Arkansas is halfway through Ryan Silverfield’s first season and the numbers tell a blunt story: the Razorbacks are 2-4, stuck in another long SEC losing streak and still wrestling with the same problems that have dragged them down all year.
The latest setback came Saturday in a 24-17 loss to No. 15 Tennessee, a game that showed a little more life but ended the same way too many of Arkansas’ other games have ended. The Razorbacks have beaten North Alabama and Tulsa, but they were blown out by Utah, Georgia and Texas A&M before running into Tennessee.
There were some signs of progress, especially on the ground. Arkansas entered the game averaging 116.7 rushing yards per game, with that number climbing as Tim Cramsey’s offense starts to come together. The Razorbacks even had a shot to top 150 rushing yards against Tennessee before a holding penalty on right guard Kobe Branham wiped out part of the production.
Arkansas finished with Cam Settles leading the way again. For the second time in three weeks, he was the team’s top rusher, going for 50 yards on eight carries. Settles credited the line afterward.
"I feel like our linemen just executed what they needed to execute," Settles said during his postgame interview. "They were more physical, blocked the lower pad level, and we just wanted to take pride in making them right and making their blocks worth it."
One key change came at center after halftime, when Kash Courtney entered the lineup. He graded out at 68.6 on 19 run-blocking opportunities, which was the best mark by a full point, according to Pro Football Focus.
The defense also gave Arkansas a real chance. Tennessee was held to 167 rushing yards, well below the 200-yard threshold, even though Arkansas has been allowing 217 rushing yards per game against SEC opponents this season. The Hogs also came away with three takeaways - two interceptions and a fumble recovery - and Silverfield said he liked what he saw.
"Obviously, the defense came out and gave us an opportunity to be in this game and fought for four quarters," Silverfield said. "You know, anytime you have the opportunity to go get three takeaways, the two interceptions and the fumble recovery, you put yourself in a great position.
"We've got to limit the explosives. The long run, obviously, when backed up, and the explosive pass, got to be able to continue find ways to eliminate those, but I thought the defense had a good game plan. I thought they flew around to the football with the right type of level of effort and passion that we want to see from the Razorbacks."
Even with that effort, Arkansas still got worn down late. Tennessee’s backs piled up 97 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, enough to escape Fayetteville with the win.
That late-game collapse framed the other big number from the night: Arkansas’ third-down production. The Razorbacks converted just 2 of 11 chances, a season-worst 18.18 percent in conference play. That lack of efficiency helped shape Silverfield’s decision to punt with 1:45 left, down seven and holding three timeouts.
Quarterback KJ Jackson said he understood the call.
"Yeah, I believe in every decision that our coaches make," Jackson said. "Like I said, we had a lot of third downs, a lot of thirds and longs, and we weren't successful, and the defense were playing their tails off all night. So if I was in his position, I think I'd have done the same thing.
"Let our defense go out there and make a play, and hope that they do. They didn't end up doing it, but yeah, like, it's hard. I mean, it's easy to sit back and press the rewind button and make a different decision."
The loss also extended Arkansas’ SEC skid to 14 games, dating back to the Razorbacks’ 56-24 win at Mississippi State on Oct. 26, 2024. It is not the longest conference losing streak in school history, but it is already the third-longest since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992.
The Razorbacks’ longest SEC losing streaks since 1992 are 20 games from 2017-2020, 17 games from 2012-14 and the current 14-game run from 2024-present.
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Arkansas Blew A Winnable Tennessee Game In One Painful Way
Arkansas had enough going for it against Tennessee to make the loss sting all the more. The running game held up, the defense did its part by creating turnovers, and for long stretches the Razorbacks were right there in a game they could have taken control of if the offense had found even a little more consistency at quarterback.
Instead, the late-game choices became the most memorable part of the night. With less than two minutes left and Arkansas still trailing by a touchdown, the decision to punt drew the sharpest criticism because it effectively gave away the teams best chance to push for a comeback. In a matchup that was there to be won, the Razorbacks left with the kind of defeat that lingers because one conservative call can overshadow everything else. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Fans Are Fuming Over Ryan Silverfields Late-Game Surrender
Ryan Silverfields late-game decision in Knoxville added another layer to a frustrating night for Arkansas, as the Razorbacks left Tennessee with a 24-17 loss and a shrinking margin for error in SEC play. With 1:45 left in the fourth quarter and Arkansas still within a touchdown, Silverfield opted to punt rather than keep the offense on the field and chase a tying drive.
The choice landed hard with fans because it came in the middle of an SEC skid that now stands at 14 games, and because it effectively conceded the chance to force Tennessee to defend one more snap. Silverfield pointed to the odds on fourth-and-10 and the challenge of scoring quickly enough to pair it with an onside kick, but for a fan base already worn down by conference losses, the call felt like the kind of moment that lingers well beyond one game. [Read more 🡒]
Arkansas Let Another SEC Game Slip Away When It Mattered Most
Arkansas had a chance to take control of another SEC game and instead watched Tennessee settle in behind a first-time starter at quarterback. George MacIntyre made his first career start and handled the moment well enough for the Volunteers, throwing for 247 yards and a touchdown as Tennessee rallied past Arkansas 24-17. DeSean Bishop gave the Volunteers the balance they needed on the ground, finishing with 138 rushing yards and a touchdown.
The turn in the game came late, when Bishop broke loose for a 59-yard run that helped Tennessee seize the edge at the right time. For Arkansas, it was another frustrating finish in a conference game that slipped away after it mattered most, while Josh Heupel was left to sort through what MacIntyre's performance means with usual starter Faizon Brandon dealing with an injury and his status still unclear. [Read more 🡒]