Former Hog Ragnow Gets Revenge on Chiefs' Mahomes Years After Texas Tech Debacle

Eight years after stunning defeat in Fayetteville, former Arkansas center played first-hand role in regaining edge over NFL star quarterback as Detroit Lions knock off Chiefs on road

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Sep 9, 2023 7:56 AM EDT
Original:
Sep 8, 2023

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The signature smile that usually radiates off the face of Kansas City quarterback Pat Mahomes in State Farm commercials was missing. Instead, he wore a distant glare of disgust as he shook his head in defeat. Meanwhile, Detroit quarterback Jared Goff raised his arms repeatedly in celebration, taunting the Chiefs' home crowd as the final seconds ticked away in a 21-20 season-opening upset.

Skill position players on both sides of the ball went through the exercise of rhythmic handshakes and celebrating with a small group of Lions fans. Yet, lost in the mix of the disappointment and exuberance was the man who slammed the door shut when the game was on the line – former Arkansas Razorback Frank Ragnow.

It was a revenge moment eight years in the making. In 2015, Mahomes made a mockery of the best Razorback team of the Bret Bielema era. A year after getting blown out by the Hogs 49-21 in Lubbock, Mahomes and then Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury took exception to a comment Bielema made about how it was essentially a fool's errand to run a spread offense against a power team.

Mahomes went 26-of-30 in the rematch in Fayetteville while leading scoring drives in each quarter, sending Ragnow and his teammates reeling with a 35-24 loss. The trash talk that followed was a direct reflection of Bielema's off-season braggadocio that also included the University of Texas and pretty much every high school coach in the Lone Star State.

“At the Texas High School Coaches Convention this summer [Bielema] stood up and said if you don’t play with a fullback we’ll kick your a%%, and if you throw it 70 times a game we’ll kick your a%%,” Kingsbury said. “He just got his a%% kicked twice in a row and probably next week by A&M too. That did feel good.”

Nearly a decade later, it was the spread game of Mahomes that failed as passes were dropped in key moments and it was the power game of Ragnow that made sure the former Red Raider didn't get a chance to send for former Hog home defeated again.

Detroit got the ball with two minutes left while Kansas City clung to three timeouts. The Lions desperately needed at least one first down and it was going to have to be done on the ground. On first down Detroit went to running back David Montgomery just off Ragnow's hip behind right guard for five yards to set the tone.

The next two plays were all Ragnow. Montgomery got the call again and initially had little room to run. However, his center provided the blessing any running back hopes to receive.

Ragnow got leverage under his defender, turned him perpendicular to the outside and stuck his own road whites covered rump facing into the line of scrimmage. Running backs aren't just looking for light, they are looking for their blockers' backsides and one that has sealed off the hole with a 90 degree turn is the lottery ticket of running the ball. Montgomery slipped into the hole for three yards to set up 3rd & 2 as the Chiefs stopped the clock again with 1:47 left.

If the Lions couldn't convert, Mahomes would get another shot in primetime to march down the field for a game-winning field goal. Ragnow wasn't going to allow that to happen. The combination of Montgomery and Ragnow had worked well so far, so head coach Dan Campbell gave the OK to do it again. This time, there would be no going off the side of Ragnow. Montgomery followed his center who plowed the way to victory by leading the way against a stacked box for just over two yards and a first down.

At that point it was just a matter of executing three snaps. As the clock struck zero, the camera didn't follow him. Society says the closing images of surprise wins aren't for the linemen who toil in the trenches to make it all possible. But for those who remember how emotional the players were after getting stunned by Mahomes in Razorback Stadium, the final two minutes was spotlight enough.

If no one else recognizes Ragnow's efforts, the people of Arkansas do. Even though the NFL storytellers and in-game producers don't see him, those in the Razorback footprint who watched the game did.