From the Bench - Painful Memories of Razorback Football

[Jim Harris]

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

Yes, that was Marc Curles crew at the time, and Curles still gets an occasional appearance in an Arkansas game. In fact, his crew had a couple of mystery calls last year in the Louisiana-Lafayette-Arkansas game that favored the Hogs. Kinda the way he called that Florida-Arkansas game, as if Arkansas were a nonconference foe for the Gators.

[Jim Harris]

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.

in a way it probably felt like a loss, but in actuality it was a tie, 17-17. Too bad there was no overtime. SMU basically tied the game with 6:00 left and played for the tie when it got the ball back on the next possession. A tie put them in the Cotton Bowl vs. Pitt.

[hoggusamoungus]

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.

As screw job no doubt but since we lost 33-7 to Texas two weeks after the SMU game, not sure it cost us a trip to the Cotton Bowl.

[Sed76]

The 2001 season opener against UNLV. Hot as a firecracker and probably the worst game I've ever seen. Everyone on the roster took a snap at quarterback except the guy who would go on to win the job and save the season from a complete disaster. It was after that game I knew we would never win anything significant as long as Nutt was our coach. On the scoreboard it was a win which was the only good thing about that night.

[PorkRinds]

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

Says the guy with 28,000 plus posts on a message board for Fans. 

[jkstock04]

Any validity to Roberts rumor that Miss State actually missed that field goal? I had never heard that nor do I remember anything about it at the time?

[PonderinHog]

Any validity to Roberts rumor that Miss State actually missed that field goal? I had never heard that nor do I remember anything about it at the time?

Yes, it "looked" wide right to me at the time.  Seems like there was a bogus PI call to set that kick up, too.

[TOM "tbw1"]

Arkansas played in four games with national title implications.  1962 Texas 1964 Nebraska 1965 LSU and 1969 Texas.  Had we kept to our knitting, we would have owned the 60s.

[TOM "tbw1"]

BTW, 1982 Horton Nestra sent me to Houston.  PIMA!

Then there was 1966 in Lubbock.

[NWAVolFan]

As a non fan looking in, seems like the SEC Championship against Florida would be the worst. One boneheaded punt return away from first ever SEC Championship.

That and the Sturnover, as you put it. Gotta think the next week loss against MSU wouldn't have happened, and a NC might have been possible.

[Dr. Starcs]

One of the most miserable games I attended was that 200? Cotton bowl against Oklahoma.

Sat in the end zone with brutally cold wind blowing right in my face all game. That and we maybe crossed the 50 yard line once all game long. Pitiful.

[BENTON PIGGEE]

I feel like a Cubs fan after reading all of this. Two that impacted me because it changed how I felt about a coach's overall ability:

1987 Texas in Little Rock lost IMO by Hatfield's overly conservative playcalling.

2005 USCe in Fayetteville when Nutt went for it on 4th down at our 29 then later in the game punted at their 35-ball went into the end zone for a 15 yard punt. Grow some ____s!

[bruisemeister]

