FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas would have to win its final three games to be bowl eligible, and that would require victories at Ole Miss (Saturday) and LSU and a victory over Mississippi State in Little Rock.
Coach Bret Bielema said he hasn’t talked “about bowls or anything like that” with his 3-6 team.
“The mission is just to try to improve,” Bielema said. “For us right now as a program, we’re trying to get better every week, trying to get younger players to be better, trying to get our better players to play their best ball, trying to correct Saturday’s mistakes and move forward.”
Bielema said he evaluates the program in four areas each week and last Friday he gave the team up arrows in all those areas for the first time this year.
“I thought our preparation was better than it had been in a long time,” Bielema said. “I thought our commitment to academics and the social behavior had been better than it had been, and I just thought football was up. So I am excited.
“I think it’s going in the right direction. You would like to end the season with some high notes.”The streak
The Razorbacks’ six game losing streak under first-year Coach Bret Bielema is the program’s longest since first-year Coach Jack Crowe’s 1990 team lost seven in a row in the midst of a 3-8 season.
The 1990 team ended its skid with a 42-29 victory at SMU, which was two years removed from its “death penalty” punishment from the NCAA.
Two other first-year Arkansas coaches - Otis Douglas and Frank Broyles - endured losing streaks of six games or more in their first seasons. Broyles (144-58-5 in 19 seasons) turned out well. Neither Douglas (9-21-0) nor Crowe (9-15-0) made it past their third season.
Injury report
Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema said quarterback Brandon Allen was “pretty sore on Sunday” but said Allen should be ready for today’s practice after needing stitches to close up the gash he received from being cleated by an Auburn player.
Ole Miss Coach Hugh Freeze indicated Monday that defensive end Robert Nkemdiche (hamstring), linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche (ankle), cornerback Mike Hilton (hamstring) and linebacker Serdarius Bryant (concussion/elbow) are likely to return for the Arkansas game.
Running back Jeff Scott and safety Charles Sawyer are considered questionable.Gotta score
Arkansas failed to score on two first-half drives that consumed 30 plays, 134 yards and 13:34 of the clock.
The Razorbacks had first down at the Auburn 15 on their first drive, but Arkansas came away empty when AJ Derby’s second down pass attempt was deflected and intercepted at the Auburn 14.
Arkansas’ fourth possession of the first half ended at the Auburn 1 after the Hogs had first-and goal at the 4. Arkansas was stopped short of the goal line with the ball at the 1 on third and fourth down.
The Razorbacks outgained the Tigers 199-124 and held the ball for 21:43 of the first half but trailed 14-3.
“We controlled the ball, which we were trying to get done in that ballgame, we were just unable to get points on the board,” offensive coordinator Jim Chaney said. “That’s still our Achilles heel and we’ve still got to execute better down in that red area.”Kitchen sink
Arkansas utilized numerous Wildcat formation plays, two halfback passes, a reverse and an end around against Auburn, in addition to an onside kick and fake field goal pass.
“You’ve got to change it up every now and again I feel like,” center Travis Swanson said. “We had a week to prepare for these guys so I think they kind of threw some things in there to mix it up a little bit.” Not offside
Bret Bielema said Monday he has apologized for shouting at redshirt freshman Jeremy Sprinkle after he was flagged for being offside on Arkansas’ unsuccessful onside kick in the second quarter.
“Sprinkle’s legal by about a yard and a half,” Bielema said, “and I feel bad because I jumped him pretty good, made an apology.”
Bielema said he sent video of that play to the conference office.
No Groza
Zach Hocker, who was not on the preseason Groza Award watch list, did not make the cut to 20 semifinalists released Monday, which did not sit well with Bret Bielema.
“You know what, that irritates me,” Bielema said.
“I’m not saying he should be in the top five. I’m not saying he should be in the top 10. But he should be in the top 20.”
The Groza Award is given annually by the Palm Beach County (Fla.) Sports Commission to the nation’s top placekicker.
Hocker is tied for 23rd nationally, having made 90 percent of his kicks this season, but he has only 10 attempts. His miss was a blocked field goal by Alabama.
The list of semifinalists includes Arkansas State senior Brian Davis, who is 10 of 10 on field goals.
Mason scores
Auburn tailback Tre Mason was selected as the SEC offensive player of the week after racking up 168 yards and 4 touchdowns on 32 carries in the Tigers’ 35-17 victory at Arkansas.
On rankings
Arkansas became the second SEC team since expansion in 1992 to play five consecutive ranked opponents in one season.
LSU had a five-game stretch last season.
The Razorbacks’ next opponent, Ole Miss, was ranked as high as No. 21 on Sept. 22 after opening 3-0, including a 44-23 victory at Texas. The Rebels received 17 votes in this week’s AP Top 25, fourth among others receiving votes.
SATURDAY’S GAMES Auburn 35, Arkansas 17 South Carolina 34, Mississippi St. 16 Georgia 23, Florida 20 Missouri 31, Tennessee 3 Kentucky 48, Alabama State 14 Texas A&M 57, Texas-El Paso 7 SATURDAY’S GAMES (11/9) All times Central Missouri at Kentucky, 11 a.m.
Auburn at Tennessee, 11 a.m.
Vanderbilt at Florida, 11 a.m.
Arkansas at Mississippi, 11:21 a.m.
Appalachian St. at Georgia, 11:30 a.m.
Mississippi St. at Texas A&M, 2:30 p.m. LSU at Alabama, 7 p.m.
Sports, Pages 20 on 11/05/2013