Razorbacks limp to finish as Missouri arrives with firm identity

Arkansas enters finale searching for answers while Missouri shows up with clear style that has guided the Tigers all season

Missouri Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz reacts during the first quarter against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In a year when some SEC programs surged and others slipped quietly into the background, Arkansas finds itself in an all-too-familiar place: searching for steady footing while trying to close out a season that never developed the identity the Razorbacks hoped for.

At 2-9 and 0-7 in the league, the Razorbacks enter the final week confronting the truths that have shaped its fall. This team has struggled with continuity, certainty at quarterback, and any kind of rhythm that could carry from one Saturday to the next.

Missouri, meanwhile, arrives as a program that knows exactly what it wants to be. The Tigers are 7-4 overall and sit at 3-4 in the SEC, but their record only hints at how defined their approach has become.

The Battle Line Rivalry is relatively young on the national landscape, constructed by conference realignment rather than rooted in history, yet it has leaned hard in Missouri’s direction. The Tigers have taken nine of the last 11 and three straight.

The Hogs have held its ground only when the game is played in Fayetteville, winning the last two home meetings. But that has been more exception than trend.

Nationally, this game represents the contrast between programs with clear identity and those still attempting to find one. Missouri doesn’t hide what it does.

The Tigers run the ball — relentlessly and efficiently — averaging 226.1 yards per game, one of the top marks in the conference.

They do it behind Ahmad Hardy, who has compiled 1,403 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven 100-yard games, making him one of the most productive backs in the league this season.

Missouri’s defensive structure has national relevance

Hardy’s partner is Jamal Roberts, who brings 597 yards on the ground and adds receiving value with 16 catches for 129 yards. They are the backbone of Missouri’s style, a two-back system that stretches defenses and controls tempo.

National analysts often point to teams that run with consistency and defend the pass as the ones that find stability in long SEC seasons. Missouri meets that description.

The Tigers allow only 170.2 passing yards per game and just 107.2 rushing yards. Those numbers reflect more than raw talent — they reveal structural discipline.

Josiah Trotter anchors their defense with 74 tackles and 11 tackles for loss. Zion Young has added 15 tackles for loss and six sacks, providing steady pressure up front.

In the secondary, Toriano Pride Jr. has scored on both an interception return and a fumble return, including a 62-yard touchdown off a takeaway.

Missouri has allowed fewer than 300 total yards per game across the season. Consistency, not flash, has made them reliable.

That consistency contrasts sharply with Arkansas’ instability. The Razorbacks’ quarterback situation remains unsettled.

Taylen Green struggled last week, exiting with an interception and a hamstring concern, and KJ Jackson stepped in to throw for 206 yards and rush for 17.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green (10) rushes during the fourth quarter as Texas A&M Aggies cornerback Jordan Shaw (8) defends at Razorback Stadium. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Hogs’ quarterback dilemma shows bigger questions

Interim head coach Bobby Petrino said this week that the quarterback decision is still undecided. “Not yet. We’ve got to play it out in practice … we probably won’t even announce it,” he said.

The bigger issue is the Razorbacks trying to solve immediate problems while also confronting long-term concerns.

Nationally, this matchup serves as a snapshot of where these two programs stand. Missouri moves forward with definition. The Hogs remain unsettled as it nears the end of a difficult season.

The Tigers will almost certainly force Arkansas to prove it can win through the air. Missouri’s defensive front loads the box, challenges receivers with tight coverage, and funnels the game into predictable situations.

The Razorbacks will need controlled, efficient drives to avoid giving Missouri short fields. Turnovers have hurt the Razorbacks in key moments throughout the year, and the Tigers capitalize on mistakes.

Defensively, the Hogs must be better in gap control. Missouri’s run game uses patient blocking and disciplined tracks, and the Tigers rarely abandon the ground game, even in long-yardage situations.

Recent SEC games have exposed Arkansas’ defense to long drives, often leaving the unit on the field for extended possessions. Against Missouri’s style, that becomes an uphill climb.

This rivalry has offered surprises, but those usually happen in Fayetteville when the Razorbacks play with sharper defensive focus and energy.

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jackson on the field against the Texas A&M Aggies at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. | Ted McClenning-allHOGS Images

National outlook on the matchup

As the season’s final weekend approaches, the national picture paints two programs moving in different directions. Missouri stands as a stable, well-defined SEC team that leans into its strengths and executes its formula.

The Hogs, meanwhile, enter with uncertainty — not just at quarterback but across the structure of the program. The Razorbacks have not produced sustained rhythm on either side of the ball.

Missouri will try to shorten the game. Arkansas will try to extend possessions. Both teams understand the rivalry’s meaning, but the broader context points to a clear difference in reliability.

The Tigers need only to play the style they’ve carried for 11 weeks: run the ball, stop the run, create long-yardage throws, and trust their defense.

The Razorbacks, on the other hand, seeks something more elusive than a game plan. The Razorbacks seek direction, momentum, and clarity — even if only for one afternoon.

On Saturday, the national focus won’t be on standings or playoff implications. It will be on identity, structure, and the sharp divide between a team that has one and a team trying to find one before the season ends.

Key takeaways

• Missouri relies on a defined run-first identity powered by Ahmad Hardy’s 1,403-yard season.
• Arkansas enters its finale unsettled at quarterback after alternating between Taylen Green and KJ Jackson.
• Missouri’s defense allows under 300 total yards per game and shapes the Tigers’ clock-control style.