New Rankings Show Size of Hill Facing Razorbacks This Year

Oklahoma State goes up after Hogs can't manage to finish off win on Saturday

Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Taylen Green (10) is hit by Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Jeff Roberson (22) during the third quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. / William Purnell-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Everybody in Arkansas (and maybe a few in Oklahoma) feel the Razorbacks should have beaten Oklahoma State on Saturday. They lost in double overtime, but the Cowboys jumped to No. 13 in the latest media poll.

It just shows how big the hill is in front of the Hogs to get better in the SEC. That starts this year because things aren't going to get easier a lot of the rest of the way.

Now the SEC has four of the top five teams in the country. Georgia is No. 1, Texas No. 2, Alabama No. 4 and Ole Miss No. 5. I'll save you the trouble, the Hogs face the Longhorns and Rebels, but it doesn't end there.

Missouri is sixth followed by Tennessee at No. 7 with LSU 16th. Georgia is still on top and Oklahoma is 15th, giving the league eight of the Top 25 teams in the country.

For Arkansas to get to the top half of the league, they will be at a ranked level. Taking the new No. 13 team in the country to double overtime and dominating them for most of the game shows the talent is there to do it.

Now Sam Pittman just has to convince them they can win a big game. Penalties and turnovers cost them in Saturday's 39-31 loss to the Cowboys. They dominated in everything but those two statistical categories.

It wasn't the number, but the timing of those mistakes was even bigger. They all came at crucial times, which is what happens with a program mired in consistently finding ways to lose the close ones.

That's in the past now, though. They have UAB coming to town Saturday for a 3:15 kickoff in the first game this year at Razorback Stadium. Then they go to Auburn and AT&T Stadium one more time for Texas A&M.

Based on last Saturday's performance combined with the Tigers laying an egg at home against Cal on Saturday, winning all three is not out of the realm of possibility. That would equal last year's complete win total (4) before the end of September.

HOGS FEED:

• Razorbacks' offense puts up some more huge numbers in loss

• Finishing games biggest thing Razorbacks need to figure out

• Continuing game of "whack-a-mole" now moves to special teams for Hogs

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