Nothing Worked: Not Even on Officials, but They Didn't Cost Hogs This One

Sam Pittman went for it on fourth down and took chances but couldn't catch a break ... anywhere

Quit complaining about the officials.

They didn't create Arkansas' 38-23 loss to Auburn on Saturday.

No, that was created by the Razorbacks' ineffectiveness on defense and the offense suddenly couldn't move the ball like it had been doing.

And Sam Pittman was rolling the dice but kept coming up snake eyes every time.

"Seemed like everything I was calling or chance I was taking  —tried to kick it, didn't make it, tried to go for it, didn't make it — it seemed like it wasn't going our way today on some of those," he said later.

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Fans were incensed about calls and, of course, the lack of calls. Maybe the officials screwed up some calls but complaining about it is a waste of time and effort.

It's also an excuse for failure.

The Hogs had chances. Missing Jalen Catalon appears to have affected the defense. Bo Nix looked like an All-American.

Nothing worked.

"It seemed like we were at the 35 yard line a lot today," Pittman said. "We tried (a field goal), missed it, then we went for it on fourth and less than a yard and didn't make it. Went for it on fourth-and-4 going the other direction, didn't make it."

The Hogs didn't get many breaks. Fans will forever moan the officials are trying to ruin them and the SEC doesn't like Arkansas along with all the usual complaining.

It is what it is. Get over it.

"They reviewed the one with Rocket, the short one, and I guess figured out it was a chain length (short)," Pittman said. "No difference there, then we didn't pitch the ball on the fourth-and-4. So, I don't know."

The bottom line is when it's that close you don't leave any doubt. It's up to the offensive line to make a play and when they absolutely had to do that, well, they couldn't get it done.

Now all the momentum from a 4-0 start with emotional wins over Texas and Texas A&M is basically gone. Don't be making plans for a big bowl trip to New Orleans or Orlando just yet

"It's bad because we had such a big start to the season, and now we've lost three in a row," Pittman said.

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Once again, he tried to take all the blame.

"I've got to figure out why," he said. "I've got reasons why, but yeah, it gets frustrating. You'd like to catch a break here and there, but yeah, it gets frustrating."

That's the way fans feel, too.

At least the ones not using the officials as a crutch.

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