FAYETTEVILLE — OK, we were a little rambunctious a year ago, predicting an 8-5 record, including a bowl victory, for Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino's first edition of the Razorbacks.
Truth is, we missed half the picks and there was no bowl. We were wrong when we picked the Razorbacks to beat Alabama (no comment), Kentucky (ouch, should've been right), Ole Miss (London Crawford didn't push that hard) and Mississippi State (somebody stop Anthony Dixon). We also missed by guessing the Hogs would lose to Auburn (Arkansas really dominated) and LSU (thanks, Rahim Alem).
We're thinking we have a lot better grasp on the Razorbacks' prospects this time, kind of like the Hogs having a firmer grip on Petrino's schemes.
Time for some redemption, and remember, read the following with the knowledge that it was written with tongue firmly planted in cheek: SEPT. 5 Arkansas 37 Missouri State 17
Remember the season-opening scare Western Illinois gave the Razorbacks last year? Not going to happen this time.
Ryan Mallett throws two touchdown passes (one to Little Rock's Joe Adams), Tyler Wilson chunks one (to Little Rock's D.J. Williams), and Michael Smith rushes for 129 yards and a score as the Razorbacks roll at War Memorial Stadium.
The Razorbacks' defense holds the Bears to 213 yards and lights the scoreboard on Ramon Broadway's interception return.
SEPT. 19 Georgia 28, Arkansas 26
FAYETTEVILLE - Blitzing RennieCurran drags down Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett on the final play of the game to snuff out a two-point conversion attempt and crush the Razorbacks' hearts in the SEC opener.
Native Georgians Malcolm Sheppard (sack, fumble recovery) and Elton Ford (10 tackles, interception) make their presence known for the Hogs defense, aided by fellow Georgians Alfred Davis (2 tackles for loss) and Patrick Jones (1 TFL).
Offensively, London Crawford and Greg Childs catch touchdown passes from Mallett, and Broderick Green bulls in for a 1-yard score to set up the ill-fated two-point conversion try. Following a Rudell Crim interception return, Mallett bootlegs for a 6-yard touchdown scramble midway through the fourth quarter to keep the Hogs close.
SEPT. 26Alabama 27, Arkansas 20
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - London Crawford repeats his no-contact, open-field fumble of 2007 in his home state, but this time it pays off for the Razorbacks in a spectacular fashion. Crawford's loose ball glances off the shoulder pad of the Tide's Javier Arenas and into the clutches of Jarius Wright for a 73-yard score.
Still, it's not enough to stop Alabama, which gets two touchdown passes from Greg McElroy.
Michael Smith rushes for 85 yards and a touchdown to lead the Razorbacks, who also score on two Alex Tejada field goals.
Alabama Coach Nick Saban, ticked off after a lackluster victory over North Texas the previous week, makes players and assistants off limits for Arkansas week, riling up the media and fans.
OCT. 3 Arkansas 31, Texas A&M 21
ARLINGTON, Texas - Arkansas pulls away from its old Southwest Conference rival in the fourth quarter, sparked by Ronnie Wingo's 55-yard swing pass touchdown and Cobi Hamilton's 40-yard post pattern score from Ryan Mallett.
Mallett hammers the Aggies with 384 passing yards, Michael Smith carves out 101 rushing yards and a touchdown and Lucas Miller catches a scoring pass with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looking on in his new stadium.
"That big ol' Mallett kid chunked that dad-burned ball with that big cannon he's got, and that Smith looked oily out there, slipping all through us and them confangled youngsters, we couldn't rope 'em," said A&M defensive coordinator Joe Kines, the former Razorbacks coach. "They tanned our hides and made us look like a buncha greenhorns out there trying to stop 'em, bless our hearts." OCT. 10 Arkansas 24, Auburn 19
FAYETTEVILLE - The Razorbacksscore a long-awaited home victory over the Tigers, capitalizing on four Auburn turnovers, including Jerry Franklin's touchdown return on a fumble caused by Alabama native Damario Ambrose.
Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, who had to second-guess his play-calling inside the Arkansas 10-yard line late in Tulsa's 30-23 loss to the Hogs in 2008, gives Kodi Burns a try at sparking the lethargic Auburn offense and the Fort Smith native scores on a 2-yard run.
It's not enough as D.J. Williams and Reggie Fish both catch touchdown passes and Tramain Thomas accounts for two takeaways for the Razorbacks. OCT. 17Florida 42, Arkansas 20
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - After an upset loss at LSU the previous week, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow vows that no one will work harder nor push his team more relentlessly than he will to defeat all SEC West foes.
Tebow throws 2 touchdown passes, runs for 1 score and puts up 372 total yards to overcome the Razorbacks.
Michael Smith, who gashed the Gators for 133 rushing yards last year, the most gained by any back against Florida, piles up 118 this time.
Arkansas puts a scare into the crowd at the Swamp by taking a 14-10 secondquarter lead on Carlton Salters' 8-yard touchdown catch from Tyler Wilson, but Tebow's second-half rampage slams the Hogs' upset bid.
