COLUMBIA, Mo. — Ever since it replaced the Razorbacks’ annual Black Friday game against LSU, fans have looked down upon the Arkansas vs Missouri “rivalry” game.

(Scroll to the updates below for the latest on injured defensive end Landon Jackson.)

Even though it got a shiny trophy and fancy name with a sponsor – Battle Line Rivalry (presented by Shelter Insurance) – many felt like it was manufactured and refused to accept it as a true rivalry.

When he was hired as the new Missouri football coach following the 2019 season, Eli Drinkwitz made it his goal to spice things up. That has meant making several inflammatory comments about the Razorbacks the last several years.

Consider this comment from 2021:

“I kind of like the rivalry we’ve got with Arkansas,” Drinkwitz said. “I don’t remember the last time they beat us, so I kind of like that one. The Battle Line Rivalry, it’s pretty good for us. I think we’ll just keep that one right now. That’s a good one.”

Or last December, when in the immediate aftermath of Pine Bluff blue-chip recruit Courtney Crutchfield’s announcement of his signing with Mizzou over Arkansas, Drinkwitz posted one of the most annoying passive-aggressive GIF-digs at an opposing recruiter in major college football history.

The crowing was especially painful to Arkansas football fans given Drinkwitz has built a pipeline to Arkansas, grabbing talent like Crutchfield and fellow Pine Bluff natives Austin Dendy and Jordan Harris, but also assistants like Al Davis (also a Pine Bluff area native), Brian Early and Rick Jones, the former Greenwood High head coach who collected state titles like Pez candy.

This year’s dig was more subtle than usual, as the Alma native seemingly purposefully mispronounced the name of Arkansas’ starting quarterback, Taylen Green:

While that kind of stuff fires up fans, Arkansas football coach Sam Pittman – who was hired the same offseason as Drinkwitz – is unbothered. He told reporters earlier this week that Drinkwitz warned him it was his goal to really ramp up the rivalry.

“He’s stirred up a lot of stuff, not just with Arkansas,” Pittman said. “So I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a hell of a coach.”

No kidding. On Saturday afternoon, Drinkwitz’s Missouri football squad yet again beat Arkansas, this time after the Hogs shot themselves in the foot with a baffling number of penalties, along with two ill-timed fumbles and series of suspect time-out calls (and one non-call) down the stretch of a 28-21 loss in Columbia.

After the game, Drinkwitz tried to downplay his pronunciation. “He’s a great player, great quarterback, and by no means was I being disrespectful to him,” he said. In another part, Drinkwitz added: “There’s a better part of 2 hours of sports radio getting after me because I mispronounced the quarterback’s name. Like I told Taylen Green, that was me being genuine.”

Whatever Drinkwitz’s true nature, it doesn’t apparently sit well with one longtime Arkansas reporter. Otis Kirk, who now covers the Razorbacks for Hogville on Pig Trail Nation, took to Facebook to voice his opinion of Drinkwitz not long after Pittman’s amiable statement on Monday:

Those are some strong words and, somewhat ironically, should have only added to what could have been a growing Arkansas vs Missouri rivalry. With yet another Hogs loss, though, it feels like like that ship of possibility is sailing.

Hey Mizzou. You own us. We act like it’s not a rivalry, because it’s not. You whoop us right on schedule practically every year. No rivalry there. Please keep trolling us every year , we’ll get outraged and rinse and repeat.

Signed,

State Of Arkansas — Bobby Bones (@mrBobbyBones) December 1, 2024

Follow along below for scoring updates, highlights and stats from this year’s edition of the Battle Line Rivalry…

Pregame Tidbits

Upon arriving at Faurot Field, several Arkansas players walked around on the playing surface without shirts in the snowy conditions. Included among them were quarterbacks Taylen Green and Malachi Singleton. Missouri players were doing the same, with some even making snow angels.

Sam Pittman will be coaching today’s game from the booth. He’s been dealing with a bum hip all season and is set to have surgery on it next week.

