FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Arkansas football had two weeks to regroup, evaluate its mistakes and prepare for one of its most important home games of the season. When the Razorbacks finally took the field Saturday, many of the same problems that have defined their season were still there.
Arkansas fell 34-10 to No. 23 Missouri in the Battle Line Rivalry at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Razorbacks turned the ball over four times, managed just 59 rushing yards and allowed Missouri to score 24 points off those mistakes.
The defeat dropped Arkansas to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in Southeastern Conference play. It also raised questions about how much progress the team made during its bye week and whether the Razorbacks are moving in the right direction under first-year head coach Ryan Silverfield.
Arkansas entered the break coming off a 31-21 road victory over Vanderbilt on Oct. 17. That win ended a difficult stretch in conference play and gave the Razorbacks an opportunity to build momentum before returning home.
Instead, the performance against Missouri looked much closer to the struggles that came before the Vanderbilt game.
Arkansas' schedule gave the team a break after its victory in Nashville. The Razorbacks had an open date on Oct. 24 before hosting Missouri on Oct. 31, providing additional time to prepare for the Tigers.
The extra time came at an important point in the season. Arkansas had lost four of its first six games, including a 43-10 defeat at Utah, a 45-17 loss to Georgia and a 34-7 loss at Texas A&M.
The Razorbacks also dropped a 24-17 home game against Tennessee before responding with the victory over Vanderbilt.
According to the official Arkansas football schedule , the Missouri matchup was the first game following the Oct. 24 bye week. It was an opportunity to address the issues that had prevented Arkansas from consistently competing against SEC opponents.
The final result did not show much improvement.
The most obvious problem against Missouri was Arkansas' inability to protect the football.
The Razorbacks committed four turnovers, including three lost fumbles and an interception. Missouri converted those mistakes into 24 points, accounting for most of the difference on the scoreboard.
The first major mistake came on a fourth-and-1 attempt in the first quarter. Arkansas running back Cam Settles lost the football, and Missouri defensive lineman Darris Smith recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.
Arkansas never recovered from the early mistake.
Quarterback KJ Jackson also threw an interception on a tipped pass and lost a fumble during the game. The offense struggled to establish any rhythm while repeatedly giving Missouri additional opportunities.
According to the Associated Press game recap , Missouri scored 24 points off Arkansas' four turnovers.
Turnovers have to be one of the first areas Arkansas addresses moving forward. Against an SEC opponent, giving away four possessions makes winning extremely difficult, regardless of how much preparation time a team receives.
Another problem that followed Arkansas into the Missouri game was its inability to run the football.
The Razorbacks finished with 59 rushing yards on 36 attempts. Missouri ran for 211 yards, creating a significant difference in how the two offenses operated.
Arkansas struggled to generate consistent production on the ground, leaving Jackson and the passing game responsible for moving the offense. Missouri had much more success controlling the game with its running attack.
Jamal Roberts led the Tigers with 138 rushing yards on 23 carries and added two touchdowns. His production helped Missouri maintain control and put pressure on the Arkansas defense throughout the night.
The numbers were particularly concerning because the rushing attack had been an important part of Arkansas' opportunity to build momentum following the Vanderbilt victory.
A team cannot expect to consistently compete in the SEC if it cannot establish a dependable running game. The Razorbacks need to find ways to create more space, sustain blocks and keep opposing defenses from focusing primarily on the passing attack.
The Razorbacks did produce 288 total yards, including 229 passing yards from Jackson, but the offense had little to show for its production.
Jackson completed 20 of 34 passes and added a rushing touchdown. Antonio Jordan was a bright spot in the passing game, finishing with seven receptions for 106 yards.
However, Arkansas repeatedly failed to turn opportunities into points. Penalties and mistakes erased promising plays, including a potential touchdown reception by Jordan that was wiped out by a personal foul.
The Razorbacks also had a 20-play drive that covered 62 yards and lasted nearly 10 minutes but ended with a field goal rather than a touchdown.
Those are the types of situations that can determine the outcome of a game. Arkansas had opportunities to stay competitive, but it did not execute well enough to take advantage of them.
The game statistics and recap show how the difference in finishing drives and protecting the football shaped the final result.
Arkansas' offensive mistakes received much of the attention, but the defense also struggled to keep Missouri from controlling the game.
The Tigers finished with 390 total yards, including 211 on the ground. Roberts repeatedly found space, while Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons threw for 179 yards and two touchdowns.
The Razorbacks allowed Missouri to extend its lead in the third quarter, when the Tigers scored twice to move ahead 27-7.
Arkansas needed its defense to create stops and give the offense opportunities to recover from its mistakes. Instead, Missouri continued to find ways to move the football and put the game out of reach.
The defense cannot be expected to overcome four turnovers every week, but allowing 211 rushing yards made an already difficult situation worse.
Silverfield is in his first season leading the Razorbacks, and rebuilding a program does not happen in one bye week. However, the Missouri game showed how much work remains before Arkansas can consistently compete in the SEC.
The Vanderbilt victory offered a reason for optimism. The Razorbacks scored 31 points, won on the road and finally secured their first conference victory of the season.
One week later, the offense scored only 10 points, the defense allowed 34 and Missouri took advantage of nearly every major mistake.
Arkansas now has another opportunity to respond when it travels to Auburn on Nov. 7. The Tigers will present another difficult SEC test, and the Razorbacks will need to show improvement in the areas that hurt them against Missouri.
The bye week was an opportunity to make adjustments. The performance against Missouri showed that Arkansas still has not found enough answers.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arkansas as With Two Weeks To Prepare, Arkansas Still Had No Answers Against Missouri .
