The Razorbacks weren’t fooled and weren’t whipped, Arkansas third-year sophomore linebacker Freddie Fairchild said Monday.

They just goofed up, Fairchild opined of Kentucky running over the Hogs in the second half of Kentucky’s 42-29 SEC victory last Saturday night at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Kentucky had 8 carries for 8 yards when trailing 20-14 at half. The Wildcats finished with 170 yards on 36 totes for the game they took over with a pounding rushing attack complementing Kentucky’s renowned passing game.

Arkansas well defended Kentucky’s passing in the first half but was vulnerable by land and air during the Wildcats’ 21-point fourth quarter.

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Kentucky, Fairchild said, executed what Arkansas defensive coordinator Reggie Herring warned the Razorbacks to combat.

“ Coach Herring told us they would come out running the ball because they had been passing and he thought they were going to try and switch it up, ” Fairchild said. “ We were prepared for it. We just made mistakes as a team. It wasn’t the issue of being whipped up front or behind. It was mental errors on the part of everybody out there on the field. ”

At 1-2 overall and 0-2 in the SEC West, Arkansas can’t do anything about its SEC plight until hosting Auburn, Oct. 13 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

In the meantime, these next two Saturdays are devoted to 6 p. m. nonconference games with North Texas at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville and Tennessee-Chattanooga, Oct. 6 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

North Texas is 0-3 with 79-10, 45-31 and 30-20 losses to Oklahoma, SMU and Florida Atlantic.

On paper, as Fairchild remarked, for Arkansas this may appear that “ it will be a good little game to get back into the swing of things. ”

However, Arkansas coach Houston Nutt asserts this game can swing disastrously if the Razorbacks repeat mistakes committed in all phases of the game against Kentucky.

“ I think the worst thing we can do is think not highly touted team, haven’t won a game. I’m not concerned about that, ” Nutt said. “ As you all know, anything can happen on these crazy Saturdays. Anything ! You turn the ball over and you don’t make good decisions and have foolish penalties, it will be a dogfight Saturday. The way we approach it is, ‘ Let’s get better. Let’s start playing smarter. And let’s play four quarters. ’”

Brandon Barnett, the sophomore junior college transfer and former Texarkana Razorback, will be the Razorbacks ’ third tailback Saturday night, Nutt said, behind All-Americans Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.

Third-year sophomore tailback Michael Smith is suspended indefinitely, including Saturday’s game at the least, Nutt said.

Smith’s weekend went from bad (fumbling to Kentucky’s Trevard Lindley who returned it for a 67-yard touchdown just 26 seconds before halftime ) to jail when he was arrested Sunday on forgery and theft by receiving charges regarding a credit card given to him that was allegedly stolen.

The arrest the day after the fumble obviously didn’t sit well with Nutt.

“ You are not doing right off the field, ” Nutt said, “ you are not going to be doing right on the field. It’s a direct correlation. I don’t have much sympathy for that. A terrible, terrible decision. ”

McFadden’s Heisman campaign, he was the 2006 Heisman r unner up and Doak Walker Award winner, marches on even with Arkansas, 1-2.

After all, McFadden averages 173 yards per game and 6. 0 per carry, 86 carries for 519 yards, against defenses stacked trying to stop him. Plus he’s caught 7 passes for 56 yards and thrown a 42-yard TD pass and averages 23. 2 yards on 4 kickoff returns.

“ We are always trying to win as many games as we can, ” Nutt replied when asked if the team’s record jeopardizes Heisman hopes. “ But what is the trophy ? Is it for the best player or the best team ? It’s about giving it to the best player, I think. ”