of winning go through the roof.”

Frustration grows as season nears its end

Arkansas has not won since Sept. 6. Each narrow loss has followed a familiar pattern: early sparks, missed scoring chances, avoidable mistakes and a late turning point that puts victory out of reach.

Now the Razorbacks move on to face Texas in a rivalry game that Petrino said still holds meaning even in a difficult season.

“We will come back and work hard to get prepared,” Petrino said. “We need to revisit the past a little bit and make sure everyone understands how big of a game it is to all the Razorback fans and Razorback alumni.”

Two games remain, but the theme has been clear all season: the Razorbacks keep finding new ways to fall just short, even when the opportunity is right in front of them.

Key takeaways

• Arkansas again lost a one-possession game after leading early.
• The Razorbacks found a new way to lose, undone by LSU’s trick-play drive.
• Missed chances, including a late field goal, continued a season-long pattern.