For more than two quarters on Saturday afternoon in Fayetteville, it looked as if Arkansas might actually contain Missouri’s Doak Walker Award semifinalist Ahmad Hardy. The Tigers appeared content to lean on Beau Pribula and Jamal Roberts for the early punch, using Hardy more as a looming threat than a featured weapon. But eventually, Hardy did what Hardy does, took over the game in a fashion only he can.
Midway through the third quarter, after being swarmed by half of Arkansas’ front seven, Hardy’s legs ignited. Through pure determination, he broke three tackles in a single burst, punched through the Razorbacks’ wall, and exploded downfield for a 53-yard, momentum-shattering touchdown. The run drained the life out of Razorback Stadium, and from there Missouri simply controlled the clock and closed the door.
Missouri Dominates the Trenches
The ground game was always going to be the priority against Arkansas’ porous defensive front, and Mizzou delivered. The Tigers piled up 322 rushing yards on 58 attempts, imposing their will snap after snap. In total, Missouri gained 322 of its 347 total yards on the ground, with three different players topping 75 rushing yards, each scoring a touchdown:
- Ahmad Hardy: 157 yards
- Jamal Roberts: 100 yards
- Brett Pribula: 78 yards
Pribula attempted only seven passes, accounting for 25 yards, but with the rain, wind, and cold swirling through Razorback Stadium, and Missouri’s ground game thriving, the Tigers never needed anything more.
The combination of Mizzou’s punishing rushing attack and relentless defensive pressure proved too much for Arkansas. Once Missouri took control, the game never swung back.
Arkansas’ Season-Long Issues Resurface
If Missouri’s offense was dominant, Arkansas’ lack of discipline was equally destructive. The Razorbacks were penalized 16 times for 121 yards, a recurring problem that has plagued them all season. Undisciplined football, combined with breakdowns in all three phases, made it nearly impossible to stay competitive.
Special teams imploded repeatedly:
- A botched touchback in the first quarter
- A 67-yard punt return allowed to Kevin Coleman in the fourth
- Confusion on the subsequent two-point conversion attempt
Defensively, nothing Arkansas showed was unexpected. Missouri attacked the weaknesses that had been apparent all year, and the Hogs had no answers.
A Tale of Two Halves for the Razorbacks
Offensively, Arkansas entered halftime leading 17–14, thanks to timely plays and a solid rotation under center between KJ Jackson and Taylen Green. Jackson opened both halves, with Green taking over the remainder of the snaps.
But after halftime, the Razorbacks unraveled. Missouri’s adjustments suffocated the Hogs’ attack, holding them scoreless and limiting them to 73 total yards, while recording four second-half sacks. The offense that kept Arkansas competitive early completely vanished when it mattered most.
The loss marked Arkansas’ 10th straight defeat and secured the program’s fourth winless SEC season in school history, an unwelcome statistic that underscores the depth of the program’s struggles.
A Brutal Season Ends, Rebuild Begins
Arkansas now heads into the offseason after a year that fans and players will be eager to forget. The program has major work ahead, starting with its most critical task: hiring the next head coach. Only then can the Razorbacks focus on reshaping the roster, rebuilding culture, and charting a path back toward relevance in the SEC.
Missouri, meanwhile, marches forward riding a dominant rushing performance and a statement victory, proving once again that their physical style of football can suffocate opponents and close out games with authority.