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.)
Good summary
#7wasn't that bad. The Hogs sucked that year. Remember they lost 70-17 the following week to USC. That was far worse. This was a very good Vanderbilt team led by a very good quarterback, Jay Cutler. The better team won that day. It was frustrating that the second coming in Peyton Hillis could not get 1 yard on 4 straight plays. The best thing to come out of this and the USC game was to play McFadden more.
#6-We were talking national title and a Heisman for Cedric Cobbs before the Auburn game. This was the same Auburn team that some had picked to win the national title before the season. They ended up going 6-5 during the regular season. I don't know what happened that day. Another similar Auburn game in Fayetteville occurred in 2007. A mediocre Auburn team beat the highly touted Hogs 9-7. This was the game that ultimately cost McFadden the Heisman(based on Mark May's opinion). They held him to less than 50 yards. Had he had his normal 150 on national TV, Tim Tebow would not have a Heisman.
#5- I went to work today thinking the Hogs were going to run away with it. They scored two quick touchdowns. I guess this was similar to 1969. This was also the game in which the Greg Horne hanging himself jokes started. I think he had a Van Tiffen like day. One bright note was that Kendall Trainer got the job and became one of our all time great kickers and Horne concentrated on punting and led the nation in that statistic his senior year.
# 4- The frustrating part of this game was that Nutt should have put Mustain in especially at the end when we needed a 2 minute driver. Casey's pass fell short of McFadden(who was put at split end). This game sucked because it ended possible national title hopes for the Hogs. Had they pulled this one out and the SEC title game against Florida(the Reggie Fish game), they could have been beating Ohio State to start the SEC run of national titles.
#3- I was at this game. It was a terrible Texas team against one of the better Hog teams ever. The Hogs appeared in control and were driving for a TD late in the first half before a Texas safety twarted it. Maybe it was the wind. Who knows, they may not have been fired up the following week against Houston and Andre Ware had they won this game. I would take a loss like this for a win like that any day.
#2- I used to be bad at correcting factual errors. We are only human. For instance, Anthony Davis did not win the Heisman, Randy Rainwater. I apologize in advance. I cannot help it. Leonard Mitchell was the huge Houston defensive lineman who played basketball. It was his fellow tackle, Hosea Taylor, who stood on our deep snappers back as Ordonez's kick caromed off his head. The most disappointing thing about this game was that Holtz was going for the tie. Hadthey tied, they would have played against Joe Montana in the Cotton Bowl instead of getting knocked around by one of Bear Bryant's best teams.
#1- That was a disappointing game. Our kicker had been suspended after the Tennessee debaucle and we needed him. Hazelwood's kick was too close to call but it should have not come to that. They made 15 yards on a 4th and 15 on that drive. MSU did not have a great offense either. This game was similar to the 1982 loss to Texas the week after the disappointing tie to SMU. The team was so down, it could not pick itself up.

Send your heartbreak to fromthebench@yahoo.com

[bruisemeister]

These are mine if anyone cares. I will not include any of the poster for variety.

#7-1993 Memphis 6- Hogs 0. You could have put in the 1992 game with 5 blocked punts but I was actually at this game. It was a terrible rain storm and both teams could not muster up any offense. I think the Hogs crossed the 50 yard line once. 2 field goals by MSU all american kicker Allison were the difference.

#6-1997 SMU 31 Hogs 9-You can put any SMU loss in the 90's here. This one stood out because it was the game in which Danny Ford did not know we scored. Thats why the final was 31-9 and not 31-10. He tried a pass in the end zone on what he thought was a first down play. It in fact was the extra point attempt. What made matters worse was that SMU running back, Donte Womack, ran for almost 250 yards. He was from Arkansas. It hurt because the Hogs were last in the nation in rushing that year.

#5- 1992 Alabama 38 Hogs 11. Welcome to the SEC! Everyone had forgotten the loss to The Citadel after thrashing the other SEC newby, South Carolina, 45-7 in Columbia. It could have been worse but Gene Stallings called off the dogs after halftime.

#4- 1977 Texas 13 Hogs 9. The Hogs could have, should have won this game but Earl Campbell and the longhorns prevailed. Had the Hogs won, they would have been playing Norte Dame for the national title in the Cotton Bowl that year. It hurts more because it was at home.

#3-1998 Tennessee 28 Hogs 24. 2 unbeatans at Knoxville. The Hogs held a 24-3 lead near the end of the first half before the Vols scored. The Vols got closer but it appeared the Hogs had secured a victory when they stopped them late in the 4th quarter. Now, ESPN could make a show of the top 5 reasons why Clint Stoerner's fumble did not cost the Hogs the game.
5.) The fumble occurred on 3rd and long with plenty of time left in the game. It was not a matter of him falling on the ball. The Hogs were having kicking problems all through the 2nd half. They had a field goal blocked and and a bad snap on a punt that resulted in a safety. Had he not fumbled, the Hogs could have had a punt blocked or run back. We will never know.
4.) The Hogs defense could not stop Travis Henry. Its not like he fumbled deep in Hog territory. It was a mid field blunder. Tennessee ran 3 or 4 straight running plays to secure the winning margin.
3.) He still had time for a miracle. Tennessee scored so fast, that the Hogs still had time for a quick drive. In fact they did try a hook and ladder but were called for a penalty.
2.) As mentioned earlier, kicking problems put the Hogs in this position. Special team blunders cost the Hogs 5 points. The final margin of loss was 4.
1.)The play should have been blown dead as soon as the ball in Stoerner's hand touched the ground. That is the rule.
What sickens me about this game was that Tennessee fans, players and Phat Phil never admit they got lucky. They gave credit to their defensive lineman pushing Burlsworth into Stoerner which caused the fumble. Its as though thats how they planned it to happen. The truth is that Burlsworth was standing up their lineman. Stoerner did trip over his foot but it was not Burlsworth fault or credit to the Tennessee lineman. Tennessee went on the win the national title. The Hogs dropped 2 of their last 3.

