re: Arkansas 2020 is Arkansas 2019 with a better turnover margin

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We were beating Georgia until midway through the third quarter.

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Georgia did whatever they wanted after putting Bennett in at QB and finished the game on a 32-0 run. Arkansas was just there that day until Georgia decided to play football, even before the game got out of hand the offense did next to nothing and the defense just watched incompletions and caught balls thrown right to them.

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We beat MSU

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Barely, and like the OM game largely because of numerous missed chances by State deep into Arkansas territory. Arkansas was thoroughly outplayed by State and lost every statistical category but turnovers.

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lost to Auburn on a ref screwjob

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After they had already gotten into position to kick the game winning FG that they attempted the very next play. It was a bad call but let’s be honest, you’d have won on a fluke technicality. That call had nothing to do with skill or the game in general and Arkansas did nothing to force it. The better team won, bad call aside.

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This was not even in the realm of possible last year.

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With a +5 turnover margin in every game Arkansas would have finished 9-3 last year, which is both a testament to how absurd and fluky that margin and how awful Arkansas was that they still would have lost three games with that margin.

The point is the OM game was such an outlier that Arkansas could literally beat ANYONE in a game like that. You should beat Clemson by multiple scores if they turn it over 7 times. And you STILL ALMOST LOST THE GAME TO OLE MISS

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but Lane went for it on fourth like nine fricking times. Getting those stops can only be attributed to good defense.

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Two of the failed 4th downs were wide open drops.

And if he’d just kicked the 4 field goals he could have instead of failing on 4th down they’d have won even WITH 7 turnovers

Lane Kiffin’s stance on field goals is the reason we aren’t talking about an all time statistical unicorn: Losing a home game despite your opponent turning it over 7 times.

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Our defense deserves some credit.

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They are opportunistic, but the fact is 4 of the 7 turnovers were unforced (dropping the ball on the goal line fumble, and 3/6 picks thrown right to virtually stationary defenders just in their zone without pressure on the QB). Against State, both INTs were unforced and the fumble was on a fourth down at the goal line where he was stopped anyway (and they should have kicked a FG).

The moral of the story is this: Arkansas is opportunistic and good in short yardage on defense, respectable in pass defense, but statistically poor at almost everything else. Run the ball, don’t push it downfield when they’re dropping 7-8, take your field goals and limit your turnovers. You will win because Arkansas can’t generate enough offense organically to beat you.

Georgia in the second half and Auburn in the first quarter and half stuck to this model and outscored Arkansas a combined 49-0.