From the Bench - Painful Memories of Razorback Football

[Robert Shields]

My Most Painful Memories of Razorback Football

Robert Shields

ESPN published its 50 most painful games in college football history, and as can be no surprise to any Razorback fan that has had to sit through so many painful losses over the years, the Hogs made two of those games.

ESPN deservedly listed the 1969 game in Fayetteville where the Hogs fell 15-14 as No. 1. That game still reverberates with Hog fans of a certain age like no other, and Frank Broyles to this day still has not watched the game on tape.

So in the spirit of ESPN's list and the heartbreak of last year, here is my own version of the most painful Razorback games I've experienced. As was the case back in my days as Night Life Man, I start at the bottom and work to the top. I am not including the 1969 game in the list because it's too painful even for someone who was just a little kid at the time.

So here is where I lost my heart, on Razorback field:

#7 -- Hogs lose to Vanderbilt in Fayetteville, 2005
Let me repeat that -- the Hogs lost to Vanderbilt 24-28. This is the only game that I list where the Hogs were not ranked. One thing that I can say about the Razorbacks is that they typically do not choke in a huge way like schools of the Big Ten. But this was the ultimate choke at home against the Commodores and I don't mean the musical group, which would have been more palatable. The Hogs led in the fourth quarter 24-14 but couldn't convert to pick up a first down. Vanderbilt scored two late touchdowns to win the game. (On a personal note, I spent most of the night in bewilderment wondering how the Hogs lost it and how Darren McFadden and Felix Jones didn't carry the ball more in the game.)

#6 -- No. 7 Arkansas loses 10-3 to unranked Auburn in Fayetteville, 2003
The Hogs moved the ball decently in the game but couldn't get Matt Jones uncorked. Auburn did a great job controlling the clock and limiting possessions with its defense. Jones finally broke free for the tying touchdown, but it got negated by a phantom holding call. This game hurt as the Hogs had come off wins against Texas and Alabama on the road, a feat within two weeks that I am not sure any team has ever accomplished. (On a personal note, I had to deal with the Davis clan that Monday and really grit my teeth.) 

#5 -- No. 4 Hogs lose 15-13 to unranked Texas in Fayetteville, 1985
Arkansas moved the ball easily all day and squandered numerous opportunities in the game by missing several easy field goals. The Razorback defense kept the Longhorns out of the end zone all day, yet in a very odd twist of fate, the Texas kicker put five field goals through the uprights in the victory. The Hogs got into the end zone twice but it was not enough. (On a personal note, I wept most of the night and woke up with lots of unexpected people in my Chateau Apartment.)

#4 -- No. 5 Hogs lose 31-26 to No. 9 LSU in Little Rock, 2006
Trindon Holliday returned a kickoff for a touchdown that was just too much for the Hogs to surmount. All season fans yelled for Nutt to throw to the tight end. So in the second half , Nutt calls the exact play over the middle that bounds off the tight end's hands and lands in an LSU defender's grasp setting up an easy touchdown. For those keeping score at home, Holliday killed the Hogs with a kickoff return again in 2009 in Baton Rouge. (On a personal note, I did not weep and spent most of the night dealing with hate mail.)

#3 -- No. 7 Hogs lose to unranked Texas 20-24 in Fayetteville, 1989
This game was somewhat eerily similar to 1985 and had the Hogs struggling to get into the end zone. I am sure this is the one game Quinn Grovey really laments in his Razorback career because it was the only regular-season loss the Hogs endured that year. (On a personal note, I wept most of the night away in the Sig Ep house ending up the night banging my fists on the ground outside the McIlroy House by Yocum, but that's its own story and goes on another list.)

#2 – No. 4 Hogs lose 13-10 to No. 6 Houston in Fayetteville, 1979
Ish Ordonez had his late-game field goal blocked by some Houston Cougar goon who also played basketball. Again, it's the Hogs only loss during the regular season (funny how we never have occasion to utter that phrase these days). The previous week, Arkansas had beaten No. 2 Texas in Little Rock. This team went on to the Sugar Bowl and lost to eventual national champion Alabama. (On a personal note, I spent the day kicking field goals on my parent's side yard. The pine tree at the back had a large branch that stuck out.)

#1 -- No. 9 Hogs lose 22-21 to unranked Mississippi at Starkville, 1998
This game is paired with the famous Sturnover game that happened the previous week where the Hogs lost to Tennessee in Knoxville. Yes, the loss to Tennessee killed me, but the loss to the Bulldogs stung more because so much rode on that game. Regardless of a win or loss at Knoxville the previous week, the Hogs had to beat the Bulldogs the next week to make the SEC championship game for the rematch against the Vols. If the Hogs had beaten the Bulldogs and then won the SEC Championship game against Tennessee, they probably would have played in the national championship game.

