Tag: Arkansas Liberty

Media has no respect for Arkansas as Hogs get zero AP Poll votes

Georgia was a near unanmious No. 1 pick in the AP Poll after Week 10.

After being shutout of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll earlier Sunday, the Arkansas football team suffered another blow via the media that afternoon.

The Razorbacks received zero votes in the AP Poll on Sunday after suffering a 21-19 defeat at the hands of now-No. 19 Liberty. The Flames used a goal-line stand with 1:11 left to hold on to the win and subsequently jumped four spots in the poll.

Arkansas was only barely receiving votes entering the game. Now the Razorbacks face new No. 7 LSU after the Tigers knocked off No. 10 Alabama. LSU jumped eight spots while Alabama fell four.

Ole Miss visits Fayetteville in Week 12. The Rebels were off Saturday and held tight at No. 11.

Georgia picked up 62 of the 63 possible first-place votes after beating Tennessee. The Volunteers fell to No. 5.

No other SEC teams were ranked, though Kentucky was a de facto No. 27, while Mississippi State picked up eight points worth of votes and South Carolina had six.

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Arkansas Football: Report card for upset loss to Liberty

It was a nearly failing grade for the Arkansas football team against Liberty on Saturday.

In the pregame social media article, I expressed how much I thought this game was trap for the Razorbacks.

And it was. 

Coming off a two-game winning streak and going against an opponent that also had some motivation, whether it be to prove their coach, Hugh Freeze, can still coach in the SEC or just prove they are a good team in college football right now. 

No matter the motivation, Liberty exposed the Hogs on their way to 21-19 victory. 

This was the worst loss of the Sam Pittman era at Arkansas and it could stir up some questions about his job security. Let’s give out some grades and hope there are no Fs.

No one bothers to give Arkansas Top 25 votes in USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Arkansas picked up zero votes for the USA TODAY Coaches Poll Top 25 after losing to Liberty.

The last 24 hours of Arkansas football have been less than stellar. Now they’re losing coaches’ respect, too.

The Razorbacks lost to Liberty on Saturday, 21-19, after the Flames made a goal-line stand with 1:11 left. Hours later, defensive backs Myles Slusher and Anthony Brown were arrested for disorderly conduct. Then, Sunday midday, the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll was released. Arkansas was no longer sniffing it.

Sam Pittman’s team had picked up votes last week, but received none on Sunday. Eight other SEC teams did, however, including LSU. The No. 8 Tigers beat No. 11 Alabama on Saturday. LSU climbed nine spots. Alabama dropped five.

The Razorbacks play Ole Miss, ranked No. 9, in the penultimate game of the season. A final game with Missouri follows the day after Thanksgiving.

Arkansas needs one win in its final three to clinch bowl eligibility.

You can see the complete Top 25 below.

Arkansas football players Myles Slusher, Anthony Brown arrested

Two Arkansas defensive backs arrested overnight after the Razorbacks’ loss to Liberty.

Arkansas defensive backs Myles Slusher and Anthony Brown were arrested overnight, booked early Sunday morning by the Fayetteville Police Department.

Slusher, a 20-year-old junior, was booked at 3:03 a.m. on charges of disorderly conduct. Brown, a 19-year-old freshman, was booked at 2:53 a.m. on the same charges. Both were released around 9 a.m. Sunday morning.

According to court records, their court date is December 1.

Arkansas lost, 21-19, to No. 23 Liberty on Saturday night, dropping the team to 5-4. The Flames jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter behind three touchdown passes.

Slusher has started seven of the team’s 11 games this season and is primarily a nickelback. Brown was a three-star recruit out of Tennessee and has not played.

Coach Sam Pittman is likely to address the matter Monday during his weekly press conference. Arkansas hosts LSU, which beat Alabama last night, on Saturday.

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Twitter reacts to Arkansas’ worst loss in Sam Pittman era

Fans want serious changes with the Arkansas football program. Do you?

Sam Pittman knew it was the worst loss Arkansas’ suffered in his three years. He owned it.

The Razorbacks fell Saturday, 21-19, to No. 23 Liberty in a game that should have been a win.

It almost was. KJ Jefferson led two fourth-quarter touchdown drives, but was stopped on the goal line on a two-point conversion that would have tied the game with 1:11 left.

The old chestnut about it being a game of inches? Apply that to Arkansas fans’ thoughts, too.

The loudest in the social media space are adamant changes be made the Razorbacks program. While we (strongly) disagree, at least when it comes to Pittman, the groans are growing louder. And with LSU and Ole Miss coming next, the dull roar might turn loud quickly.

These are the best safe-for-work tweets from Arkansas faithful following the loss to the Flames.

Arkansas’ bowl chances take serious hit in embarrassing loss to Liberty

Will Arkansas even make a bowl game at this point after Saturday’s loss to Liberty?

Trouble has officially arrived in Fayetteville.