OCT. 24 Arkansas 24, Ole Miss 21
OXFORD, Miss. - Ryan Mallett throws touchdown passes to D.J. Williams, Joe Adams and Jarius Wright as the Razorbacks score a comeback victory over the Rebels, knocking Houston Nutt's team into second place in the SEC West.
Damario Ambrose sacks Jevan Snead on fourth down from the Arkansas 35 with seconds left to preserve the victory. Arkansas' winning score, Wright's 12-yard curl, follows London Crawford's 33-yard catch in high traffic - with the closest defender falling mysteriously - on a fourth-and-15 with 1:02 remaining.
Alex Tejada closes the first half by booting a 50-yard field goal after Wendel Davis pounces on a fumble forced by Zach Stadther with the Rebels trying to burn clock on a 14-7 lead.
OCT. 31 Arkansas 45, Eastern Michigan 13
FAYETTEVILLE - Everybody plays on homecoming night and Halloween as the Razorbacks rock.
Ryan Mallett and Tyler Wilson throw two touchdown passes apiece, and Dennis Johnson and Brandon Barnett score on the ground for the Razorbacks, who pile up 413 rushing yards.
Ronnie Wingo, with a career-best 113 yards, leads a group of five backs withat least 70 rushing yards. Ben Cleveland, Greg Childs, Cobi Hamilton and Michael Smith catch touchdown passes, and Wilson throws for a career-best 177 yards.
NOV. 7 Arkansas 36, South Carolina 33, 2OT
FAYETTEVILLE - One week after Halloween, it's bizzaro night at Reynolds Razorbacks Stadium.
Arkansas parlays three defensive and special teams scores, a 179-yard rushing performance by Michael Smith, and some weird coaching activity by South Carolina in a victory as the Hogs clinch postseason eligibility.
Smith runs in from 5 yards out on the final play of the game after the Gamecocks have to settle for a field goal in the second overtime. Dennis Johnson scores on a 95-yard kickoff return and Freddy Burton brings a fumble back 62 yards for key Arkansas touchdowns.
The Gamecocks commit a critical mistake in the second overtime when a miscommunication on third-and-2 from the Arkansas 14 leads to an incomplete pass and a field goal.
"I take full responsibility for that blown call," South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier says. "It was suggested by my director of football operations, but it was my call." NOV. 14 Arkansas 31, Troy 24
FAYETTEVILLE - Troy Coach Larry Blakeney predicted a victory over the Razorbacks during the summer, and his Trojans nearly deliver it.
Arkansas rallies from 10 points down in the final quarter on Ryan Mallett touchdown passes to Greg Childs and D.J. Williams. Mallett throws for 383 yards.
Broderick Green scores twice from short range and Alex Tejada kicks a 41-yard field goal to round out the Razorbacks' scoring.
The Arkansas defense forces three second-half turnovers, interceptions by Greg Gatson and Anthony Leon and Jerry Franklin's fumble recovery, to spark a comeback from a 24-14 deficit.
NOV. 21 Arkansas 35, Mississippi State 20
The Razorbacks thrill the fans at War Memorial Stadium with long-distance touchdowns for all five scores, including four touchdown passes by Ryan Mallett.
Local products D.J. Williams and Joe Adams break open for touchdown catches from 37 and 60 yards in the first quarter.
Mississippi State keeps it close with Anthony Dixon rushing for 133 yards and two scores, but the Razorbacks have too much firepower.
First-year Mississippi State Coach Dan Mullen said he's "excited and enthusiastic" about his 2-9 Bulldogs nine times in a seven-minute postgame news conference.
NOV. 28 LSU 35, Arkansas 31
BATON ROUGE, La. - The Battle for the Boot enjoys another sparkling finish, making CBS wish it hadn't jettisoned this series after Alabama spanked Auburn by 24 points the night before.
Brandon LaFell provides the winning score, a 9-yard reception from Jordan Jefferson on fourth-and-goal with 40 seconds remaining. LSU's winning drive comes after Ryan Mallett engineers a 70-yard drive, with the Hogs taking a 31-28 lead on Dennis Johnson's 13-yard touchdown run with 2:12 left.
Reggie Fish and Lucas Miller catch scoring passes and Ramon Broadway runs a fumble back 45 yards for a touchdown to lead the big-play Hogs.
LIBERTY BOWL JAN. 2, 2009 Arkansas 41, Southern Miss 36
MEMPHIS - The Razorbacks roll at the Liberty Bowl behind Ryan Mallett's 330 passing yards and 3 touchdown passes and Jerell Norton's 80-yard punt return for a touchdown.
The event sparks a family reunion for Arkansas defensive tackle D.D. Jones, whose brother Dick is a defensive end for the Golden Eagles.
"Seems like old times," said Arkansas Coach Bobby Petrino, whose Louisville team won a shootout against Boise State in the 2003 Liberty Bowl.
Sports, Pages 16, 17, 20 on 08/30/2009