UPDATE: In a heart-stopping finish, the Arkansas Razorbacks fell to the Mississippi State Bulldogs, 38-35, in a highly controversial game played at Razorback Stadium on November 4, 2023. The Razorbacks had a commanding 35-21 lead with just under 14 minutes remaining but were unable to hold on as the Bulldogs scored 17 unanswered points.
The game was marred by a staggering 18 penalties against Arkansas, resulting in a whopping 193 yards lost, compared to only 4 penalties for Mississippi State, which incurred just 30 yards in penalties. This discrepancy has raised significant concerns among fans and analysts alike.
Razorbacks head coach Bobby Petrino expressed frustration over the officiating, stating, “That’s a hard game to take. I felt like our guys played hard and I felt like they played good football. There were some things outside of football that hurt us that I can’t quite understand.”
Arkansas amassed 433 yards of total offense, with 239 rushing yards, while the Bulldogs managed 388 yards, including 282 passing yards. Despite the strong performance, Arkansas could not convert key plays in the final quarter, leading to their defeat.
The Bulldogs made a significant comeback, starting with a touchdown from running back Davon Booth that narrowed the score to 35-28 with 10:16 left in the game. A critical moment came when Arkansas thought they had stopped a field goal attempt, only to be penalized for running into the kicker, granting Mississippi State a second chance. Kyle Ferrie converted the 46-yard field goal, bringing the score to 35-31.
With less than four minutes remaining, Mississippi State executed a crucial drive that culminated in an 18-yard touchdown pass from Blake Shapen to Anthony Evans III on a fourth-and-4 play, securing the Bulldogs’ victory.
Arkansas briefly tied the game early, with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Taylen Green to Rohan Jones, and held a lead at halftime thanks to field goals from Scott Starzyk. However, inconsistency and penalties plagued their second-half performance.
As the Razorbacks prepare for their bye week, they will regroup before facing LSU in their next matchup. Petrino indicated the team will review the game footage and focus on improving their performance: “We’ll take tomorrow and come in Monday and watch the video. And then have a couple of good, hard work days.”
Mississippi State improves to 5-4 overall and secures their first SEC win this season, while Arkansas drops to 2-7 and continues to search for answers as they approach the critical stretch of the season.
The implications of this loss are significant for Arkansas, as they aim to turn their fortunes around in the coming weeks. Fans and analysts will be closely watching their performance against LSU and subsequent games against Texas and Missouri.