Arkansas needed just one win to clinch bowl eligibility in coach Sam Pittman’s third year. The Razorbacks were two-touchdown favorites over Liberty on Saturday, so it stood to reason the Hogs would do it then, in Week 10.

Not even close. Until it was.

Liberty held Arkansas to 144 yards rushing and didn’t allow the Hogs to score a touchdown until the fourth quarter. Arkansas tried, getting two, including one with 1:11 left to pull the game within two points. But KJ Jefferson was stopped on the goal line to create the final score, 21-19.

Arkansas has No. 17 LSU, No. 10 Ole Miss and a game against Battle Line rival Missouri to finish the season. A bowl is far from guaranteed.

The Flames, coached by former Ole Miss head man Hugh Freeze, hassled Arkansas all game. Arkansas’ offensive line couldn’t pave the way for the run game and quarterback KJ Jefferson went 23 for 37 passing with two interceptions. He was also sacked four times.

Arkansas’ defense mostly held up their end. They gave up 21 points and held Liberty to just 79 second-half yards. Johnathan Bennett made timely throws, however, tossing three touchdowns passes all of which came in the first half.

The Razorbacks host Ole Miss in Week 11.

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Photo Gallery: Best photos from Liberty’s sacking of Arkansas

Arkansas made a game of it, but it was too late to overcome a terrible first half against Liberty.

Saturday wasn’t a game to remember in the minds of Arkansas’ fans.

The Razorbacks lost to No. 23 Liberty, 21-19, in a game in which they were a near two-touchdown favorite. Bowl eligibility and an assured .500 season remains one win away.

Arkansas made a game of it late, Trey Knox’s five-yard touchdown grab and Rocket Sanders’ two-point conversion making the game 21-13 with 7:42 left. Knox caught another touchdown with 1:11 left to pull Arkansas within two.

But KJ Jefferson’s two-point conversion was stuffed at the goal line and the Flames ran out the clock.

The Razorbacks dominated the second half, but it was too late. Liberty scored all three of its touchdowns in the first half and won despite fewer than 80 yards of offense in the final half-hour of the game.

Liberty held Arkansas to just 144 yards rushing, 100 fewer than its season average.

The Hogs host No. 10 in Week 11.

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The best (worst?) tweets from Arkansas’ miserable first half against Liberty

Arkansas had an atrocious first half against Liberty and trailed by 18 points at the break.

Arkansas hadn’t looked this bad under Sam Pittman since, well, since he took over ahead of the 2020 season.

The Razorbacks trailed Liberty, 21-3, at halftime of the teams’ Week 10 game. Arkansas didn’t gain more than 48 yards on a single one of its nine drives in the opening half-hour.

Quarterback KJ Jefferson was just 6 of 13 for 75 yards with an interception. The pick came late in the second quarter as Arkansas was on the Liberty 26. Jefferson threw a deep ball to the end zone toward tight end Trey Knox, but the ball bounced off him and into the arms of a Liberty defender for a touchback.

The Flames then marched 80 yards on 10 plays and took a three-touchdown lead into the break before Cam Little’s 50-yard field goal put Arkansas on the board.

Arkansas was a two-touchdown favorite entering the game.

One of the nation’s best running offenses was destroyed early

Arkansas’ vaunted rushing game finished with three yards in the first quarter.

Arkansas entered Saturday’s homecoming game against Liberty with the sixth-best rushing attack in FBS. But until the last play of the first quarter, the Razorbacks had negative-16 yards rushing.

An AJ Green burst as time expired in the frame brought the total to three. Three total rushing yards against an Independent team with bowl-eligibility on the line.

Arkansas looked out of sorts across the board offensively in the opening 15 minutes. Those three yards came on nine carries. KJ Jefferson was 4 of 7 passing for 57 yards, but 36 of those came on one play. The Hogs had two first downs, were 0 for 3 on third down and punted on each of their first four drives.

The Razorbacks defense was better, but Liberty scored first, capping a five-play, 59-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown reception by Noah Frith with 17 seconds left in the quarter.

All three Razorbacks Wire staffers picked the Hogs to win the game.

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Razorbacks Wire score predictions for Arkansas vs Liberty

Are the Razorbacks Wire staffers all picking the Hogs over Liberty in Week 10?

Hours from kickoff inside Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium for the first time in about a month, and Arkansas fans are lining up by the thousands already for homecoming.

The Hogs face Liberty at 3 p.m. on Saturday, seeking to become bowl eligible. The Flames are ranked No. 23 in the country.

An Arkansas win would ensure a second straight season at .500 or better. The last time the Razorbacks had two such seasons consecutively was 2015-16 when Bret Bielema was coach. The team could still reach last year’s eight-win regular-season threshold, too, even with a loss, although the remaining three games after Liberty are of the SEC variety and Arkansas isn’t expected to be favored in two of them.

But on Saturday, the Razorbacks are team Las Vegas says should win. How about locally?

Here are five predictions – three score predictions – from Razorbacks Wire staffers Kendall Hilton, Connor Goodson and E. Wayne.

Enjoy the game.