Hogs must get back to bullying

Arkansas running back Rawleigh Williams is tackled by Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett during a game Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016, in Arlington, Texas.

— When ESPN and SEC Network analyst Booger McFarland was in town a few weeks ago we were talking about Texas A&M.

McFarland said, “If you’re looking at Kleenex, that’s how soft I think Texas A&M is.”

I can assure you nobody is saying that after last Saturday night when the Aggies manhandled the would-be tough guys of the SEC in a 45-24 victory at AT&T Stadium.

This is was a big chance for Arkansas to prove they were ready to contend in the SEC West. Having won nine of their last 10 games dating back to last season and playing a ranked opponent while being ranked for the first time since 2011, the Razorbacks had a chance to beat a ranked team for the fourth consecutive time, something they hadn’t done since 1964-65.

But the Hogs aren’t there yet. Texas A&M is and here’s two reasons why: It can run the ball like a great SEC team and its defensive line is legit. Truth be told, Arkansas’ offensive line made the Aggies look even better.

This is not how I thought this game would go in year four under Bret Bielema. You don’t expect a team which prides itself on physicality to fail repeatedly inside in the 2-yard line. Arkansas had 11 snaps inside the 2 and came away with 3 points.

Did Arkansas beat itself or is Texas A&M just better? The answer is probably both. I still don’t completely trust A&M, but they’ve become a more well-rounded and physical football team, which is critical to success in the SEC.

However, Arkansas had seven penalties for 62 yards and a fumble at the goal line to go along with the goal line fails. Three points out of a possible 21 can get you beat against Toledo, never mind a top 10 SEC team.

I give credit to A&M for being stout at the goal line, slowing down the Arkansas run game and teeing off on Austin Allen, but think about this: In the third quarter with the game tied at 17, Arkansas had a 19-play drive that ate 9:55 off the clock and then failed to punch it in on four tries from inside the 2.

That’s a serious look-in-the-mirror moment for a team which is all about winning up front. Arkansas challenged A&M with a fight to prove who was bigger, tougher and stronger and lost. That’s tough to swallow and you could tell it affected the sideline.

The Razorbacks looked different from that moment on.

Ironically, this team may not have the makeup Bielema would prefer. On the 19-play drive that took the Hogs from the their own 1-yard line to the A&M goal line, they ran it 12 times for only 15 yards. Eleven of those yards came from someone other than a running back.

Arkansas’ best offensive player may very well be Allen, who continues to prove he can just flat out play. On third down while Allen was hit throwing or immediately after, he was 8 of 13 for 166 yards in mostly third-and-long situations.

He has been the definition of clutch and finished the game 28 of 42 for 371 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The redshirt junior has been lights out all year and just keeps getting better.

Seniors Drew Morgan, Keon Hatcher and Jeremy Sprinkle have been reliable targets, and Jared Cornelius came back from an injury with seven catches for 126 yards and a touchdown on Saturday.

This is not so say abandon the running game, but obviously the Hogs' running game isn’t quite ready to bully the SEC around.

This story originally appeared in Hawgs Illustrated