If Saturday seemed familiar for Arkansas football fans, you’re forgiven.
A year after big plays sent Arkansas to a loss against Texas A&M, the same things happened in 2023. The Aggies provided the Razorbacks with a third straight loss, 34-22, in Saturday’s Southwest Classic in Arlington, Texas.
The Razorbacks trailed by just four points late in the third quarter when Chris Russell intercepted KJ Jefferson and returned the pick for a touchdown to lift Texas A&M to a two possession lead. Jefferson’s pass was tipped up in the air behind the line of scrimmage and Russell nicked it out of the air and took it 16 yards for a touchdown.
Midway through the fourth, the Aggies took complete control when Ainias Smith, after fumbling the punt, picked the ball up and ran 82 yards for a punt-return touchdown to give Texas A&M a 34-16 lead.
Arkansas scored a final touchdown with 3:53 left when KJ Jefferson found Andrew Armstrong for a 48-yard score, but the two-point conversion failed and the onside kick did, as well, as the Aggies simply ran out the clock to hold on.
The Razorbacks will seek to snap their three-game skid in Week 6 when they travel to Oxford, Mississippi, to play Ole Miss.