Instead, we got Nutt's worst-coached game of his Razorback tenure. Nutt was hampered by not having a kicker who was suspended for a DUI (which goes to show you that disciplining players never pays off for a coach). His team failed on fourth-down conversions that squandered points. He failed to go for two when his team finally took the lead to put the Hogs up by three, instead settling for the extra point that only put his team up by two. As a result, Mississippi State kicked the game-winning field goal and won by one.

Nutt also took a penalty on State's game winning drive that he should have refused in order to bring up a fourth down. Instead, he took the penalty, essentially giving State two downs to make the first and getting them in field-goal range (late in a game you never give a team a five-down possession to win). As it played out, the replayed third down fell incomplete. The fourth down got the first down and field-goal range. I still have people tell me that State's kicker missed the field goal. Maybe so, but he never should have had the opportunity to miss it. (On a personal note, this is when I began the campaign to fire Nutt, which put me at No. 1 on that list.)


Send your heartbreak to fromthebench@yahoo.com

[cosmodrum]

Happy Monday.

[HogShat]

ULM 2012 doesnt even get a nod?

[The_Iceman]

[ldfergu]

Who?

[Pulled(PP)pork]

are you always a "gloom and doom" person??  gets real old


PP

[LZH]

How can Florida in 2009 not be on anyone's list?

[Vantage 8 dude]

are you always a "gloom and doom" person??  gets real old


PP

But you have to understand if it wasn't "gloom and doom" he'd have nothing to write about. Hey, wait a second.....I think we might have come up with something. Let's all try to send B.S. nothing but "happy thoughts" and smiley faces and then we won't be burdened with his weekly "living under a constant raincloud" rants. The only way I know to actually (possibly) shut him up. BTW my "Most Painful Memories of Razorback Football" are anything you post.

Here's to you Bobby:   

[Großer Kriegschwein]

How can Florida in 2009 not be on anyone's list?

Makes my list. Was the only Razorback game I got to watch on mid-tour leave from Afghanistan. Raped by officials probably paid by alumni. I'm still pissed about that.

[LZH]

Makes my list. Was the only Razorback game I got to watch on mid-tour leave from Afghanistan. Raped by officials probably paid by alumni. I'm still pissed about that.

I am still HIGHLY pissed about that.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

I am still HIGHLY pissed about that.

Did any of those world class turds ever officiate another game again? I know they suspended the crew but???

[VictoryRedChevy]

I am still HIGHLY pissed about that.

Me too. We whipped the Gators that day.

[HogFanatic]

Did any of those world class turds ever officiate another game again? I know they suspended the crew but???

Absolutely.
They officiated one of ours just last year.

[WizardofhOgZ]

#5 -- No. 4 Hogs lose 15-13 to unranked Texas in Fayetteville, 1985
Arkansas moved the ball easily all day and squandered numerous opportunities in the game by missing several easy field goals. The Razorback defense kept the Longhorns out of the end zone all day, yet in a very odd twist of fate, the Texas kicker put five field goals through the uprights in the victory. The Hogs got into the end zone twice but it was not enough. (On a personal note, I wept most of the night and woke up with lots of unexpected people in my Chateau Apartment.)

What makes this even worse is that on Ward's longest FG - from 52 or 53 yards, as I recall - he first missed it . . . but got a second chance.  Not because Arkansas had a penalty against them, but because Texas had one that we could not decline.  The refs ruled that there had been movement in their offensive line, and so the missed 47 yarder was wiped away and they got another shot from 5 yards back - which he made.

Also particularly painful about that game is that our kicker missed all 3 FG attempts, which their guy finished 5 fo 5 (after that one redo).  And combination of a miss by him or a make by our guy, and we win.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

That game made me a believer in CBP. One of the best games he coached even if it was a loss. Even Willy had a good game coaching that day. I seriously wanted to vomit after that one. I had to go outside and cool off. Infuriating.

[Flying Razorback]

It's interesting how some people mourn their fandom while others celebrate the opportunity to be associated with the program.  I've never been able to have my "heart broken" by the team because I never played.

If you think you're heart is broken and irreparable after decades, then imagine how the players on the field feel.  I instead celebrate how much effort they have put in to themselves and the team to even get to the heights they have achieved.  And even when they don't win, it's still awesome to see them dedicate themselves to the craft for our entertainment and their betterment. 