#2 The Massacre in Markham 51-7 against Miami in 1987. The Hogs have had more one sided losses but this one hurt because the Hogs were supposed to be a serious national title contender that year. It also hurt because Jimmy Johnson was the guy that was passed over to hire Ken Hatfield. Yes, this Miami team could have been a Razorback team. Give Johnson credit, he did show mercy. It was 38-0 at halftime. The Hogs first teamers finally scored against the Canes 3rd stringers late in the game. It also hurt because this was a Cane team that lost the Heisman winner quaterback and 2 others taken in the first round in the draft. The Hogs had guys like Grovey, Atwater, Rouse and Wayne Martin. It didnt matter. They still had Bennie Blades, Dan Stubbs and Michael Irvin.  The difference in talent showed just how far the Hogs were from being a serious national title contender. As it turned out, this Miami team ended up winning the national title and the Hogs limped to a 9-4 season(including a loss on the last play of the game in LR against a mediocre Texas team).

#1. I attended 5 of these games. I did not attend the 1977 game or this one, the Cotton Bowl in 1966 LSU 14 Hogs 7. The Hogs have an asterik by their only national title team in 1964. Bama is regarded as the champ by most because they were ranked #1 in the AP poll. The Hogs had the same record and #2. The AP did not do a poll after the bowl games so the Tide kept their title even though they lost their bowl game and the Hogs won theirs. Norte Dame also kept their title(I think it was from UPI). They did not even play in a bowl game due to their school policy at the time. I think even Michigan claims to be a national champ that year but I may be wrong. Anyways, the Hogs were recognized as national champs by a committee of 6 or so sports writers(something like the Football Writers of America). However, they had the chance to get the glory the following year. The AP decided to award a champ after the bowl games. The Hogs once again were unbeaten and #2. This time, Michigan State was #1. I don't know who lost first, the Spartans or the Hogs. All I know is that if the Hogs could have won that day, you could pull up any website now and the Hogs would be listed as national champions for 1965  and a 9-1-1 Bama team would have one less championship to call their own.

An honorable mention was the tie in 1982 to SMU. It was not included because it was not a loss. I watched the 30 on 30 about the SMU team on ESPN a few weeks ago. Old wounds were opened up. The SMU players were looking at this as a game they should have won. What? The Hogs outplayed them. This game cost Eric Dickerson a Heisman(he was held to a little over 70 yards). We all know what happened. A SWC official was fired over a bad pass interference call that kept the ponies game tying drive alive. The AP and UPI voters knew this. Thats why a no loss one tie, SMU team finished 2nd in the final polls to a one loss Penn State team. They knew that SMU should have lost this game. The dejected Hogs proceded to get blown out the following week against a good but not great Texas team.

[unbtabl]

Who is Robert shields

[LZH]

One of the most miserable games I attended was that 200? Cotton bowl against Oklahoma.

Sat in the end zone with brutally cold wind blowing right in my face all game. That and we maybe crossed the 50 yard line once all game long. Pitiful.

We sat in that same endzone.  That was a miserable day.  Those two teams obviously did NOT want to be there, and neither did we.  Most of our party left for the car right after halftime, and after watching Nutt gnaw his fingernails to the bone for half of the 3rd quarter, I wished I had joined them.  But I hung around 'cause I kept thinking Matt Jones was gonna get loose just one time.  Never happened.  What a day - what a drag.

