Razorbacks limp to finale as Missouri brings firm identity and momentum

Arkansas reaches its final week facing quarterback questions again, while Tigers arrive with a dependable formula Hogs have yet to match

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jackson (7) runs from the pocket while defended by Texas Longhorns defensive back Jelani McDonald (4) during the second half at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas closes its season in a place no SEC program ever wants to be. They've been in this spot before.

The Razorbacks are staring at a 2-9 record, a winless mark in the league, and a final week that feels more like a checkpoint than a party and a lack of an identity.

Missouri, meanwhile, comes to Fayetteville with an that, a plan, and momentum. The Hogs can't say that, and the contrast explains a lot about where both programs stand.

For Arkansas, the Battle Line Rivalry has turned into a yearly reminder of their downward spiral. The Tigers have won nine of the last 11 meetings since joining the SEC.

The Razorbacks’ wins in 2021 and 2015 feel distant now, buried under coaching changes, uneven play, and the lack of a steady quarterback presence.

Missouri doesn’t win this series with flashy teams. It wins because it knows who it is.

Missouri arrives at 7-4 with a clear structure. The Tigers run the ball, control the pace, and lean on one of the best rush defenses in the country.

They average more than 226 yards per game on the ground, and that production is not the result of a scheme gimmick. It is the result of a runner who sets a tone. Senior Ahmad Hardy has piled up 1,403 yards and 15 touchdowns.

He has seven 100-yard games. He rushed for 300 yards against Mississippi State. When Missouri needs stability, it turns to Hardy. The Hogs don't have that anywhere on its roster this season.

Jamal Roberts adds more than 700 yards from scrimmage, giving Missouri a second punch to complement Hardy’s power and vision. The Tigers use tempo not to dazzle but to expose mistakes.

The Razorbacks have made plenty of those on defense. Missed tackles. Poor gap fits. Late reactions. Against a team that thrives on outside-zone precision, those problems are more than flaws — they are invitations.

On defense, Missouri allows fewer than 300 yards per game. It gives up just 107 passing yards on average. Those are numbers Arkansas hasn't sniffed in years.

Missouri Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Linebacker Josiah Trotter racks up tackles and negative plays. Zion Young disrupts the outside with tackles for loss and sacks. Damon Wilson closes plays with pressure. Toriano Pride Jr. creates turnovers and defensive scores.

The Tigers play like a defense that knows the offense doesn’t have to score 40 to win. Arkansas plays like a team always one play away from another setback.

And then there is the quarterback situation — again.

Taylen Green opened the season as the starter. He exited the Texas game after an interception and a hamstring issue. KJ Jackson stepped in and threw for 206 yards, added a rushing touchdown, and handled pressure well.

Jackson looked capable, but one good night has not settled anything.

The Razorbacks may be trying to choose between two players headed into a rivalry game in the final week of the season. That alone tells a national audience where the program sits.

“Oh no, not yet,” interim coach Bobby Petrino said Monday. “Not yet. We’ve got to play it out in practice and make sure everybody’s in good shape. We probably won’t even announce it, you know. We’ll just work it and see who’s ready to go.”

You can interpret that comment however you'd like, but at times Petrino looked like a guy just wanting to get out of the press conference. He said he has no idea what's going to happen on a permanent basis with that.

Arkansas Razorbacks interim coach Bobby Petrino shouts toward a referee during the second quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Razorback Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Missouri’s identity meets Arkansas’ void

Missouri’s passing game has not been sharp. Beau Pribula missed time, and Matt Zollers is completing just over half his attempts.

The Tigers average around 210 passing yards per game. They do not pretend to be something they are not. They do not waste downs trying to prove a point. They run, defend, and win with control.

The Hogs will try to slow Hardy. It will try to make Missouri throw. But for that to matter, Arkansas must avoid the kind of mistakes that have defined its year. Missouri does not crumble when games get tight.

The Razorbacks will have to show they can shut down the running game and Hardy. Considering the way the secondary has played they have to avoid making the Tigers' quarterback a star.

This finale will not decide championships. It will not swing the SEC. But for Arkansas, it will say something about where the program goes next.

Missouri knows its identity. Arkansas knows it needs one.

Key takeaways

• Missouri’s physical run game exposes weaknesses Arkansas has struggled with all year.
• Arkansas again enters a crucial week without a settled starting quarterback.
• Missouri’s defense brings consistency and structure that Arkansas has not built this season.