[WizardofhOgZ]

Others I would have had in the above group:

1966 Cotton Bowl - LSU 14 - Arkansas 7  With the events of the day (Arkansas was one of 3 undefeated, untied teams ranked in the top 3 going into the game; the other two lost their Bowl games), had the Hogs won they would have certainly been the consensus National Champions.  But Jon Brittenum suffered an injury to his passing shoulder in the second quarter and we could not move effectively after that.

1971 Liberty Bowl - Tennessee 14  Arkansas 13 - The "Preston Watts" game.  In this game, two very odd calls cost us a victory.  Bill McClard drillled a FG that would have put us ahead 16-7 in the fourth quarter, but a phantom holding call took that off the board.  On that play, the Tennessee defender had literally tossed our TE to the ground.  Then, with just a few minutes left in the game, we fumbled a screen pass deep in our own territory.  Offensive Guard Tom Reed emerged from the pile with the ball, which he handed to the official (Watts) . . . who then proclaimed it was Tennessee's ball.  The Razorback bench went ballistic, but to no avail.  The Vols scored a few plays later and won by a point.

1977 - Texas 13  Arkansas 9  Undefeated Arkansas and #1 Texas played nose-to-nose all day long, and it was a battle of FG by two fo the best who ever kicked - Texas' Erxleben and Steve Little for the Hogs.  Little's record tying (ironically, with Erxleben) 67 yarder had the Hogs in front 9-7.  Arkansas had effectively bottled up eventual Heisman winner Earl Campbell all day, but he broke loose on a screen pass late in the game and rambled down inside our 5 before we could corral him.  They scored moments later to give us our only loss of the year - costing us another National Championship.

1988 - Miami 18  Arkansas 16  A year after Miami humiliated an Arkansas team that had lofty national aspirations by drilling them in Little Rock 51-7, the Razorbacks traveled to the Orange Bowl for the return game.  Although the Hogs were undefeated, the SWC was in decline and no one gave Arkansas a legitimate chance to win.  However, bolstered by Barry Foster's 80 yard bolt up the middle for a TD, the Hogs were hanging on to a 1 point lead late in the game when Miami moved into the red zone.  On third down, Miami tried a pass into the end zone that All America Steve Atwater diagnosed and stepped in front of.  However, the ball slipped right through Atwater's hands and landed on the turf.  On the next snap, Cane kicker Carlos Huerta kicked a chip shot FG and Miami held on for the win.

1962 - Texas 7  Arkansas 3 Hogs led 3-0 and drove methodically down the field.  Inside the 5 yard line, the Razorbacks went for the juggler by slamming fullback Danny Brabham up the middle.  He fell into the end zone for an apparent TD - but, he had lost the ball on the way in.  Many felt he had crossed the goal line before losing the ball, but it was ruled a fumble.  Texas took the ball and drove all the way down the field, scoring late to win 7-3.

There are more, but those were all gut punches . . .

[HogFanatic]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the game with SMU in '82.
I was only two at the time, but I have heard about that game so many times. Arkansas lost the game on a horrible pass interference call. At the time SMU was ranked #2 in the country.

[RNHog]

IM MAD TOO. JUST MAD!

[bigbadhog]

Miami and Texas LR 1987 - take you pick...

[1highhog]

My most painful games?  I'm gonna list the 1969 game because it still hurts me to this day, another one that hurts is the Tenner game, Nutt should have called a timeout and rallied the defense, defense was playing great, instead They rapidly rush down the field and score, game over, Hogs mentally are finished for next week against Miss State, oh what could have been.

[DLUXHOG]

Robert... sometimes you lose and you win (that's why we play the game).   Climb down from your depressing bitching tree and join us in supporting the Hogs... win or lose................

[PygmalionEffect]

I think we're going to need a longer list.

[Vantage 8 dude]

Robert... sometimes you lose and you win (that's why we play the game).   Climb down from your depressing bitching tree and join us in supporting the Hogs... win or lose................

Haven't you learned by now?! Bitching is his one and only schtick. Without it he has no purpose or hope.

[hogsanity]

I am sorry, but when I see or hear about FANS crying over games, 3 words come to mind: Get A Life

[Großer Kriegschwein]

It's interesting how some people mourn their fandom while others celebrate the opportunity to be associated with the program.  I've never been able to have my "heart broken" by the team because I never played.

If you think you're heart is broken and irreparable after decades, then imagine how the players on the field feel.  I instead celebrate how much effort they have put in to themselves and the team to even get to the heights they have achieved.  And even when they don't win, it's still awesome to see them dedicate themselves to the craft for our entertainment and their betterment.

