Like It Is

Progress has never hurt so badly for Hogs

Arkansas running back Alex Collins (3) sprints past Texas A&M linebacker Jordan Mastrogiovanni (7) for a long run on his way to the end zone for a touchdown in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Arkansas running back Alex Collins (3) sprints past Texas A&M linebacker Jordan Mastrogiovanni (7) for a long run on his way to the end zone for a touchdown in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

ARLINGTON, Texas -- It will be a chore in the final analysis, a tough chore, but Arkansas Coach Bret Bielema will make Saturday's loss to Texas A&M a learning experience.

Bielema stood on the sidelines and watched his Razorbacks give away a 28-14 lead that eroded into a 35-28 overtime loss. The Hogs still haven't won an SEC game since 2012, and this one will probably be harder to swallow and review than any of the others.

It was the Razorbacks' to win. Or to lose.

The Aggies' last three touchdowns took a total of five plays.

An 86-yard touchdown pass from Kenny Hill to Edward Pope was the second play of an 88-yard drive.

Josh Reynolds' 59-yard touchdown pass followed a 14-yard pass that started the drive.

In overtime, Hill hit Malcome Kennedy on first down for 25 yards and the winning touchdown.

After almost an hour of fighting, scratching and clawing, the Razorbacks gave up three touchdowns in just a little more than one minute of playing time.

It was not the defense's fault. This was a team loss. There were big plays on offense and defense, but instead of putting away the game when they had a chance, the Razorbacks had miscues, costly penalties and too many times came up 2 or 3 yards short on third-down passes.

Offensive tackle Dan Skipper already stands out at 6-10, and if he holds it's going to be easier to detect than someone who can get lost in the mass of bodies. When he was hit with a holding penalty in the second quarter Saturday -- which was called very late and had nothing to do with the play -- it brought back a touchdown reception by Hunter Henry.

That happens.

Skipper's personal foul penalty for tripping in the fourth quarter took the Razorbacks from first and goal and a possible 35-14 lead to a first-and-long situation. Personal fouls happen too, especially in a game that was so heated and had so much mouthing that the officials called the teams together and gave them a warning.

No one player loses or wins a game. The Hogs shot themselves in the foot so many times they should have been out of bullets long before the game ended.

Most didn't expect the Razorbacks to be in a position to win Saturday against the Aggies, but they were, and what they needed was a little more luck. Yes, every team needs luck, like the Aggies enjoyed when an Arkansas defender fell down on one of A&M's touchdown passes.

The Razorbacks lined up time after time and gave it their all against a team that has had better-rated recruiting classes and has even moved ahead of the University of Texas as the state's dominant football program.

The Hogs showed some new might late in the game when the Aggies seemed to have grabbed all the momentum. Starting at their own 23, they drove to the Aggies 23, all on big runs. But after Brandon Allen dropped a first-down snap and fell on it for a 2-yard loss at the A&M 33, the Aggies took a timeout. The Hogs couldn't open enough holes for their next two runs and missed a 44-yard field goal.

The Aggies scored 21 seconds later to tie it at 28-28.

It was a typical, wild and crazy SEC game. Both teams had big plays, both made mistakes and perhaps the better team won in the end, but the Razorbacks looked better than they have in two years.

They played the Aggies off their feet for most of the game, and maybe this was the biggest indicator of the improvement the Razorbacks have made since Bielema took on the challenge of trying to right a program that was way off course.

It won't be easy for him, his staff or the players when they look back at Saturday's game and see what could have been, but overall it was a better team effort that Bielema will use as a learning experience.

Sports on 09/28/2014

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