Solid red does not suit Hogs

DALLAS — The Cotton Bowl marked the first time Arkansas has worn red jerseys with red pants.

Judging from the outcome, it should be the last time the Razorbacks do it, too.

Given that Missouri beat Arkansas 38-7, it might have been the biggest wardrobe malfunction at a football game since Janet Jackson’s problems at Super Bowl XXXVIII.

OK, that’s stretching it a bit, and we regret the wording of our question about going all red to Reggie Herring, the Razorbacks’ interim coach.

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“What was the deal with the all-red uniforms today ?” we asked. “How did you think that worked for you ?”

Looking back, yeah, that could have been asked a little more tactfully.

“Well, let me ask you this,” Herring shot back. “If we’d have worn all purple, would that have mattered ?”

Good point, Reggie. Probably not.

Herring went on to explain that the Razorbacks wore all red to honor Frank Broyles, who officially retired Monday as Arkansas’ athletic director, ending a 50-year run as the Razorbacks’ coach or AD.

“We wanted to do something significant for this game for him,” Herring said. “He demands and deserves all your respect is what I say.

“ That’s why we wore all red, for Coach Broyles. Period.”

Arkansas junior quarterback Casey Dick said that after the bowl matchups where announced a month ago, the players asked Herring about the possibility of wearing all-red uniforms. Herring initially shot down that idea, then surprised the players Monday night when he unveiled the all-red uniforms. But like we said, considering Tuesday’s outcome, don’t expect to see the Razorbacks in all red again anytime soon.

Tejada struggles Arkansas freshman placekicker Alex Tejada has been a bright spot this season. Going into the Cotton Bowl, he had hit 17 of 21 field-goal attempts with the misses coming from 50, 44, 42 and 41 yards. Anything inside 40 yards figured to be automatic, but Tejada was 0 of 2 against Missouri. He missed wide right from 35 yards on Arkansas’ first drive and missed wide left from 37 yards in the second quarter. Getting to know you

Before Tuesday’s Cotton Bowl, Dicky Maegle and Tony Temple had never heard of each other.

Now they’re aware of one another’s exploits after Temple rushed for 281 yards to break Maegle’s 54-year-old Cotton Bowl record of 265 against Alabama on Jan. 1, 1954.

“I had never heard of [Temple ], but I was familiar with Missouri based on the play of their quarterback [Chase Daniel ],” Maegle, the former Rice running back, said after Tuesday’s game. “Honestly, I thought if anyone had a chance to break the record, I would have thought it would be one of the Arkansas running backs [Darren McFadden and Felix Jones ].”

At the postgame news conference after it was announced Temple had broken Maegle’s record, Temple whispered “Who is that ?” to Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel.

Maegle’s name might not be familiar to everyone, but he was involved in one of the most famous plays in football history in the Cotton Bowl when Alabama’s Tommy Lewis came off the bench to tackle him. Maegle was awarded a 95-yard run and touchdown and an embarrassed Lewis was ejected.

Given how Temple ran free against the Razorbacks, you wondered if a Razorback might come off the bench to tackle him, but that didn’t happen.

“I wasn’t worried about that,” Temple said. “I was focused on the field.”

Maegle said he was surprised his Cotton Bowl rushing record lasted so long.

“With as many great running backs that have played in the Cotton Bowl, I knew it would happen sometime,” Maegle said. Temple said it’s “a privilege” to be the Cotton Bowl’s rushing record-holder as well as becoming the first player to rush for four touchdowns. “But records are made to be broken,” he added. “I’m sure some day someone will come along and break my records.” Maegle, Bobby Layne and Jim Brown had held the Cotton Bowl record with three rushing touchdowns each. First SEC loss SEC teams are 6-2 in bowl games after the Razorbacks lost to Missouri and Florida lost to Michigan. Alabama beat Colorado, Mississippi State beat Central Florida, Kentucky beat Florida State, Auburn beat Clemson and Tennessee beat Wisconsin in the SEC’s first five bowl matchups. Later Tuesday night, Georgia defeated Hawaii.

Ground game Missouri is known for its passing offense, but the Tigers took a 14-0 lead in the second quarter with an 82-yard, six-play touchdown drive that didn’t have a pass. Tony Temple fueled the drive with runs of 22 and 38 yards. Scoreless half Arkansas failed to score in the first half for the second time this season. In Auburn’s 9-7 victory on Oct. 13, the Razorbacks trailed 3-0 at halftime. This and that Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden, a two-time winner of the Doak Walker Award, wore wristbands displaying “37” — the Doaker’s number at SMU..... The Razorbacks fell to 11-22-1 in bowl games.... Missouri is 3-2 vs. Arkansas.... Missouri senior tight end Martin Rucker had three receptions to give him a school-record 84 for the season.

Thumbs up To Missouri running back Tony Temple, who did his best Darren McFadden imitation. To Missouri’s defense, which showed it can play, too. To the weatherman, who came up with a sunny day. Thumbs down To whoever called a timeout on the Arkansas sideline before the Razorbacks had executed a fake punt for a first down. To Arkansas’ defense for its poor tackling.