Arkansas didn’t appear too interested in the final game of the season against Missouri, who basically appeared bored.
That matched the mood of a lot of fans.
The result was a 38-0 win by the Tigers, who finish the season at 8-4 while the Razorbacks end with a program record in losses at 10 against just a pair of wins, none against a Power 5 opponent and only one against a FBS team.
It’s been that kind of year.
Saturday’s whitewashing is what happens when you pair a team with just two wins and zero momentum going up against a team looking to push itself to a better bowl game with Drew Lock, who may be the first quarterback taken in the spring’s NFL Draft.
It started early. Missouri took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in 11 plays with Lock going in nine yards out and it was 7-0.
Before the Tigers could get on the board again, the Razorbacks had a play that summed up the entire season.
In the first quarter, Ty Storey found Deon Stewart wide open on a long pass that may have given the Hogs some momentum. The only problem was senior guard Hjalte Froholdt wandered too far downfield, so the whole thing came back with the addition of a penalty.
Yes, it’s been that kind of season.
After both teams stumbled through the rest of the first quarter, Missouri made it 14-0 after an interception, then a six-play drive and Lock capped off with his second score of the game with 13:11 left in the second period.
Storey, heavily pressured nearly every time he dropped back to pass, had the ball swatted out of his hand, it was kicked and rolled into the end zone where Tucker McCann finally fell on it to give Missouri a 21-0 lead with 12:33 left in the second period.
Missouri added another touchdown just before halftime after the Hogs’ defense got a goal-line stand stop, but the offense couldn’t muster a first down or run out the clock.
After that, it became Connor Noland’s turn.
Lock directed a six-play, 43-yard drive in 1:04 with the win coming on a 6-yard pass from Lock to Emanuel Hall that made it 28-0.
After the Hogs couldn’t convert opening the second half inside the Missouri 10, the Tigers needed nine plays to cover 97 yards on a 67-yard scoring pass from Lock to Hall and it was 35-0.
The Tigers added a late field goal for the final margin.
Arkansas senior linebacker Dre Greenlaw didn’t play in the game and neither did redshirt sophomore quarterback Cole Kelley, who didn’t make the trip.
