Arkansas Football: 5 takeaways from outstanding win over Penn State in the 2022 Outback Bowl

Raheim Sanders of the Arkansas Football team in the 2022 Outback Bowl game. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Raheim Sanders of the Arkansas Football team in the 2022 Outback Bowl game. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
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Arkansas Football
Arkansas Football (Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports)

No 2. The ground game will continue to be the focal point for Arkansas Football

The ground game looked as good as ever against the Nittany Lions. The Hogs have been deep at running back all year and will continue to rely on their depth to gain the upper hand on defenses.

Dominique Johnson, Raheim Sanders, KJ Jefferson and Trelon Smith all finished with 500 or more rushing yards on the season. All but Smith are expected to be back and contribute next season.

The Razorbacks will use a fantastic ground game to create open passing lanes for Jefferson to target. Once the receiving corp becomes a threat, the ground game will see bigger and bigger holes to break through.

No 1. Winning the 2022 Outback Bowl was a massive win for the culture of the football program

Winning the Outback Bowl is a boon for the program. It gets the team to nine wins on the season, something Arkansas hasn’t done in more than a decade.

The last time they got nine wins or more in a single season was 2011—Bobby Petrino’s final season as head coach.

For the first time in a long time, the college football world is buzzing about the culture that Sam Pittman has constructed in Fayetteville. It’s once again become a destination for top-tier talent.

And the fanbase is buzzing more than ever before.