Arkansas hasn't seen a beating like Saturday's against Notre Dame since Chad Morris was the head coach of Arkansas. The last time Arkansas lost by 43 points or more was against Mississippi State in 2018, 52-6, and that's something Sam Pittman didn't need on his plate heading into a bye week.
Notre Dame rolls Razorbacks
The Razorbacks looked awful in every aspect of the game. The offense that once looked like one of the best in the nation put up just 13 points against a suspect Irish defense. Statistically, Arkansas still drove the football. It recorded 365 yards, including 158 on the ground and 207 through the air. However, Arkansas couldn't finish drives.
The defense was horrendous, per usual. Arkansas only stopped Notre Dame once. However, even that only came after the Irish pulled off a fake punt for 40 yards earlier in the drive. The defense gave up 641 yards of offense, including 420 and 42 points (!!) in the first half. It was so bad that fans in Razorback Stadium were actively calling for Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman's job.
If you wanted a stat that sums up the state of Arkansas football, here ya go pic.twitter.com/7Bvm3UGtnl
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) September 27, 2025
So now, where does Arkansas go from here?
The team looks like it's given up on their coach. At one point, Taylen Green scrambled on fourth-and-7, and instead of trying to extend the play, he simply walked out of bounds, which is odd for the fifth-year play-caller. Granted, the game was all but over. Still, when the leader of a team—the quarterback—just gives up, no matter the situation, it's a troubling sign.
So, there are two ways to approach the next few weeks. Assuming Notre Dame was the final nail in the coffin for Pittman's Arkansas coaching career, the powers that be can either let go of Pittman now, since the Hogs are heading into a bye week. Or, they can wait until Pittman inevitably reaches the under .500 mark in his contract. Pittman is 29-27 since 2021, so that means the sixth-year head coach would need to lose three more games in a row before the clause kicks in.
After the bye week, Arkansas will visit Knoxville, Tennessee, to face the Volunteers, meaning the defensive struggles will likely continue. UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar has made quite the impression so far. He's put up 1,124 yards through the air at a 66.7 percent clip and has accounted for 12 touchdowns.
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