2:23, 1Q — Missouri 7, Arkansas 0

The Tigers got great field position thanks to a Taylen Green fumble and then were aided by numerous Arkansas penalties after facing a third-and-10. The result was a 2-yard touchdown run by Marcus Carroll.

END of 1Q — Missouri 7, Arkansas 0

9:42, 2Q — Missouri 7, Arkansas 7

Despite a false start and two holding penalties, Arkansas managed to finish a 15-play, 80-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run by Ja’Quinden Jackson. It took 7:41 off the clock.

The snow doesn’t bother JJ pic.twitter.com/r1dN07RKZ6 — Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) November 30, 2024

Landon Jackson Injury

1:07, 2Q — Missouri 7, Arkansas 7

Scary moment at Faurot Field, as Arkansas star defensive end Landon Jackson went down after a run play by Missouri and didn’t move much. He was eventually wheeled off on a stretcher after a 12-minute delay and gave a thumbs up to his teammates.

It seems insignificant compared to his health, but the injury is a significant blow to Arkansas’ defense that was already without Nico Davillier (knee). Luckily, Anton Juncaj is back this week, but he may not be fully in game shape after missing the last three games. Arkansas has been primarily in a three-man front, so that reduces the need for defensive ends, but it likely means Quincy Rhodes Jr. will be asked to take on a larger role in the second half. It could also mean playing time for freshmen Charlie Collins and Kavion Henderson.

Arkansas AD Hunter Yurachek said Landon Jackson has movement in extremities, he was talking and the hospital visit was precautionary due to pain in the neck, per SEC Network’s Alyssa Lang. #WPS — Mason Choate (@ChoateMason) November 30, 2024

HALF – Missouri 7, Arkansas 7

The Hogs actually out-gained the Tigers 168-107 in the first half.

11:41, 3Q — Arkansas 14, Missouri 7

The Hogs forced a three-and-out to start the second half and promptly drove 50 yards on just six plays. Ja’Quinden Jackson scored his second touchdown of the game on a 12-yard run.

Silence the crowd 🤫 pic.twitter.com/uw2YCRAYJT — Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) November 30, 2024

3:06, 3Q — Arkansas 14, Missouri 10

Missouri answered with a very long drive of its own, but a false start on fourth-and-1 at the 6 forced the Tigers to settle for a field goal. Blake Craig’s kick was good from 28 yards. It was a 16-play drive that covered just 57 yards and ate up 8:06 off the clock.

END of 3Q — Arkansas 14, Missouri 10

13:45, 4Q — Missouri 17, Arkansas 14

The Tigers were in a second-and-20 thanks to a holding penalty, but managed to convert over the next two plays. They eventually scored on a 1-yard run by Marcus Carroll. Missouri has had the ball for a combined 12 minutes and 16 seconds, with a one-play, 6-second possession by Arkansas mixed in. That one play was a fumble by Ja’Quinden Jackson.

9:39, 4Q — Missouri 20, Arkansas 14

A nice punt by Devin Bale pinned Missouri at the 10, but it dialed up a pass on its first play and turned it into 70 yards. Hudson Clark missed a tackle that would have limited it to about 6 yards, but Theo Wease broke free for the big gain. The defense held strong after that, though, and limited the Tigers to a 34-yard field goal.

4:19, 4Q — Arkansas 21, Missouri 20

A tremendous catch by Andrew Armstrong on fourth down kept the drive alive and Ja’Quinden Jackson finished it with a 9-yard touchdown run.

1:53, 4Q — Missouri 28, Arkansas 21

The Tigers went right down the field, covering 75 yards in eight plays. The last one was a 30-yard keeper up the middle by Brady Cook, who went untouched. They dialed up some trickery on the two-point conversion and got it, with Cook finding Burden wide open.

FINAL — Missouri 28, Arkansas 21

More from Arkansas vs Missouri:

SEC Availability Report

Here’s what the SEC’s official availability report for Arkansas vs Missouri looked like Friday night. We’ll update the below list when the final report comes out about 1.5 hours before kickoff.

