Another Day, Another Loss: Penalties, Pressure, and Pain Define Razorbacks Collapse Against Mississippi State

It was another night of heartbreak in Fayetteville. The Arkansas Razorbacks watched another winnable game slip away, falling 38–35 to Mississippi State during their final game of the home stretch. What began with energy and hope ended in frustration and disbelief.

Arkansas dropped to 2–7 overall and 0–5 in SEC play after leading by two touchdowns twice in the second half. For fans and players alike, it felt like déjà vu. The Razorbacks built momentum, controlled the game for three quarters, and once again lost their grip in the final minutes.

Mississippi State turned a 35–21 deficit into a statement win, outscoring Arkansas 17–7 in the fourth quarter to end its 16 game SEC losing streak. The Bulldogs fed off Razorback mistakes, taking advantage of a record breaking 18 penalties for 193 yards that wiped out Arkansas’ earlier dominance.

For a team that entered the game among the most disciplined in the nation, averaging just 5.5 penalties per contest, the meltdown was both shocking and symbolic of the season. The frustration was clear as Arkansas’ composure unraveled, drive after drive. This loss wasn’t just about missed tackles or broken coverage. It was about pressure, exhaustion, and a team desperate to find something positive to hold on to.

Early Struggles and a Bulldog Breakthrough

The game began poorly for Arkansas. The Razorbacks’ opening drive faltered when quarterback Taylen Green was stopped inches short on third down, forcing an early punt that set an uneasy tone. Mississippi State quickly turned the mistake into points. A pass interference call extended the Bulldogs’ drive, and quarterback Blake Shapen took full advantage, connecting with Brenen Thompson and Fluff Bothwell on key plays before finding Davon Booth for an eight-yard touchdown. Midway through the first quarter, Arkansas was already trailing 7–0 and struggling to find its footing.

Pass protection remained an issue, as the Razorbacks failed to string together consistent drives. Green’s 16-yard scramble and Rohan Jones’ short burst offered a brief spark late in the quarter, but Arkansas headed into the second still searching for rhythm and control.

Razorbacks Find Their Groove in the Second

Arkansas found its footing in the second quarter and began to take control. Green sparked the turnaround with a 23-yard connection to Raylen Sharpe before hitting Jones for a one-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7.

The Razorbacks built on that success with another strong drive that included a key fourth-down conversion by Mike Washington Jr. Scott Starzyk capped the possession with a 42-yard field goal to make it 10–7.

Mississippi State threatened briefly, but Cam Ball’s third-down sack ended the drive. Green then led a composed two-minute drill highlighted by a 38-yard strike to Sharpe on third-and-20. Starzyk added a 30-yard field goal before halftime to send Arkansas into the break up 13–7 with momentum on their side.

Second-Half Shootout

Mississippi State opened the second half with an immediate answer. Backup quarterback Kamario Taylor entered the game and hit Anthony Evans III for a 45-yard touchdown, giving the Bulldogs a 14–13 lead. Arkansas quickly responded as Green scrambled for 18 yards on third down, then scored on an eight-yard option keeper to retake the lead.

The Razorbacks extended their advantage on the next series when Sharpe broke free for a 44-yard run and Washington capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown. A successful two-point try pushed the lead to 28–14, Arkansas’ biggest margin of the game.

The Bulldogs refused to back down, with Taylor answering with a 20-yard touchdown run to make it 28–21 heading into the fourth quarter.

Fourth-Quarter Collapse

Arkansas seemed poised to close out the victory when freshman Braylen Russell powered into the end zone from two yards out early in the fourth quarter to stretch the lead to 35–21. But Mississippi State mounted a furious rally. Shapen returned to the field and engineered a 75-yard drive capped by a short touchdown pass to Booth, cutting the deficit to one score.

The Razorbacks’ offense faltered from that point on. A series of short drives and punts gave Mississippi State multiple chances to strike. After a 46-yard field goal by Ferrie trimmed the lead to 35–31, Shapen hit Thompson for 32 yards on fourth-and-7 and then found Evans for the game-winning 18-yard touchdown.

Arkansas’ final possession ended with back-to-back sacks of Green, sealing Mississippi State’s dramatic 38–35 comeback victory.

Offensive and Defensive Breakdown

Arkansas’ defense had no answers for Blake Shapen. He completed 16 of 28 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns, consistently igniting Mississippi State’s comebacks and keeping the Razorbacks on their heels. Receivers Anthony Evans and Brenen Thompson both crossed the 100-yard mark, while quarterback Kamario Taylor added a passing score and another on the ground.

On the other side, Taylen Green was steady but couldn’t quite take control. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown, adding 51 rushing yards without a turnover. Despite outgaining Mississippi State 433–388 in total offense, Arkansas mustered only 21 yards in the final quarter, a late-game collapse that sealed another painful defeat.

A defining storyline of the night was Arkansas’ historic penalty total. The Razorbacks were flagged 18 times for 193 yards, while Mississippi State had only four penalties for 30 yards. The ongoing losing streak seems to be affecting the players’ mindset, leading to lapses in composure and discipline. Head coach Bobby Petrino, however, implied that the unusually high number of penalties stemmed from poor officiating.

Petrino voiced frustration over the officiating, saying he could not speak openly about it but urged others to watch the game footage. He pointed out that officials had allowed a play where the Arkansas quarterback was lifted and slammed to the ground, calling it a bad situation.

He acknowledged that the penalties were damaging and hard to overcome but emphasized that the team still needed to perform better. According to Petrino, Arkansas failed to maintain drives, manage the clock, and close out the game, which repeatedly put the defense back on the field. He added that the plan was to finish strong by running the ball, but the team could not execute it effectively.

The defeat underscored that little has improved under interim head coach Bobby Petrino, despite early optimism when he took charge. The loss also continued a troubling trend for Arkansas in close contests. Former head coach Sam Pittman, dismissed earlier this season, went 7–19 in one-score games during his tenure. Under Petrino, the Razorbacks have now lost three of four games by a single possession.

Those defeats include a 34–31 loss at No. 14 Tennessee in Week 7, a 45–42 home loss to No. 3 Texas A&M in Week 8, and Saturday’s 38–35 heartbreak against Mississippi State. The other came in Week 9 against Auburn, 33–24.

With Saturday’s result, Arkansas dropped to 0–4 under Bobby Petrino.  The Razorbacks remain winless since his appointment, and his hopes of earning the permanent head coaching role appear to be slipping away.

Bowl Hopes Gone, Pride on the Line

The loss officially ended Arkansas’ hopes of qualifying for a bowl game. Last season, the Razorbacks celebrated a 39–26 win over Texas Tech in the Liberty Bowl, but this year’s campaign has fallen well short of expectations. Now, the team is left trying to salvage some pride and create a few meaningful moments in a season most fans would rather forget.

Arkansas will now enter its second bye week before wrapping up the season with three straight rivalry games. The Razorbacks will face LSU in Baton Rouge on November 15, travel to Texas on November 22, and finish at home against Missouri on November 29.