I've never had my heart broken BY THE TEAM. A heart breaking loss is exactly that, a loss. As long as they stand up and fight like the big bad Razorbacks I know that they can be, the TEAM has very little to do with it, more my hopes and dreams for a team that I've watched since diapers with an almost mystical reverence. Teams win and lose. Some losses are harder to take than others. When we lost to Ohio State, I had decided it was our time (in my head), four people in the office were from Ohio. I'm still pissed about that one too. The lengths that people will go to give them the best opportunity to beat an SEC school in a BCS bowl game. It should have been our time... Just like in 69, it should have been our time and it was for 4 quarters. People get heartbroken over losses, its part of fandom.

[Pigsknuckles]

1998 Tennessee
2007 Alabama

[redeye]

How is the '82 SMU game not on here?

I agree with the '98 loss to MSU.  That's the game where we learned about Houston Nutt and his emotional roller coaster.  As you said, we were still in the national title hunt, but we flushed those hopes down the toilet, along with our used Kleenexes left over from the Tennessee loss.

I also see that game as a marker in Razorback football history, because despite all the disappointments we've experienced throughout the years, Arkansas always played hard 'til the end, believing it could win.  Since then, it's become quite common to see doubt in our player's eyes, as they fail to play up to their potential.  That doubt is a killer.

Btw, a few years back, ESPN ranked Arkansas as the program that had experienced the most disappointment throughout it's history.  It was a good write-up and probably the most accurate thing they've written about us in some time.

[longbore]

2004 Matt Jones fumble against Texas.

[hogsanity]

I agree with the '98 loss to MSU.  That's the game where we learned about Houston Nutt and his emotional roller coaster.  As you said, we were still in the national title hunt,

Hogs were ranked 9th (NINTH) in the bcs ranking after the TN game with only 3 games left, at most (if they made the SECCG), they Hogs were NOT in the NC hunt.

What that game was a glimpse at was the defensive failings we would see over and over from then until now.  Could not get a stop when they had to have.  4th and forever from the MSU 40 or 45, and they convet.  A theme we would see repeated more times than I can count in the last 16 years.

[hogfan2000]

All of those games were games I wanted to weep afterwards, but you have got to put the 98 Tenner game and 2006 Sec Championship games in there because of the Stumble and Fumble and Reggie Fish debacle.  Those are the two worst plays as a fan as I've ever endured. One almost certainly cost us a chance at a SEC title, and the other probably cost us the SEC championship game.  The hogs had so much momentum in that game before Fish did what he did. 

[hogfan58]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the game with SMU in '82.
I was only two at the time, but I have heard about that game so many times. Arkansas lost the game on a horrible pass interference call. At the time SMU was ranked #2 in the country.

THIS without a doubt was the biggest screw job we've ever gotten by the refs in a game...and it's not even close. If you ever get a chance to see this game, watch it. This call saves SMU's undefeated season and costs us a Cotton Bowl. All due respect to the Fla and Tenn games, they didn't cost us a NYD Bowl game invite.

[redeye]

Hogs were ranked 9th (NINTH) in the bcs ranking after the TN game with only 3 games left, at most (if they made the SECCG), they Hogs were NOT in the NC hunt.

What that game was a glimpse at was the defensive failings we would see over and over from then until now.  Could not get a stop when they had to have.  4th and forever from the MSU 40 or 45, and they convet.  A theme we would see repeated more times than I can count in the last 16 years.

In hindsight, I don't think we would have made it into the NCG, but we were most definitely still in the hunt.  After we beat LSU in '07, they were ranked 7th with one game to go, for example.

After we lost to MSU, we beat LSU 41-14.  If we had beaten MSU, LSU, and then #1 Tennessee in the SECCG, after nearly beating them a few weeks earlier in Knoxville, we would have been knocking on the door.

Regardless, we could have played in our first BCS bowl during the first BCS season, had we only finished better, and beating an over-matched MSU team should have been a given.

[LZH]

That game made me a believer in CBP. One of the best games he coached even if it was a loss. Even Willy had a good game coaching that day. I seriously wanted to vomit after that one. I had to go outside and cool off. Infuriating.

That's probably the only game that still gets my drawers in a knot.  I certainly threw a fit that day, no kidding.  If given an opportunity to be in the same room after that game, I would have literally slapped the * out of one or all of those refs and lived with the legal consequences.....they had it coming.  They knew what they were doing.

[DeltaBoy]

The Gator SCREWOVERS are my worst.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

That's probably the only game that still gets my drawers in a knot.  I certainly threw a fit that day, no kidding.  If given an opportunity to be in the same room after that game, I would have literally slapped the * out of one or all of those refs and lived with the legal consequences.....they had it coming.  They knew what they were doing.