Arkansas

DE Nico Davillier: out

CB Jaylon Braxton: out

LB Anthony Switzer: out

K Kyle Ramsey: out

RB Braylen Russell: questionable / game-time decision on final report

DE Anton Juncaj: questionable / left off final report (so good to go)

Missouri

WR Mookie Cooper: out

DE Darris Smith: out

QB Sam Horn: out

CB Shamar McNeil: out

LB Khalil Jacobs: out

DE Joe Moore: out

LS Brett Le Blanc: out

OL Connor Tollison: out

OL Logan Reichert: out

How to Watch Arkansas vs Missouri

Date: Saturday, Nov. 30

Location: Faurot Field (Columbia, Mo.)

Kickoff time (TV): 2:30 p.m. CT (SEC Network)

Commentators: Taylor Zarzour (play-by-play), Matt Stinchcomb (analyst), Alyssa Lang (sideline reporter)

ESPN FPI: Missouri has a 67.8% chance to win.

Odds/Betting Line: Missouri, -3 | O/U 53.5 (BetSaracen)

Some video of the snowy conditions in Columbia:

Count It All Joy pic.twitter.com/JyFkBcJuZh — Matt Zimmerman (@CoachZ_ARKANSAS) November 30, 2024

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More coverage of Arkansas football and Arkansas vs Missouri from BoAS…

Editor’s note: This article is part of the Bracket Central series, an inside look at the run-up to the men’s & women’s NCAA Tournaments, along with analysis and picks during the tournaments.

Welcome, Bubble Watch fans, to the equivalent of staying up all night and cramming for a final exam! Teams with NCAA Tournament hopes have one last chance to leave a lasting impression — good or bad — with the selection committee, and early-week losers will have an incredibly long and stressful wait until Selection Sunday.

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The bubble action will be frequent and frenetic this week, so we’ll be bringing you daily updates to the Bubble Watch all the way through Sunday morning. Who is making a case to get in? Who is really feeling the squeeze of the cutline? And who felt the painful pop of a bubble before Sunday even arrived?

We’ll try to answer all of those questions here, exploring each team’s changing prospects as the week progresses. Many power conference bubblers got their tournament runs underway on Wednesday, so we have some movement to examine.

The biggest result came at the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis, where Ohio State fell in the opening round to Iowa. The Buckeyes are in dire straits now with a 17-15 overall record. In the SEC, the push for a ridiculous NCAA-record 14 bids took a positive turn, as the most bubbly teams — Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma — all picked up victories.

Even more action is coming on Thursday, including vital games in the ACC, Big East and SEC, and we will be back on Friday morning to sort through all the madness!

For a projection of the actual bracket, make sure to check out Joe Rexrode’s latest Bracket Watch. And here are some ground rules for navigating the Bubble Watch below.

Teams are listed alphabetically within their sections.

Should Be In teams are a few wins from Lock status and not really in much danger of missing the dance right now.

teams are a few wins from Lock status and not really in much danger of missing the dance right now. In the Mix teams are the true bubble cases.

teams are the true bubble cases. On the Fringe teams are a win or two away from true bubble consideration — a win away from being a win away.

teams are a win or two away from true bubble consideration — a win away from being a win away. Resume metrics are backward-looking and try to measure a team’s accomplishments. Think: “What has this team done?” These metrics are more important for selection to the field.

are backward-looking and try to measure a team’s accomplishments. Think: “What has this team done?” These metrics are more important for selection to the field. Quality metrics are forward-looking and attempt to project future performance. Think: “How good is this team?” These metrics are more influential for seeding.

Movement since Monday

Up to Lock: None

Up to Should Be In: Arkansas

Up to In the Mix: None

Added to On the Fringe: None

Down to In the Mix: None

Down to On the Fringe: None

Dropped from On the Fringe: None

Earned automatic bid: Gonzaga

ACC

Locks: Clemson, Duke, Louisville

Should Be In: None

In the Mix: North Carolina, SMU, Wake Forest

On the Fringe: None

In The Mix

North Carolina

Profile Strengths: Excellent nonconference strength of schedule, strong quality metrics.

