Power ranking the SEC after week 8: 13 - Arkansas
This was perhaps Bobby Petrino's best chance to make his case for the head job up in Fayetteville, but he came up short. All is not lost, though: there were some head-scratching game management things down the stretch, but the offense didn't really seem to be the problem at all in this game— not by a long shot.
No, the issue was the defense: a unit that could not stop the Aggies at any point during the game, even though they were clearly scheming for what was coming. They dared the Aggies to run the ball, and A&M was happy to oblige them— and Arkansas couldn't do anything about it at all.
Perhaps the high-flying offensive performance can be what gives Bobby the chance to be the main man going forward, but he'll probably have to knock off a team or two to get there. Missouri and Texas are games to keep an eye on— the Tigers may be too balanced, but the Longhorns might not be able to complete a pass even if receivers are wide open.
This offense is officially for real, though. Taylen Green played maybe the best game of his career, never turning the ball over despite the pressure he faced— it just wasn't enough against an elite team. The Hogs host Auburn next week in a must-win for both programs.