LITTLE ROCK — Late in the second quarter most of the 54,836 fans in War Memorial did the wave.
It went around once, twice and then a feeble third time before it died.
Yes, the wave is an antiquated way for fans to be involved, but it was about the most exciting thing that happened in the opening half of the Tennessee-Chattanooga vs. Arkansas football game.
The most celebrated and unique cheer in the country - the hog call - is seldom used anymore even when it is needed.
Countless times over the years, especially in Little Rock, a hog call would reverberate through War Memorial Stadium and the Razorbacks would feed off the fans' energy.
Saturday night when the floundering Razorbacks needed something to inspire them to perspire, they had to settle for a wave.
At the time of the wave the Hogs led only 14-9 and while most of the fans had come to see Darren McFadden break the alltime rushing record even that was seeming doubtful as the Mocs went after him hard on every down.
Actually, the most precision witnessed Saturday night mighthave been the Razorbacks band during its halftime show.
The Razorbacks quickly and readily played down to their competition.
Tennessee-Chattanooga, which plays in Division I-AA, same as Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Central Arkansas, played hard.
The parents of the Mocs had plenty of reasons to be proud, but the truth was, the Razorbacks were lethargic.
They seemed about as excited about playing Chattanooga as playing themselves in a red-white scrimmage.
At halftime, a number of the fans disappeared, opting perhaps to hear about the inevitable victory on the radio.
After all, Chuck Barrett is doing better than anyone couldhave expected and he's getting better each week.
Midway through the third quarter, with the score at 17-9, it was turning into a nightmare for McFadden.
The debate all week had been about whether he would get the 154 yards he needed to be the all-time leading rusher in his hometown.
A hometown he is so proud of he had the area code, 501, tattooed on his biceps.
After 21 carries he had 81 yards, but he did get hit with a 15-yard loss on a missed snap in the WildHog offense.
Then a second chorus of boos broke out for the Arkansas coaching staff on the Hogs' second possession of the third quarter when they went for it on fourthand-1 from the Chattanooga 45.
Usually that's something the fans love, but not when it is one more run up the middle, which resulted in a loss of a yard.
No doubt the Razorbacks were looking ahead to next week's SEC challenge against Auburn, which blasted Vanderbilt 35-7 Saturday.
The coaches can deny it until they are as red in the face as they should have been over not having the Hogs more ready, but it was obvious the Razorbacks were about as concerned with the Mocs as they are a midday study hall.
Then in a matter of seconds the fans were on their feet as Felix Jones cleared the left corner - that would be a run outside - and went 59 yards untouched for the score and a 24-9 lead with 3:54 to play in the third quarter.
Chattanooga made it interesting on a 65-yard run for a score, but then McFadden started eating up yards, and went over the 100-yard mark for a school-record 17th time, but left the field early (bruised ribs) with head trainer Dean Weber in tow.
On that drive Jones scored on a 1-yard run for a 31-15 lead, and it was time to break out the bows. Saturday night's outcome was all wrapped up.
This game did not help McFadden's Heisman hopes, but it didn't hurt them too badly either.
In fact, if he breaks the school rushing record next week against Auburn, it will be on ESPN and most of the Heisman voters will be able to see it, and no doubt that will help them remember him when the time is right.
Sports, Pages 27 on 10/07/2007