SEC Round-Up: Razorbacks' rough patch could get worse against A&M
San Jose State. North Texas. Colorado State.
That’s not the standings of some obscure “Group of Five” college football conference. Those are “Group of Five” teams that have beaten Arkansas in the last two seasons.
Times are hard in Fayetteville. Actually, they’ve been hard since former coach Bobby Petrino was fired for a variety of controversies in 2012. Since then, the Razorbacks have managed more the seven victories just once. They won eight games in 2015.
They’ve gone from bad to worse. Bret Bielema was fired after a 4-8 finish in 2017. That included a 39-38 come-from-behind victory over Coastal Carolina.
Bielema was replaced by Chad Morris, who has had an even rougher time. Last season, the Hogs endured their worst season in school history. Their 2-10 finish included losses to Colorado State and North Texas.
They’re 2-2 thus far this season. Three weeks ago, the Razorbacks fell to Ole Miss, 31-17. Then last week, they fell behind 24-7 to San Jose State, who had lost to Tulsa the previous week. The Razorbacks rallied to tie but surrendered a late touchdown in a 31-24 loss.
Having already played three non-conference games, Arkansas (2-2) appears in danger of failing to reach a bowl game for the third consecutive year. The Hogs likely must defeat at least one SEC West opponent to reach the six victories necessary for bowl eligibility.
That quest starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday in Arlington against Texas A&M (2-2). The Razorbacks have lost seven straight to the Aggies.
Yet, Morris is optimistic his team is in the right frame of mind to bounce back.
“I don’t expect anything but for us to set our jaw and get ready to go,” Morris said in his weekly press conference. “Your back’s against the wall. The total focus is on the people in this building and getting them prepared to be the best we can be this Saturday. That’s what it is. It’s about a response right now.”
He needs to get a favorable response from his team because Morris hasn’t gone one from Arkansas fans. Message board threads frequently have called for his ouster. Petrino recently spoke to the Little Rock Quarterback Club, and he was given a standing ovation. No doubt, some in Fayetteville would be willing to welcome back a prodigal son.
Once an offensive coordinator at Clemson, Morris was expected to recharge Arkansas’ offense. The Razorbacks are currently 74th in the nation in scoring.
He was expected to enhance Arkansas’ recruiting in Texas, a must because only the state of Arkansas produces only a handful of big-time prospects each year. But Arkansas only has a commitment from two players ranked among the Top 50 in Texas.
One is Highland Park quarterback Chandler Morris, Chad’s son.
Arkansas football definitely has hit hard times. The Razorbacks might hit bottom if they lose again to Texas A&M.
That is unless they fall to another obscure “Group of Five” opponent. They play Western Kentucky on Nov. 9.
Around the SEC:
Who’s hot: The story of Florida quarterback Kyle Trask is an amazing one. He had not been a starting quarterback since his freshman season at Manvel High School near Houston. There he had to backup D’Eriq King, the University of Houston star quarterback. Trask rarely played in his first three seasons at Florida. However, two weeks ago, he was thrust into action when Gators starter Feleipe Franks suffered a season-ending injury against Kentucky. Trask came on to lead three fourth-quarter scoring drives that lifted Florida to a 29-21 victory. Then, last week Trask passed for 293 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 34-3 win over Tennessee.
Who’s not: It’s gotten so bad that Tennessee can’t limit its losses to Saturdays. The Vols fell to 1-3 in last week’s loss to Florida. That was bad enough. Things got worse on Wednesday. One player left the program, and two more entered the transfer portal. Five players have now left the Tennessee program since the start of the season.
Keep an eye on: Kentucky receiver Lynn Bowden leads the SEC with eight receiving plays that covered 20 yards or more. He figures to add to that total against South Carolina. The Gamecocks secondary has allowed 19 pass plays that have covered at least 20 yards. Vanderbilt (22) in the only SEC team to allow more.
The pressure is on: Texas A&M is in dire need of a victory over Arkansas. If not, bowl eligibility suddenly becomes a concern. No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 LSU still loom on the schedule, so the Aggies cannot afford to slip up against any opponents that are considered inferior. On the surface, a loss to Arkansas seems unlikely. After all, A&M has been installed as a three-touchdown favorite. However, the series has typically been competitive. Four of the last five games were decided by a touchdown or less. Three of those games went into overtime.
Best matchup: Mississippi State running back Kylin Hill leads the SEC with 551 rushing yards. The Bulldogs’ running game, which averages 228 yards per game, is also enhanced by freshman quarterback Garrett Shrader. He rushed for 125 yards in a win over Kentucky last week. He also ran for 82 against Kansas State two weeks ago. However, the Bulldogs will face their sternest test of the season against the Auburn, which leads the SEC in rushing defense. Auburn has held three of its four opponents to 92 rushing yards or less. Tulane managed 120. Auburn has not allowed a rushing touchdown in 13 quarters.
