After a wild Friday filled with rumors and denials that Houston Nutt had resigned as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks, effective after the season finale with LSU, Saturday was just what the drama-weary fans needed and deserved.

Casey Dick had his finest game as a Razorbacks quarterback, competing 14 of 17 passes for 199 yards with no interceptions, and the Hogs rolled to an important 45-31 victory over Mississippi State, which should have secured a bowl bid.

The Independence and Liberty are strong possibilities, but one more victory and the chant might become, “ Hey, hey, ho, ho, Arkansas to the Cotton Bowl. ’

Charlie Fiss of the Cotton Bowl was an official observer of the Razorbacks’ victory, and while he would never commit or comment, it is obvious an Arkansas team with eight victories would be appealing to say the least.

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Auburn could have eight victories, too, but the Tigers were there last season. Of course, Florida does have Tim Tebow to Arkansas’ Darren McFadden.

The stumbling block between the Razorbacks nation and Big D is the No. 1-ranked team in the country, LSU.

Plus another week of drama.

By halftime Saturday with the Hogs leading 31-17, Mark May had reported on ESPN that Nutt was coaching his last game in the Rock for the Razorbacks, citing numerous sources.

Drama has seemed to replace Dale as Nutt’s middle name for more than a year now.

Yet, Nutt seems oblivious to it, and Saturday, that was a good thing as the Razorbacks played perhaps their most balanced two halves of football, and the best first half of football this season.

In what was most likely his last appearance as a Razorback in his 501 area code, McFadden shared a feel-good afternoon with all his teammates, especially Dick, Robert Johnson, Peyton Hillis and Antwain Robinson.

McFadden rushed for 88 yards, passed for 24 (and a touchdown ) and had 4 catches for 50 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown.

With David Lee calling the right plays at the right time, Dick completed 9 of 10 in the first half for 131 yards and 3 touchdowns. His fourth scoring pass started out as a 3-yarder to McFadden, who was a safety valve, but the junior took it another 54 yards for a touchdown.

Dick is tied for third on the UA’s all-time list for touchdown passes with 33.

Johnson looked like a veteran receiver, making 3 catches for 71 yards and 2 touchdowns, the second one a 24-yard toss by McFadden, which was the only play of the day that Lee didn’t call.

Hillis stepped into injured Felix Jones’ role and rushed 11 times for 65 yards, mostly up the middle, and he also caught two passes.

Then there was Robinson, who has played hurt most of the year and was rumored to have quit the team Thursday night but was talked into sticking out the rest of the season by a friend.

Robinson was not listed anywhere on the official charts and didn’t play for a long time, but in the fourth quarter, he made the best defensive play of the day when he intercepted Wesley Carroll’s pass and raced — literally — 30 yards for a touchdown.

For the record, the UA denied he quit.

Denial and disassociation seem to be working overtime with the Razorbacks right now.

When ESPN announced Nutt would not return, it cited transfers by Mitch Mustain, Damian Williams, Gus Malzahn’s hasty departure, phone record requests and lawsuits as some of the problems that have plagued Nutt.

Nutt denied Saturday, again, that he has resigned.

So the Razorbacks come off their best game of the year and their most balanced attack, 206 yards on the ground and 223 in the air, and probably put themselves in the Independence or Liberty Bowl pictures.

And as they get ready to prepare for LSU and a shot at the Cotton, they will also endure another week of drama, but this team seems to have grown accustomed to that.