[DLUXHOG]

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)

Robert Shields doesn't have this one in his sig line.....




[attachment deleted by admin]

[DOGALUM]

Who the hell is Robert Shields?

[smb]

My most painful memories of Hogville = Robert Shields posts.

I like this one. +1 million

[hogsanity]

Says the guy with 28,000 plus posts on a message board for Fans. 

Well, many of those were in non sports forums such as politics, and I've been here close to 10 years so alot of them came during 2007 and all the turmoil around that time. To the point I made, I don't CRY over games. The only people who, imo, have a right to cry over a game are those ACTUALLY PLAYING  in the game.

[DeltaBoy]

82 VS SMU was horrible just horrible.

[Delicious~Dreams]

Robert Shields doesn't have this one in his sig line.....

Very true....DLUX


Who IS Robert Shields??

[Delicious~Dreams]

82 VS SMU was horrible just horrible.

Agreed.

My father still speaks of that game.  It is etched forever as Horrible.

[LZH]

Actually the Stoernover call was correct. I also thought at the time that maybe they had called it wrong. But his knee or elbow didn't touch the ground. It was the right call.

[Tejano Jawg]

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

You know, I said in a thread the other day that the SECOND-most painful Florida loss was the 2003 game in Fayetteville. Matt Jones led a furious comeback, scoring several straight possessions. A late 'Butu interception was nullified by Tony Bua's late hit on Gator QB Chris Leak. I sure wished we got to see what we did with the ball one last time.

Having said all that, the screwing in the Swamp stuck with me longer than any other Hog game that didn't really matter (as opposed to when a bowl or championship was on the line).

[MJ2]

In 1981 the Hogs lost to TCU for the first time since 1958.   Something like 22 straight wins over them.   Prior to Frank, TCU had dominated I think.

[LZH]

"Hello, welcome to the Lou Holtz Show.  Unfortunately, I'm Lou Holtz."



(The day before.........Rice 17 - Arkansas 16)

[thirrdegreetusker]

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

I take losses hard, but never cry. I am more likely to get teary when the Hogs pull one out at the end.

[thirrdegreetusker]

I take losses hard, but never cry. I am more likely to get teary when the Hogs pull one out at the end.

Good thing, since I went to 21 Hog bowl games, of which the Hogs won......seven. Had one stretch where I went to seven Hog bowl losses in a row, plus an SECCG loss.

[NWAVolFan]

The play should have been blown dead as soon as the ball in Stoerner's hand touched the ground. That is the rule.

Not trying to rub salt in the wound, but care to elaborate on this? Heard the same thing on the radio today. Never heard of a rule that said touching a ball in the ground makes the play dead.

And most Vol fans admit that play was extremely lucky. While the DL deserves some credit for hitting Burlsworth in such a way that he took a step back, CS could stumble a thousand times holding the ball and maybe once or twice fumble it like that out of all one thousand. Very lucky play for us that, even with a strong push by the DL, would rarely result in a fumble.

[BENTON PIGGEE]

Well, many of those were in non sports forums such as politics, and I've been here close to 10 years so alot of them came during 2007 and all the turmoil around that time. To the point I made, I don't CRY over games. The only people who, imo, have a right to cry over a game are those ACTUALLY PLAYING  in the game.

Fan is short for fanatic. Fanatics do all sorts of stupid stuff and most of it is perfectly legal. Soccer fans is Brazil cut off a ref's head! I have a right to cry about a game I didn't play in because I am human. And nuts.

[Inhogswetrust]

One of the most miserable games I attended was that 200? Cotton bowl against Oklahoma.

Sat in the end zone with brutally cold wind blowing right in my face all game. That and we maybe crossed the 50 yard line once all game long. Pitiful.

2002. We must have been in the same end zone. It was as cold as a witches you know what.

[Locutus_of_Boar]

My Most Painful Memories of Razorback Football

#1 -- No. 9 Hogs lose 22-21 to unranked Mississippi at Starkville, 1998

It appears this game was so painful that to this day Robert can't remember it was actually lost to Mississippi State.

