The wheels have not come off the University of Arkansas Razorbacks football program.
What happened Saturday in Starkville, Miss., was not the beginning of the end.
It was several things -- including injuries that started with quarterback KJ Jefferson, and it is hard to lead a team from the sidelines, although he tried.
Almost everyone comes out of a game with Alabama hurting physically.
Arkansas made some mistakes, but Mississippi State had an almost perfect game plan.
The pass-crazy Bulldogs, running an offense called Air Raid, came out running and and that caught the Razorbacks a little flat-footed.
It opened up the passing game, and by the time the game ended 40-17 in favor of the home team, the Bulldogs had rushed for 173 yards and three touchdowns. That's 51 yards more than their previous average.
Before playing Arkansas, they had five rushing touchdowns in five games.
It was a great game plan by Mike Leach, who expected less.
Will Rogers used shovel passes, screens off misdirection and threw well enough downfield to pass for 395 yards and three touchdowns.
The Bulldogs exploited every weakness and there were plenty of those, especially with Arkansas' defense that had three key players out with injuries and everyone else bruised and banged up.
The Hogs desperately need to play Off Weekend this Saturday instead of Brigham Young, which is 4-2 on the season, but that isn't going to happen.
Part of the frustration is because after beating a good Cincinnati team, a South Carolina team that beat Kentucky last Saturday and a solid Missouri State, the Razorbacks were 3-0 and ranked No. 10 in the nation.
Hopes and expectations jumped for a team that was overrated.
Just like last season, when the Hogs started 4-0 with wins over Texas and Texas A&M and were ranked No. 8 in the nation.
They then went to Georgia, which proved they were overrated by blanking them 37-0.
That was followed by a winnable game at Ole Miss, where a 52-51 loss that dropped them out of the poll. They then fell at home to Auburn 38-23.
Then something positive happened.
They played UAPB, an FCS team, and after leading 45-0 at the half, both teams agreed to 12-minute quarters in the second half when Sam Pittman rested his starters.
Then they got a bye week and everyone started getting healthy again.
Arkansas won five of its final six games with the only loss coming at No. 2-ranked Alabama 42-35.
That may not happen again. No one can predict the future, and while they may not get a New Year's Day bowl, this team is going to be in a bowl game.
They face another good quarterback this Saturday in Jaren Hall, who has completed 129 of 188 pass attempts for 1,558 yards, 14 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions.
However, last Saturday when the Cougars lost to Notre Dame, they ran only 46 plays and were on offense just 19:05 to the Irish's 40:55.
If the game was at a neutral site or in Fayetteville -- or if Jefferson was sure to play -- the Hogs might be favored instead of being 21/2-point underdogs.
The Cougars will be out to make a statement against an SEC opponent. It will be a hostile environment, and the 4,551-foot elevation could be an issue.
Whatever happens, the Razorbacks will come home to get healthy before facing five teams who have quarterbacks that aren't being mentioned for the Heisman or even all-conference.
Last Saturday, they limped into Wade Davis Stadium and limped out after Mississippi State played an almost flawless game.