And just like that, Kentucky became a pivotal game on Arkansas’ schedule.

When the Razorbacks beat Auburn last weekend, two words started to be dreamed about that no one thought possible two weeks ago: bowl eligible.

To win half of these last six games, the Razorbacks need another shot of confidence.

Make no mistake about it: The Razorbacks have one of, if not the toughest schedules in college football.

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Their three losses have been to the No. 1-, No. 2- and No. 5-ranked teams, but all three were lopsided scores.

Then, amidst some drama down on the plains, the Razorbacks go on the road and win. Now with Kentucky coming up Saturday, the game becomes huge.

Arkansas needs momentum going into next week when Ole Miss comes to Fayetteville with more drama than daytime television, and it is followed up with Tulsa coming to town. There will be some emotions about Gus Malzahn and the offense he runs that leads the nation in scoring but won’t work in college football.

The Razorbacks absolutely cannot afford to look ahead because what they are about to find in Lexington is a bunch of ticked-off Wildcats.

Kentucky has lost its past two games by a total of 10 points after starting the season 4-0.

The Wildcats mirror Auburn in some ways, but no coaches have been fired this week.

Kentucky has a great defense, struggles on offense because of a lack of a proven quarterback and is expected to win.

What the Razorbacks have to do — and there is every indication now that Bobby Petrino has had a plan the entire time — is improve off last week’s victory.

Cut down on interceptions and don’t give up touchdowns on kickoffs.

Thinking back to last week, perhaps the play of the game was when freshman receiver Joe Adams caught cornerback Neiko Thorpe from behind after Thorpe had intercepted Casey Dick.

That saved a touchdown. The Hogs won by three.

It was said by most who saw him in high school that Adams was equally good at safety as he was receiver.

Anyway, this game is huge for both schools, and while this won’t be as hostile an environment as, say, Texas, Kentucky has come a long way in football.

The school that at the end of the athletic year once awarded the basketball coach (Adolph Rupp ) a new Cadillac and the football coach (Bear Bryant ) a brand-new cigarette lighter has come a long way in supporting Rich Brooks and football.

Used to be when the fans gathered, it was to discuss prospects for basketball season. But now they come to pull for the Wildcats football team and discuss basketball, which had its media day on Wednesday.

“The fans really have come a long way in the last few years,” said Rick Bozich, columnist for the Louisville Courier-Journal. “But if they lose to Arkansas, they will move on to the real sport, basketball.”

Bozich watched Bobby Petrino for four years as the head coach at Louisville, and he was less than complimentary of Petrino when he left the Atlanta Falcons with three games remaining to become Arkansas’ head coach.

Wednesday, on a statewide radio show, Bozich did say: “I’ve been in Louisville more than 30 years and I’ve seen a lot of football coaches come and go, and let me assure you, as a pure football coach, Bobby is the best I’ve seen.”

In the past two weeks, we have seen Petrino trim his complicated offense to help simplify the scheme.

Last week he was checking off or calling the play with 15 seconds remaining on the play clock.

Dick still has the option to check off, too, but what happened last Saturday worked very well for the Razorbacks.

If they improve off last week’s game, they win, and they need to. This is a pivotal game in the hunt for those two words, bowl eligible.

Not to mention the momentum they will need as they get ready for the next two soap operas.