An obnoxious TCU fan rapped his knuckles on the press box glass for about the 10th time and pointed at the scoreboard with 2:05 to play.
Earlier, in vain, it was explained to the fan that we were working. He didn't hear us, or didn't care.
Understand that a night game that approaches four hours is hell for beat writers and columnists of the statewide newspaper. Our deadlines are not fluid. Our stories must be filed one minute after a night game ends.
The obnoxious fan was interfering with the obituary that was being composed about the Hogs' performance.
The Razorbacks had just allowed TCU to score three touchdowns in 7:40 while the Hogs were going three-and-out on back-to-back possessions, totaling 12 yards.
The Frogs gained 188 yards on 13 plays to score those three touchdowns, and with 2:05 to go and a 28-20 lead, it appeared the Hogs had found that old nemesis, a way to lose instead of win.
The column was almost complete when TCU quarterback Kenny Hill, who would pass and run for 470 yards to the Hogs' total of 403, lost his cool and made a slashing sign across his throat.
That's a big no-no in college football, and in that moment of lost respect and discipline, the Frogs were penalized 15 yards and had to kick from the 20. Dominique Reed returned it 22 yards to put the Hogs in play at their 42 with less than two minutes to score. Their previous touchdown drive had taken almost four minutes.
This one was different. This time, Austin Allen put the team on his back and strolled to the line of scrimmage with grit and determination the entire team could see. He was the leader. It was his team.
He completed 4 of 4 passes for all the yards needed with Keon Hatcher grabbing the last one for 16 yards and the touchdown.
If memory serves, the fan knocked on the glass to indicate the Hogs would fail on the two-point conversion.
What happened was the Frogs got depantsed on national television. They were not ready for the Razorbacks' razzle dazzle.
Allen took the snap, handed off to Drew Morgan for what appeared to be an end run, but Morgan stopped and pitched to Hatcher and by then most of the Frogs thought it was a double reverse. Allen seemed to have disappeared and then reappeared in the end zone, where Hatcher threw a wobbly left-handed pass that was caught and the game was tied.
TCU quickly drove to the Arkansas 11, subjecting us to a couple more knocks on the glass. But Hill lost his touch, throwing two incompletions.
On third down, the Frogs lined up for a 28-yard chip shot field-goal attempt to win the game.
Only Dan Skipper stretched his 6-10 frame as high as it would go, leaped and blocked the kick.
The most obvious thing on the field in the two overtimes was the Razorbacks were looking to their quarterback, in just his second start, to lead them, and he did.
In the first overtime, Rawleigh Williams gained 6 yards, but Allen passed twice to Jeremy Sprinkle, the second a touchdown.
TCU got the ball first in the second overtime and kicked a field goal. Then Reed got 15 yards on an end around, Williams ran for 1 and Allen passed for another 4, leaving the Hogs with third and goal from the 5.
Shades of last season's Ole Miss game appeared when Allen's number was called and he ran right, just like his brother did on the winning two-point conversion last year vs. the Rebels.
Allen was hit a couple of times but kept his feet moving, and just after 10 p.m. Saturday night in Fort Worth, the Hogs had upset the No. 15 Horned Frogs.
Someone in the press box knocked on the glass, just as the obnoxious fan had been doing all game, but he didn't look.
Sports on 09/13/2016