Arkansas Fans Get Charlie Brown'd Once Again

Moral victory against Alabama leaves Razorback fans without much emotion

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Oct 17, 2023 1:15 PM EDT
Original:
Oct 14, 2023

In this story:

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Arkansas fans have to be wondering why they can't have good things. In a game suggested on this site as having a high potential to be close, the Razorbacks figured out a way to claw back before finally falling to Alabama, 24-21 on the road.

Hog fans are the Charlie Brown of the college football world. Every time they decide to trust the Razorbacks can pull out a close win, Arkansas pulls it away at the last possible second, leaving fans flailing through the air before landing flat on their backs.

This is the ninth consecutive regular season loss by a touchdown or less for Arkansas, a streak that began with a 42-35 loss in Tuscaloosa in 2021. The last time Pittman led his Razorbacks to a win in a close regular season game came in a 16-13 overtime win at LSU the week before that Alabama loss. Ironically, the Hogs were on a two-game winning streak in close games heading into that 2021 loss to the Tide having knocked off Mississippi State, 31-28.

Following the game, it was clear fans had mixed emotions. Arkansas Twitter was relatively quiet. There were a few who were happy to take the moral victory and a few who were fed up with the losing no matter the final difference in points and wanted the coach fired, but it was almost like most of Arkansas was out hunting or fishing. Either that, or simply unsure how to feel.

Everyone now settles in to see whether there has been a breakthrough. Are the Razorbacks the team that scored regularly in the first and fourth quarters, allowing the defense to catch its breath and post a performance reflective of the skill on that side of the ball despite all the injuries, or are they the team that didn't get a first down for two consecutive quarters, wearing out the secondary to set up easy scores for Alabama?

Mississippi State provides an opportunity not only for the Razorbacks to play at home for the first time in 34 days, but a chance to get a win heading into an off-week to gather a little momentum for the final stretch of the season. That game will do a lot to determine how much extra fishing, squirrel hunting and time fixing up the deer stand will take place the final few weeks of the season.

For Pittman, it's a welcome moment of quiet while fans assess their personal feelings on moral victories. He now faces a new goal – keep this time of fan reflection from becoming apathy.