Razorbacks a Jumbled Mess on Both Sides of Ball Now
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Here we go again.
That's the feeling a lot of Arkansas fans after getting physically manhandled in Starkville, Mississippi, on Saturday afternoon by Mississippi State, 40-17.
It never really felt that close, especially in the second half, although the Razorbacks squandered a couple of chances to get some kind of momentum and fourth-down chances gave it to the Bulldogs.
"We took a slow drubbing," Hogs coach Sam Pittman said later.
Now for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons, the Hogs have a three-game losing streak. They did last year, but that was forgotten with an Outback Bowl win over Penn State.
Whether starting quarterback KJ Jefferson would have made a difference or not will be argued forever. He wasn't available after suffering a head injury against Alabama last week.
Cade Fortin started and struggled. Malik Hornsby got folks excited with some runs and an occasional pass that will start at least a backup quarterback discussion.
It really won't matter. Without a defense the offense is going to fight to stay in games regardless who lines up behind center.
Mississippi State jumped on the Hogs early, running up a 21-0 lead. It became clear really quickly the Hogs' defense was going to have problems.
Bulldogs quarterback Will Rogers passed Aaron Murray to become the all-time pass completions leader in the SEC. He piled up a few more against the Hogs. They never really got any sort of pressure with a three-man rush.
Mississippi State got some pressure at times, but defensive coordinator Zach Arnett wasn't about to let Arkansas run up and down the field all day.
The Hogs couldn't run when they needed to, blowing chances, getting zero points on two possessions in the red zone in the first half. That was a killer.
Hornsby made some nice plays with his legs and had a 54-yard scoring pass to Bryce Stephens in the second half, but also drilled a couple of flat check-downs into the ground.
That can be developed, but it wasn't going to happen by Saturday afternoon.
Now Sam Pittman's got the same problem he had last year.
Does he have the same kind of luck? Check back around Thanksgiving.
HOGS FEED:
EVEN LANE KIFFIN'S DOG IS GETTING AN NIL DEAL
WHEN IT COMES TO MISSISSIPPI STATE, ARKANSAS HAS ASSAULTED THE RECORD BOOKS, JUST NOT IN A GOOD WAY
DIVINE BOVINE CAUSE OF HARASSMENT FOR A&M, HEADACHE FOR HOGS
RECAP FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON THROUGH COMEDIC SKITS OF SEC SHORTS
HOGS, BULLDOGS ENGAGED IN VERBAL CHESS MATCH ABOUT SATURDAY
SEC ROUNDUP: IS BILL O'BRIEN NEXT TO BE RELEASED FROM NICK SABAN'S COACHING REHAB CLINIC?
NOT TO JUDGE, BUT AT LEAST THIS FIASCO HAD A PURPOSE
WHY RAZORBACKS COULD GET A BOOST AGAINST AUBURN BEFORE HALLOWEEN
PITTMAN PROTECTIVE OF INFO REGARDING JEFFERSON'S HEALTH STATUS
SEC SHORTS MISSES OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE ALABAMA THIS WEEK
HOGS PILING UP THREE-GAME LOSING STREAKS COULD GET RISKY
RAZORBACKS NEED TO FIGURE THINGS OUT QUICK
LOSS TO BAMA SENDS ARKANSAS TUMBLING IN AP TOP 25
HOGS MAY HAVE SEEN END OF MALIK HORNSBY AFTER POUTING ON SIDELINES
HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A SCORNED QUARTERBACK-TURNED-WIDE RECEIVER
HOGS FINALLY WIN A THIRD QUARTER, BUT NOT MUCH ELSE
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