Nobody Will Know What Loss to OSU Cost Hogs Until November

Double overtime loss to Cowboys will be used as qualifying excuse for failure at end of year

Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Xavian Sorey celebrates after a play in a loss to Oklahoma State. / Craven Whitlow-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As much as Arkansas coaches and players said they just have to flush Saturday's 39-31 loss to Oklahoma State and move on, it won't be that easy.

It all ties in with the fact a lot of coaches will say off the record when they retire it was because the wins weren't as much fun as the losses that kept them awake. This is one Sam Pittman knows got away.

Some Razorback fans right now are frustrated, giving up or just downright mad. Others are using it as an excuse for failure, which is ultimately what it was. Coaches don't get these big contracts these days for moral wins.

"We’ve got to learn how to finish games and hang on to the football," Pittman said later. That sums it up pretty clearly without excuses.

The Razorbacks haven't learned how to win games right now. Maybe they will, but they haven't yet. Pittman has to be wondering how in the world they sometimes appear to be trying to lose games.

There's no other way to logically define how out-gaining an opponent 648-385 in yardage could ever result in a loss. If you didn't watch that game Saturday and just looked at the stat sheet, you'd probably think there was a typo somewhere in the final score.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said several times after the game the Razorbacks out-coached his team. The prevailing thought after hearing that is Pittman improved his coaching staff over last season, which is almost certainly the case.

Now the problem is how to get guys to learn how to win a game. It's not easy and apparently the playing field across college football is starting to level out a little. Whatever the reason is for that is basically pick from a list that includes NIL, transfers and everything else.

Don't believe it? No. 5 Notre Dame got beat by Northern Illinois. No. 16 OSU nearly got taken down by Arkansas. Auburn was beaten at home by Cal, Oklahoma got a struggle win against Houston and South Carolina beat up Kentucky.

Different week, different team for everybody these days. The trick is finding what works for a particular team and riding that to wins. Pittman probably knows all this.

Razorback fans have never learned the entire fate of the season isn't determined by the success or failure in one game. At least until late October when a 7-3 loss at homecoming to a team not going to a bowl game signals something is seriously wrong.

Just take each week as it comes. Besides, we'll all get to hear how everybody knew exactly what was going to happen because most of the Hogs' fans have 20-20 vision of the rearview mirror.

HOGS FEED:

• What are Sam Pittman's latest moves with "whack-a-mole" with Razorbacks' special teams?

• Being Arkansas football fans must be life of misery

• Death, taxes and Hogs blowing another one-possession game

• Subscribe and follow us on YouTube
• Follow HogsSI on X and Facebook