UPDATE: In a nail-biting finish, Arkansas suffered a heartbreaking 38-35 loss to Mississippi State, marred by controversial officiating, just 15 minutes ago at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. The game saw Arkansas leading by 35-21 with 13:43 left on the clock before the Bulldogs rallied to score 17 unanswered points.
With a crowd of 68,358 fans in attendance, Arkansas was penalized 18 times for 193 yards, while Mississippi State faced only 4 penalties for 30 yards. Head Coach Bobby Petrino expressed his frustration, 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.”
The Razorbacks began strong, taking a commanding lead before the tide turned in the fourth quarter. After Davon Booth scored a 3-yard touchdown to narrow the gap to 35-28, Arkansas struggled to maintain momentum. A missed field goal by Mississippi State was negated by a controversial running-into-the-kicker penalty, allowing Kyle Ferrie to convert a 46-yard field goal and bring the score to 35-31 with 5:07 left in the game.
Mississippi State’s decisive moment came when quarterback Blake Shapen connected with Anthony Evans III on an 18-yard touchdown pass on a critical fourth down, sealing the victory for the Bulldogs.
Despite the loss, Arkansas showcased impressive offensive statistics with 433 total yards and 239 rushing yards. Standout defensive player Quincy Rhodes Jr. recorded 6 tackles, including 1 sack and 4.5 tackles for loss, earning praise from Petrino for his performance.
This defeat marks a significant setback for Arkansas, now holding a record of 2-7 and 0-5 in the SEC. The Razorbacks will have a bye week before facing LSU, as Petrino noted, “We’ll take tomorrow and come in Monday and watch the video.” The team will aim to regroup and refocus before their challenging schedule ahead, which includes games against Texas and Missouri.
As Mississippi State improves to 5-4 and secures their first SEC win, the Razorbacks must now confront the pressing need for victory in their upcoming matchups. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see how Arkansas responds after this difficult loss.
