Why Arkansas' Win Against Tulsa is Encouraging, Despite Tough Schedule Ahead

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas head coach Ryan Silverfield notched his second win of the season at home against Tulsa. The 34-6 win comes with an asterisk as The Golden Hurricane were without its starting quarterback, Baylor Hayes.

Getting to .500 never felt so good. The Hogs were in the midst of an existential crisis.

Tensions have reached a fever pitch with Hunter Yurachek, and it remains to be seen how much time he has left. A loss to Tulsa without its starting quarterback would have necessitated an immediate decision. Maybe this bought him some time.

Offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey called a good game, despite some headscratching calls sprinkled here and there.

Defensive coordinator Ron Roberts nearly called a shutout for the Hogs' defense. But the real bright spot for this team was Chris Marshall. The dazzling fifth-year senior pulled in nine catches for 195 yards and a touchdown.

Cramsey, please call more QB runs. Something has to open up this rushing attack. Get the kid some confidence. pic.twitter.com/y7XeXUrv5c
— Morgan Acuff (@AcuffOnBall) September 27, 2026

KJ Jackson looked reticent in the pocket, inviting pressure and holding onto the ball. But he was able to find Marshall when it mattered and used his legs to tally two scores. His stat line will look better than his play. His lone interception was ugly.

The Hogs left a lot of plays on the table in this game. Settling for field goals against Tulsa isn't where fans thought they'd be. No one thought the Razorbacks would win the College Football Playoff, but fans expected a gritty, tough team that would play hard. That's just not been the case through four weeks.

But there are reasons for optimism here. The offense seemed to settle in as the game went along. Mistakes became less frequent. Now, this team needs to phase them out.

The defense really played their hearts out for Roberts, tearing the ball away on several occasions. Complementary football may be the answer to finding wins on one of the toughest schedules in the nation.

Former 5-star has elevated his game in fifth-year, needs fellow receivers to be more involved in passing game. #wps https://t.co/guk66gylGz
— Arkansas Razorbacks on SI (@RazorbacksOnSI) September 25, 2026

Next up, Texas A&M looks to get right after losing the last two. This game could get out of hand early if the Hogs aren't ready for what the Aggies will try to do. Mike Elko's squad will be out for blood.

Silverfield's tenure is already under siege, and the athletic director who hired him is likely on the way out. Not getting embarrassed is the goal for the rest of the season.

Getting the operational football elements down and cutting down on mistakes can go a long way toward buying Silverfield goodwill should the Board of Trustees make a move. The University of Arkansas's NIL budget has made national headlines.

As we reach the end of the season, I'll be hoping the Hogs can graduate to the scrappy team fans thought they had in store.

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