Anyway the most painful Hootie game was 2002 Kentucky when his own team and most of the 72,000 in the stands kept yelling at Dale to decline the penalty that gave Lorenzen the 2nd chance to throw the game changing TD pass.

[PygmalionEffect]

Stoernover - This is one of the few situations that I can think of which makes the old adage "the ground can't cause a fumble" untrue.

The ball striking the ground is what did "cause" the fumble, jarring it from Stoerner's grasp, but it was still ruled correctly as a fumble, because the ball is considered an extension of his hand in college, touching hands or feet to the ground is not considered down.


I don't think anyone mentioned the Sugar Bowl with OSU yet.  Not #1 by any stretch, but definitely honorable mention when you realize he just needed to pick up the ball and walk into the end zone.

As far as pitiful games go, it would be hard to top S.Car. 2013 or that Cotton Bowl game against Missou after beating the #1 team in the country the previous game.

[BPsTheMan]

[FelixJonesorDMAC?]

I gotta say, it has been tough being a Hog fan.  My first game I remember was Cotton Bowl against Troy Aikman and UCLA.  It's pretty much sucked ever since.  We have always been on the cusp of something special, but like a true Hog Fan, always fall short when it really matters.

Stoernover

tOSU loss in Sugar Bowl

The Fish Punt

a lot of Florida games

T Holliday in the Rock.

My best experience was being at The Miracle on Markham one.

I'm hoping we turn the tides like the Red Sox and become relevant really soon.

Such as being a Razorback, but I'm proud and still wear my Razorback Reds in the Bay in NoCal.

[Tejano Jawg]

I know Robert's list is Robert's list...but Vandy? Come on...there was nothing on the line that year. Heartbreaker? No. That game should have done nothing more than piss you off.

I think you could do a subset of only painful Texas losses (too many of those), bowl losses (too many of those as well), but the biggest ones were the games with possible title implications. And, there are combinations of these too.

Here's my list, taking only the 'potential title' enders. Note—all games prior to the mid-70s were before my football consciousness.

•Texas in 77. Earl takes a screen pass and runs for about 30 yards...biggest play of the game. Had we won and gone to the Cotton Bowl, Notre Dame still plays us for the title.
•Tenn in 98. The Stoerner fumble ended our grand day. We still had more games to play that year. Would we have made the title game had we won out?
•Miami in 88. Atwater hangs onto that pick, and we are undefeated going into the Cotton Bowl. Someone other than UCLA would have played us. Would #1 Notre Dame (with Holtz coaching) have chosen to come to Dallas? This may be the most intriguing one of all.
•Auburn in 03. I'm with Robert on this one. But it's not just this isolated game. It was the first of a 3-game slide...beginning with 2 holding calls on George Wilson to negate 2 long runs. Before Auburn, Matt Jones and Cedric Cobbs were on fire.
•LSU and Florida in 06. These consecutive losses have to be viewed as a pair. We needed to win both to have a shot at the BCS title game. You could argue these 2 forever...both games had big plays made, big plays not made, and catastrophic mistakes. Several by Houston Nutt.

[DeltaBoy]

You know, I said in a thread the other day that the SECOND-most painful Florida loss was the 2003 game in Fayetteville. Matt Jones led a furious comeback, scoring several straight possessions. A late 'Butu interception was nullified by Tony Bua's late hit on Gator QB Chris Leak. I sure wished we got to see what we did with the ball one last time.

Having said all that, the screwing in the Swamp stuck with me longer than any other Hog game that didn't really matter (as opposed to when a bowl or championship was on the line).

That was the Biggest BS late hit call ever on a Hog.  Shoot even the Sports Broadcasters complained about it being a bad call.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

That was the Biggest BS late hit call ever on a Hog.  Shoot even the Sports Broadcasters complained about it being a bad call.

It was very borderline, but it being 3rd down, he should have pulled that hit before it happened. I was mad at Bua for putting himself in the position to even have a bad call go Florida's way on that one.

If I remember, it could have been high, late or out-of bounds. and they could have took their pick.

