Hogs Won, But UAPB Ultimately Found Way to Beat Arkansas in the End

Razorbacks' lack of tougher opponent kept Pittman from repeating magic of 2021

Arkansas Razorbacks defensive lineman Anton Juncaj chases UAPB quarterback Mekhi Hagens in their game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark. / Ted McClenning-Hogs on SI Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas technically won against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in War Memorial Stadium a couple of weeks ago. There's a one in the win column, so there's no disputing it.

However, as a program, the Hogs lost that night and the fruits of that loss became reality last weekend in Stillwater. Sure, Sam Pittman was in need of a win to start the season everyone could feel good about, but the only way Arkansas could feel good about beating the Golden Lions was if they went out and delivered perfection.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened. The Razorbacks put up historic perfection, which meant they got nothing out of the game that practicing against air and painted tackling dummies wouldn't have yielded.

The season laid out eerily similar to 2021. Pittman was coming off a season with a low amount of wins, had a game to start the season meant to be an easy victory, followed with a ranked, but overmatched Big 12 team in Week 2, then a potential run all the way through Texas A&M at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The only difference was the quality of opponent to open the season. Rice was not a team that would strike fear in the Hogs to open 2021, but the Owls were just salty enough to create a bit of a challenge and allow the Razorbacks to make some much needed mistakes without the ultimate consequence of a loss.

KJ Jefferson threw an interception. The defense blew assignments early on that let Rice build a lead.

Offensive coordinator Kendal Briles couldn't get Jefferson and Treylon Burks on the same page as the four and outs piled up. Meanwhile, the Owls abused Barry Odom's defense, going up 17-7 in the third quarter, although it should have been 20-7 because of a missed 36-yard field goal.

Finally, Arkasas got it together, reeled off 31 straight points in the last quarter and change, and left with a convincing 38-17 win with plenty of mistakes in its players' pockets that helped make them better prepared to face Texas the following week.

That learning curve was all the difference. No matter whose to blame on the fumbled snaps and pitch, it's less likely to have happened against Oklahoma State had there been an opportunity for it to happen the week before.

A punt return blocker doesn't find himself once again sliding into Isaiah Sategna in Stillwater if the mistake is forced by a more suitable opponent the week before. The defense isn't hitting a patented Hawg City suplex after the whistle a second time if a better opponent gets under its skin enough in Week 1.

Mistakes are important and they need to be made in the right context. The better schedule set-up would have been to play Louisiana Tech in Week 1 and save Arkansas-Pine Bluff for late in the year when banged up players need a rest.

This would have given Arkansas a tougher opponent to make a few mistakes and learn well enough to deliver an early knockout blow to Oklahoma State. However, because it's a War Memorial game against an opponent that doesn't draw a crowd, the logical thought was to have it in the heat of August when crowds would be light anyway and hope the allure of it being the season opener would offset any major losses financially.

Unfortunately, what was best for business wasn't actually "what's best for business." Instead, the Hogs had to do their learning against an inferior Oklahoma State team that had just enough substance to take advantage of a perfect number of impeccably timed mistakes to distribute a lesson and a loss.

The good thing is there's plenty to make Arkansas better in the long run from that game. It also helps that they will get to work out the kinks against UAB before in Fayetteville before hitting the road to face two of the greatest curses of Arkansas' SEC era — teams that are supposed to be lesser opponents coached by Hugh Freeze and Texas A&M in AT&T Stadium.

The Razorbacks showed they're good enough to win all three heading into a home game against a really good Tennessee team, but also plenty Arkansas enough to start the season 2-4. If only they could have made a few of those mistakes against a bad, but not THAT bad opponent during Week 1.

Sam Pittman and his Hogs would be riding a confidence wave akin to the feeling they had after the 40-21 beating of Texas in 2021. Confidence matters. Then again, so do properly timed mistakes.

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