FAYETTEVILLE -- A Georgia team already better than Arkansas beat Arkansas on Saturday with Arkansas' help that appalled the Razorbacks' coach.
The penalties, turnovers, mistakes and missed opportunities undoing second-year Coach Bret Bielema's Razorbacks in Georgia's 38-6 first half of the 10th-ranked Bulldogs' eventual 45-32 SEC victory in Little Rock also could undo Arkansas against a lesser team. A lesser team, for instance, like the Alabama-Birmingham Blazers Saturday visiting Reynolds Razorback Stadium for homecoming in Fayetteville.
Saturday's 11 a.m. game marks Arkansas' last nonconference game and likely marks the last time the Razorbacks (3-4, 0-4 SEC) will be favored. Arkansas closes with an SEC gauntlet visiting Mississippi State, hosting LSU and Ole Miss and visiting Missouri.
In Sunday's AP poll, Mississippi State ranks No. 1, Ole Miss No. 3, LSU No. 24. Unranked this week, Missouri was ranked No. 23 just two Saturdays ago. Ole Miss, LSU and Missouri handily won SEC games last Saturday while Mississippi State, 6-0, had an open date.
In stature, UAB, 4-3 of Conference USA, ranks with none of those SEC teams. Nevertheless, penalties, turnovers, mistakes and missed PATs can level any playing field.
Maybe the Blazers don't think Arkansas' field is all that uphill. After all the Blazers have visited the SEC's current best, Mississippi State, and came out blazing. They outgained Mississippi State 548-516 in total offense yardage. Mississippi State survived a 47-34 shootout in Starkville.
UAB presents Bielema some concerns though the coach's largest concern seems his team's self-destructive bent.
From 2006-2012 Bielema's Wisconsin teams went 68-24 and won three Big Ten titles while renowned for discipline on the field, including few penalties, and discipline off the field regarding academics and conduct.
Despite Arkansas' 3-9/0-8 SEC mark last year, Bielema made major headway establishing full control of what in 2012 was a rudderless ship.
Last week the ship listed a bit. Korliss Marshall, the sophomore game-breaking kick returner and fastest of the three touted Arkansas running backs, was suspended by Bielema. He announced the news Saturday after Marshall didn't play against Georgia.
"He won't be with us for a period of about three to four weeks," Bielema said.
On the field, penalties contributed significantly to Arkansas losing, 35-28 (in overtime) and 14-13 SEC heartbreakers to Texas A&M and Alabama and gave Arkansas no chance during that 38-6 Georgia first half.
A dead ball, third down unsportsmanlike conduct call on senior defensive back Tevin Mitchel prolonging a second-quarter touchdown drive for a 17-6 Georgia lead when the Bulldogs otherwise would have punted, and a dead ball foul on receiver Demetrius Wilson especially galled the coach, Bielema said.
"Stupid," Bielema said. "I will not coach that. I will not tolerate that."
Bielema applauded the Razorbacks' second-half effort through a lost cause but stands reminders ready regarding why the cause was lost.
Sports on 10/20/2014