Yeah the thing is that it wasn't just the PF on Shephard. There was also the pass interference on Broadway the play before. Garbage... Underthrown ball, turn around and there it is...... Garbage.

[LZH]

Yeah the thing is that it wasn't just the PF on Shephard. There was also the pass interference on Broadway the play before. Garbage... Underthrown ball, turn around and there it is...... Garbage.

Don't forget that our DB had a sure INT in the endzone and Riley (I think) grabbed his arms and yanked them down right in front of the official.  Easy flag for offensive pass interference - back it up and now it's 4th and 25.

No call.  They scored later that drive.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Don't forget that our DB had a sure INT in the endzone and Riley (I think) grabbed his arms and yanked them down right in front of the official.  Easy flag for offensive pass interference - back it up and now it's 4th and 25.

No call.  They scored later that drive.

The only thing that the Refs didn't do was put it INTO the end zone for them. God bless the NCAA for trying their hardest to get Tim Tebow a second heisman. thats why I laughed while he was crying on TV. Punk.

[LZH]

The only thing that the Refs didn't do was put it INTO the end zone for them. God bless the NCAA for trying their hardest to get Tim Tebow a second heisman. thats why I laughed while he was crying on TV. Punk.

I can't blame Tebow as much as those that enabled him.  He was a hellacious athlete.

I like what a certain former Arkansas congressman said to me and my brother about it at Love Field one day the following spring.  "Take a few STD-laden 'ho's and turn 'em loose at the next SEC Media Days....it may not teach 'em any lessons but it would damn sure make me feel better".

[hogsanity]

In hindsight, I don't think we would have made it into the NCG, but we were most definitely still in the hunt.  After we beat LSU in '07, they were ranked 7th with one game to go, for example.

After we lost to MSU, we beat LSU 41-14.  If we had beaten MSU, LSU, and then #1 Tennessee in the SECCG, after nearly beating them a few weeks earlier in Knoxville, we would have been knocking on the door.

Regardless, we could have played in our first BCS bowl during the first BCS season, had we only finished better, and beating an over-matched MSU team should have been a given.

Oh, they should have taken care of business against MSU, no doubt, should have been 10-1 going into the seccg rematch with TN.

That season was yet another example, too, of the insane unbalance in the cross div schedule. MSu got Vandy, Ky and SC as their 3 sece opponents ( vandy and sc were simply dreadful that year, while the Hogs got Ky, SC, and TN. Give the Hogs Vandy instead of TN, and they are likely 11-0 going into the seccg. Without the crushing loss to TN, they probably go into MSu and smack them around by 14+.  But we will never know.

[rickm1976]

How can Florida in 2009 not be on anyone's list?

Agreed, but the '69 loss to Texas is still tops.

[PonderinHog]

Agreed, but the '69 loss to Texas is still tops.

That was the start of a rough three game stretch.

[LZH]

Agreed, but the '69 loss to Texas is still tops.

I'm sure it is, but that was before my time.

The '82 SMU game was pretty rough, too.

[jswineberiaskirk]

#4 LSU 2006 is what sent me to the Darkside. So some good came out of it.

[Bigmac2]

Any SEC game last year. It's the newest memories that are the most painful. 

[redeye]

Oh, they should have taken care of business against MSU, no doubt, should have been 10-1 going into the seccg rematch with TN.

That season was yet another example, too, of the insane unbalance in the cross div schedule. MSu got Vandy, Ky and SC as their 3 sece opponents ( vandy and sc were simply dreadful that year, while the Hogs got Ky, SC, and TN. Give the Hogs Vandy instead of TN, and they are likely 11-0 going into the seccg. Without the crushing loss to TN, they probably go into MSu and smack them around by 14+.  But we will never know.

I'd forgotten about that, but it's a great point.

[HogScoutMaster]

Mine:

stoerner laying the damn ball on the ground against Tenny.  A-hole

[rupert]

one of the worst Razorback games I attended (and only one I ever left early) was the debacle where we played Georgia in the SEC championship game...not heartbroken (like the 1969 Texas game or the Tennessee game) but angry and upset for sure...left shortly after the fourth  quarter started...

[Delicious~Dreams]

The Economics of Sex By Robert Shields??  Lol!!!

I owe Mr. shields an apology....Please forgive me. 


(Please refer to Robert Shields Signature Line....Wow)

[Inhogswetrust]

My most painful memories of Hogville = Robert Shields posts.