[WizardofhOgZ]

It was very borderline, but it being 3rd down, he should have pulled that hit before it happened. I was mad at Bua for putting himself in the position to even have a bad call go Florida's way on that one.

If I remember, it could have been high, late or out-of bounds. and they could have took their pick.

It was really the beginning of the current conundrum football finds itself in with these "above the shoulder" hit penalties.  Everyone with a brain (ironically) knows that something has to be done about violent collisions involving the head. But it's extremely hard to govern all of that type of activity and still play legitimate football.  I'm not complaining or bitching - just stating a fact.  It's hard on the refs, the players and the coaches because no one knows exactly what they can and cannot do.

In the case with Bua, my recollection is that his helmet initially struck the Florida QB;s shoulder pads as he was coming in from the side.  But he glanced off the shoulder pads and that took him directly into the side of the QB's helmet.  So, it was a legitimate call in that there was helmet-to-helmet contact.  The tough part is that it was not direct - or intentional, as you see in some cases where the helmet of the defender comes in on a straight line directly toward the other helmet.  But it was helmet-to-helmet, none-the-less.

A really, really tough way for that one to end.  No guarantee that we would have taken the ball and scored, but our offense was on fire at that point.

[Pork Twain]

My Most Painful Memories of Razorback Football

Robert Shields

The last time you actually read one of my "pieces"

Send your heartbreak to fromthebench@yahoo.com

Profound

[Delicious~Dreams]

Please say it's not over.....and come back, there is always more love....   :razorback:

[DLUXHOG]

Please say it's not over.....and come back, there is always more love....   :razorback:

that's pretty much "sensual".....

[Biggus Piggus]

#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.)

Just curious - Why not Florida in the SECCG? That game actually mattered.

[razorbackkid]

that's pretty much "sensual".....

Digging up bones are we?

[LZH]

You guys that keep bringing up these old threads are totally screwing me up.  I don't think straight enough to actually look at the date of a post/thread anyway, so every time this happens I feel like Bill Shatner in one of those rubber Ronald Reagan masks.  Dammit man.

[Sweet Pea]

For the life of me I can't understand how some posters let Robert Shield's posts get their frilly little panties in wad. It's just his opinion... his take. Nothing more. Jeez take a zanex & relax.

[DLUXHOG]

Digging up bones are we?

Maybe a "boner"....

[Biggus Piggus]

Surprised nobody mentioned SMU in 1995. It was absolutely inexplicable. All SMU seemed to have coming in was their dual-threat QB, and he went out for the season in the first quarter. We proceeded to be incapable of moving the football. Robert Reed started, Danny Ford yanked him early, and Barry Lunney got us going just enough so that he could throw away the game fumbling near the SMU goal line at the end. It was all surreal. Some nobody running back from Arkansas ran wild on us. That was SMU's only win that season. We went on to win the SEC West.

I can still remember how shellshocked we all were, driving home after the game (it was in the Cotton Bowl). Similar feelings:

The Big Shootout
The 1971 Liberty Bowl screwing vs. Tennessee
The fumblefest we lost 13-10 to Houston in 1979
Opening SWC play in 1981 with a loss at TCU
Getting beaten up and losing at Baylor in 1982, two weeks before the showdown against SMU
Giving up nothing but five Jeff Ward field goals - losing to mediocre Texas at home 15-13 in 1985
The next Hatfield wilt at home, losing to Texas Tech in 1986
The "Jesus wept" loss to another mediocre Texas team, giving up a last-play TD pass, 1987
Another soggy Texas team beat us again at home, where Hatfield seemed to feel Broyles' stare, 1989
(Ya wonder why Hatfield wasn't so popular?)
Stumblefumble, 1998
Music ** Bowl, 2002 - Minnesota?
Meet Houston Nutt, playcaller - Auburn, 2003

Frustrating losses that weren't inexplicable or infuriating:

The field goal bowl against Texas at home in 1977, the only loss of the best Arkansas team ever
So close...Miami 18, Arkansas 16, 1988
Our kicker got himself suspended, we needed him - Mississippi State, 1998
We were about to beat a vastly superior Texas team, then MJ fumbled - 2004
LSU + Florida, 2006