Profile Weaknesses: Gruesome 1-11 record vs. Q1, took a Q3 loss.

Looking Ahead: UNC continues to smash inferior competition, quickly disposing of a young and exhausted Notre Dame squad 76-56 on Wednesday afternoon. Discussing the Tar Heels’ resume feels like we’re going in circles, though. Once again, UNC has to win through to a matchup with Duke in the semifinals, and after not getting the job done at the Dean Dome, the Heels would desperately need to take advantage of another chance to beat their hated rivals. Thursday’s quarterfinal against Wake Forest feels like a quasi-elimination game.

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SMU

Profile Strengths: No bad losses, excellent road/neutral record.

Profile Weaknesses: Zero Q1 wins, poor nonconference SOS.

Looking Ahead: The Mustangs wrecked Syracuse in the second half on Wednesday night to pass the warmup portion of their final evaluation. That gives SMU another chance at its first Q1 win of the season, as Clemson awaits in the quarterfinals. A win there may not be enough for a resume that sorely lacks heft, so the Ponies probably need a win over Louisville in the semifinals, too. Clemson controlled the entire first meeting in Dallas, but SMU does have a healthy Boopie Miller this time around.

Wake Forest

Profile Strengths: Solid resume metrics.

Profile Weaknesses: Poor quality metrics, only one win over a likely tournament team, two Q3 losses.

Looking Ahead: Wake Forest stayed (barely) alive by smashing Georgia Tech in the regular season finale in Winston-Salem. The Deacons have 20 wins, including two against Quad 1, and are 8-8 against the top two quadrants. If Steve Forbes’ squad beats UNC in the ACC tournament quarterfinals and somehow topples Duke in the semifinals, it will likely go dancing. Losing to UNC, though, would all but end Wake’s chances.

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Big 12

Locks: Arizona, BYU, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Texas Tech

Should Be In: Baylor, West Virginia

In the Mix: None

On the Fringe: Cincinnati, TCU

Should Be In

Baylor

What They Need: Baylor manhandled frigid-shooting Kansas State on Wednesday for its 19th win of the season. The Bears now face Texas Tech on Thursday evening, removing any possibility of a questionable loss to close the campaign. We will not quite adorn Baylor with a Lock label, but it would take some wild circumstances — a blowout loss to TTU, other big bubble wins, a couple of bid stealers — for the Bears to slide out of the field. Tremendous quality metrics could end up bumping them to a decent seed, as well.

West Virginia

What They Need: You had to make it interesting, didn’t you, Mountaineers? West Virginia led Colorado for 30-plus minutes on Wednesday, but its offense sputtered late in a disappointing 67-60 loss to the Big 12’s last-place team. Fortunately, the Buffaloes are in Quad 2 territory, so it is not a “bad” loss on the resume, but it’s a worrisome closing statement to the Mountaineers’ at-large argument. Six Q1 wins and no bad losses will probably still be enough, but WVU will be nervously rooting against bid stealers until Sunday.

GO DEEPER What’s up with the Big 12 tournament’s court?

Big East

Locks: Creighton, Marquette, St. John’s, UConn

Should Be In: None

In the Mix: Xavier

On the Fringe: None

In The Mix

Xavier

Profile Strengths: Zero bad losses, respectable metrics.

Profile Weaknesses: Only one Q1 win.

Looking Ahead: It was not overly convincing, but Xavier got by Providence on Saturday, 76-68. That set the stage for what could amount to a win-and-in opportunity against Marquette on Thursday in the Big East tournament quarterfinals, and the Musketeers have already beaten the Golden Eagles in Milwaukee. UConn’s elevation into the NET top 30 (the Huskies are at No. 31 as of Thursday morning) would hand Xavier a second Q1 win, but there is no guarantee it gets there. Despite a current seven-game winning streak, Sean Miller’s squad probably comes up short for an at-large bid with a loss Thursday.

