The Good, Bad and Ugly of Arkansas’ 24-17 Tennessee Loss

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas finally gave its fans something more than a halftime deficit and a reason to change the channel. The Razorbacks led Tennessee entering the fourth quarter, generated three takeaways and had a legitimate opportunity to end their SEC losing streak.

Then they lost 24-17 and finished the afternoon without giving their offense another chance to tie the game.

This was not the Texas A&M loss with a different opponent. Arkansas improved its rushing production, responded after a scoreless first half and made Tennessee work for the result. But the Razorbacks also demonstrated how progress can disappear when the decisive possessions go wrong.

The loss dropped Arkansas to 2-4 overall and 0-3 in conference play, extending its SEC skid to 14 games. There was good worth recognizing and bad that required accountability. The ugly arrived when the punt team took the field with Arkansas trailing by seven and less than two minutes remaining.

Arkansas running back Braylen Russell (0) is tackled by Tennessee defensive back Qua Moss (6) during a college football game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark., on Oct. 10, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Good: Arkansas Found Ground Game, Some Fight

The Razorbacks finally produced a rushing performance that helped rather than merely occupied their offense. Arkansas finished with 133 yards on 34 carries, averaging 3.9 yards per attempt against a Tennessee defense capable of disrupting possessions. Cam Settles led with 50 yards, Sutton Smith added 40 and Braylen Russell scored on a 9-yard run.

The strongest stretch came immediately after halftime. Arkansas drove 70 yards in five plays, all on the ground, with Settles and Jamari Hawkins providing explosive gains before Russell finished the possession. That was a meaningful example of the offense creating opportunities without asking Chris Marshall or KJ Jackson to rescue every snap.

Arkansas also created three takeaways and turned a 7-0 halftime deficit into a 14-7 third-quarter lead. Jackson’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Platt completed the comeback, and the Razorbacks entered the fourth quarter ahead 14-10. Those moments showed a team capable of correcting course rather than surrendering after an imperfect opening half.

That distinction matters when evaluating Ryan Silverfield’s first season. Arkansas was competitive against a capable conference opponent, and its ground game provided a foundation the staff can build upon. None of that excuses the ending, but dismissing every improvement would be as misleading as celebrating a close loss.

Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews lines up for a play in the first half against Arkansas. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs On SI Images

The Bad: Arkansas Could Not Protect Its Opportunity

The Razorbacks’ defense created advantages, then surrendered explosive plays that erased them. George MacIntyre’s 68-yard completion to DaSaahn Brame early in the fourth quarter helped Tennessee take a 17-14 lead. Later, DeSean Bishop’s 59-yard run broke open the Volunteers’ winning possession after Arkansas had pinned them near their own goal line.

Bishop finished with 138 rushing yards, while MacIntyre threw for 247 yards and a touchdown. Tennessee gained 414 total yards to Arkansas’ 288, a reminder that the takeaways concealed some significant defensive trouble. The Razorbacks forced mistakes but could not consistently make the stops required to preserve their lead.

The offense had its own opportunity to change the outcome. After Shelton Lewis intercepted MacIntyre with 5:44 remaining and the score tied at 17, Arkansas gained three yards before punting. One sustained possession could have consumed valuable time, created scoring position or forced Tennessee into a different endgame.

Instead, the Volunteers drove 94 yards for Bishop’s go-ahead touchdown. Arkansas then opened its next possession with three consecutive incompletions, creating fourth-and-10 from its own 25. The Razorbacks had improved enough to make the game winnable, but not enough to execute when winning required it.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield looks toward the field in the first half of a 24-17 loss to the Tennessee Volunteers at Razorback Stadium on Nov. 30, 2026. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs On SI Images

The Ugly: Silverfield Chose the Punt, Deflected Opportunity

Arkansas received the ball with 1:57 remaining, trailing 24-17 and holding three timeouts. After three incompletions, Silverfield chose to punt on fourth-and-10 rather than give Jackson another opportunity to extend the drive. Tennessee picked up a first down, exhausted Arkansas’s remaining timeouts and ended the game.

Silverfield’s reasoning was understandable without being convincing. He feared a failed conversion would give Tennessee field-goal position, potentially creating a 10-point deficit, and believed a punt offered his defense a chance to force another possession. He also accepted responsibility for the final decision after consulting both coordinators.

But the choice exchanged an immediate chance to gain 10 yards for a chain of requirements Arkansas could not control. The Razorbacks needed a defensive stop, another possession and enough remaining time to drive for a touchdown. That was a substantial demand for a defense that had just allowed a 94-yard scoring drive.

Going for it offered no guarantee, and Arkansas’s passing offense had struggled throughout the afternoon. Still, punting required the team to overcome more obstacles before it could even attempt to tie the score. Silverfield did not eliminate risk; he chose a different risk and never regained the football.

Arkansas finally played well enough to have a decision worth debating. That is progress, but it is not the result this program needs. The Razorbacks had a chance to stop the streak—and ended the game watching Tennessee take the final snaps.

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