GO DEEPER A fireside chat with Dan Hurley: In UConn’s quest for a dynasty, can the Huskies stand the smoke?

Big Ten

Locks: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Purdue, UCLA, Wisconsin

Should Be In: None

In the Mix: Indiana, Ohio State

On the Fringe: Nebraska

In The Mix

Indiana

Profile Strengths: Zero losses outside Q1, very competitive resume metrics.

Profile Weaknesses: Only a 4-12 record in Q1 games.

Looking Ahead: Mike Woodson’s Hoosiers got a massive win against Ohio State in their regular season finale. Their ultra clean resume has just enough high-end heft (three Q1A wins) to offset having 12 losses (none of which are anywhere near “bad” territory). They have no risk of a bad loss at the Big Ten tournament, either, opening with a Q1 game against Oregon, whom they nearly beat in Eugene last week. A win might even elevate the Hoosiers above the First Four, while a loss would make for a long wait until Selection Sunday.

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Ohio State

Profile Strengths: Strong quality metrics, multiple elite wins away from Columbus, great nonconference SOS, no bad losses.

Profile Weaknesses: Only two games over .500 overall, 9-15 record against Q1/Q2.

Looking Ahead: Oh, boy. Ohio State is in real trouble after dropping its Big Ten tournament opener to Iowa. Although that game in itself is no issue (just a Q2 defeat), it put the Buckeyes in the terrifying position of being just 17-15 overall, two games over .500. No team so close to neutral has ever received an at-large bid, meaning that Ohio State needs a mini-miracle to go dancing now. Based on the other strengths of this resume, we’ll keep OSU in the mix, but some committee members may automatically eliminate the Buckeyes at this point.

SEC

Locks: Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt

Should Be In: Arkansas

In the Mix: Oklahoma, Texas

On the Fringe: None

Should Be In

Arkansas

What They Need: The Hogs flirted with disaster, allowing a 20-point lead over South Carolina to shrink all the way down to one late in the second half. Massive baskets from DJ Wagner and Trevon Brazile saved the day, though, and John Calipari’s team can no longer pick up anything remotely resembling a bad loss. The Hogs move on to face Ole Miss on Thursday afternoon, and although a win there would seal the deal, Arkansas should be fine — though not quite comfortable — without it.

In The Mix

Oklahoma

Profile Strengths: Seven Q1 wins, competitive metrics, 11-11 vs. top two quadrants.

Profile Weaknesses: Conference record eyesore?

Looking Ahead: Oklahoma shot the lights out in the first half of a 81-75 win over Georgia on Wednesday night, burying 11 triples en route to a narrow lead at the break. The Sooners held on to beat Georgia, adding another neutral-site Q1 win (and a 20th overall win) to the Sooners’ impressive resume. Porter Moser’s team is looking good in every category that truly matters, but the committee could still pull the rug out from under the Sooners’ feet if they decide 6-12 in the SEC is not good enough. If OU can take down Kentucky on Thursday night, it will assuredly be dancing.

Texas

Profile Strengths: Outstanding quality metrics, six Q1 wins, no bad losses.

Profile Weaknesses: Poor nonconference SOS, 9-14 record against top two quadrants.

Looking Ahead: The Longhorns earned a desperately needed win against Vanderbilt in their SEC tournament opener on Wednesday. That was Texas’ sixth Q1 victory, though its combined Q1/Q2 record is still a limiting factor, as are lagging resume metrics. Texas also did nothing of note in the nonconference slate, and a season-ending home loss to Oklahoma could be a harmful tiebreaker. The Longhorns need to keep winning. Next up: in-state rival Texas A&M.

The Rest

Locks: Drake (auto-bid), Gonzaga (auto-bid), Memphis, New Mexico, Saint Mary’s, Utah State

Should Be In: None

In the Mix: Boise State, Colorado State, Dayton, San Diego State, VCU, UC Irvine, UC San Diego

On the Fringe: George Mason, North Texas, San Francisco

In The Mix

Boise State

Profile Strengths: Two key nonconference wins, solid predictive metrics.

Profile Weaknesses: One Q3 loss, resume metrics still slightly low.

Looking Ahead: Boise State lost a critical home game to resurgent bubble rival Colorado State to close the regular season. That leaves the Broncos in a tenuous position, almost certainly needing a win (or, more likely, two) at the Mountain West tournament to earn a bid. Their opener: another swing game against a bubble foe in San Diego State. The Aztecs swept the Broncos during the regular season, so Leon Rice’s team will be desperate for revenge.

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Colorado State

Profile Strengths: Strong 7-7 record against the top two quadrants, improving metrics.

Profile Weaknesses: Two Q3 losses, very little of note in the nonconference.

Looking Ahead: Colorado State has done enough to warrant mention here, winning seven straight games to close the year. That included Friday’s regular-season finale at Boise State, where the Rams secured their first Q1 win. It is likely too little, too late for CSU, but if they pick up two more key wins en route to a loss in the Mountain West tournament championship game, they could have a case.

Dayton

Profile Strengths: Strong nonconference SOS, 3-3 record vs. Q1.

Profile Weaknesses: Poor metrics all around, one Q3 loss.

Looking Ahead: The Flyers are still a mega-long shot, but Friday night’s win at VCU lifts them back onto the fringes of the discussion. Unfortunately, Dayton would not get another crack at VCU until the championship game; at that point, another victory would do a lot more than simply bolster the Flyers’ at-large resume. It’s tough to envision Dayton getting in just by adding wins over Saint Joseph’s in the quarterfinals and George Mason in the semifinals, but I suppose crazier things have happened.

San Diego State

Profile Strengths: Elite win vs. Houston, 8-7 vs. top two quadrants, elite nonconference SOS.

Profile Weaknesses: Middling predictive metrics, one Q3 loss.

Looking Ahead: The Aztecs bounced back from a loss at UNLV by dismantling a veteran Nevada squad, likely keeping them on the right side of the bubble at this juncture. A crucial matchup with Boise State awaits in the 4/5 matchup of the Mountain West tournament; SDSU is probably safe if it manages to win. A loss against the desperate Broncos, though, would leave SDSU in the committee’s crosshairs.

VCU

Profile Strengths: Strong overall and road/neutral record, 6-5 against top two quadrants.

Profile Weaknesses: Almost no Q1 games at all, Q4 loss.

Looking Ahead: The Rams took a surprising home loss to Dayton to close the regular season, sending them right back into the thick of the bubble discussion. Fortunately, the Flyers have played themselves into Q2 loss territory. VCU is still the presumptive favorite in the A-10 tournament, but if the Rams do need an at-large bid, the conversation could be polarizing for a team that has not played a single Q1A game and has wobbly resume metrics already. I would not suggest losing in the quarterfinals of the A-10 tournament.

UC Irvine

Profile Strengths: Q1A win at Big West foe UCSD, 17-3 road/neutral record.

Profile Weaknesses: Two Q3 losses, limited opportunities to improve their stock.

Looking Ahead: The Anteaters smoked UC Davis on Thursday and dug deep to come back and beat UC Santa Barbara on Saturday night, narrowly keeping their at-large dreams alive. UC Irvine is currently only in consideration because of its resume metrics, but even those aren’t quite good enough to get the Anteaters inside the cutline. A win over UC Riverside in the Big West tournament semifinals is unlikely to make a major difference.

GO DEEPER Making the NCAA Tournament is hard. UC San Diego kicked the door down

UC San Diego

Profile Strengths: Top-notch road win at Utah State, gaudy overall record, quickly improving metrics.

Profile Weaknesses: Limited big win opportunities, one Q3 loss.

Looking Ahead: With Drake locking up the Missouri Valley’s automatic bid, UC San Diego is now set up to be the firebrand of the selection process. Eric Olen’s squad could get to 29 wins with a Big West tournament semifinal victory, and there’s a chance a neutral-site game against CSUN would sneak into Q2. Would that be enough if the Tritons lose in the title game to UC Irvine (nowhere near a bad loss)? Mid-major fans everywhere hope so, but in practice, the committee could end up defaulting to teams with more big wins. Here’s hoping UCSD renders that conversation meaningless by simply earning the Big West’s automatic bid.

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(Photos: Grace Smith / IndyStar / USA Today Network via Imagn Images; Steve Roberts / Imagn Images)

Arkansas upset No. 4 Tennessee 19-14 on Saturday night at home, marking the Razorbacks’ first top-five win since 2007 at No. 1 LSU.

Paired with No. 1 Alabama’s loss to unranked Vanderbilt earlier Saturday, it marked the first time since Nov. 12, 2016, that two AP top-five teams lost to unranked opponents on the same day (three lost that day — Michigan to Iowa, Clemson to Pitt, Washington to USC).

It’s also the first time two top-five SEC teams lost to unranked opponents on the same day.

GO DEEPER Tennessee’s high expectations bruised — but not broken — in loss to Arkansas

Arkansas got the ball back with 3:20 to play, down 14-13, and suddenly moved down the field with ease, taking the lead when backup quarterback Malachi Singleton pounded into the end zone with 1:17 to play. The Razorbacks went for two, but the conversion attempt failed. Singleton entered the game in the fourth quarter after starter Taylen Green left with an apparent leg injury.

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Tennessee still had a chance to rally. On a frustrating night for its passing game, quarterback Nico Iamaleava connected with Dont’e Thornton Jr. for 42 yards to the Arkansas 25. But a shot down the middle of the field was broken up by former Tennessee defensive back Doneiko Slaughter, bringing up fourth-and-5 with six seconds left from the 20. Iamaleava was shoved out of bounds as time expired.

Arkansas was coming off a loss to Texas A&M.

Arkansas, Pittman get a boost

What a huge lift for this program, which was picked to finish 14th in the SEC but is now 4-2 with a clear path to bowl eligibility and more. Sam Pittman, on the hottest of seats entering the season, gets the biggest win of his five-year tenure. So much of the goodwill he built early in his tenure was being competitive against good teams without finishing them off, and so much of the problem last year was not winning close games.

This time they finally did it, and got the visual of a field storming, which will bring a hefty SEC fine, but the school will happily write the check.

There’s also the way the Razorbacks pulled this off: rallying from a 14-3 deficit in the second half, and scoring the winning points with their backup quarterback. And while Bobby Petrino’s offense ultimately did its part, it was the defense that kept Tennessee’s vaunted offense in check, all the way to the final drive, to seal the upset.

“The AD’s going to be mad, or maybe he won’t be,” Pittman told ESPN after the game regarding the field storm. “I don’t know, right now I don’t care.”

Tennessee’s margin for error shrinks

In the expanded College Football Playoff era, this isn’t a season-ender. But it reduces the margin for error, and makes it fair to re-examine how the Volunteers burnished their early-season credentials.

The rout of NC State — now 3-3 after a home loss to Wake Forest — doesn’t look too impressive anymore. The win at Oklahoma looks better, though the Sooners are the most unimpressive 4-1 team in the country. And after looking like the best offense in the country the first three weeks, the Vols have now been held to 25 and 14 points the past two games. Iamaleava is a great talent but has some growing to do. The defense, meanwhile, let a team on its backup quarterback drive down for the go-ahead score in the final two minutes.

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Next week’s home game against Florida should offer a chance for the Vols to get back on track. But then comes Alabama, suddenly a matchup between two teams fighting to avoid a second loss. That game was intriguing before this Saturday, and remains so for very different reasons.

(Photo: Nelson Chenault / Imagn Images)