ANDY SHUPE Northwest Arkansas Times Michael Smith, left, fends off Florida’s Duke Lemmens during the Hogs ’ 38-7 loss Saturday.

Even with the Arkansas offense moving the ball with ease Saturday against Florida in the first half, the Razorbacks still managed to stub their pig toe.

Arkansas consistently found receivers downfield for long gains and running back Michael Smith churned toward 133 yards on the ground. But four possessions in Florida territory in the first half yielded zero points — a fact that Smith, despite the memory of UA’s recent struggles, would have scoffed at before the game.

“ I would have believed we would have put the ball in the end zone every time, ” he said.

But the Hogs didn’t and paid for it in the fourth quarter. With the game still in reach, the UA defense gave up 21 points in a 38-7 loss that was closer than the final score suggests.

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And it was the same type of mistakes that hindered the Hogs from pulling off an upset. Once again, penalties, sacks and failed fourth-down conversions on short-yardage plays proved costly for a team that has yet to score a first-quarter point this season.

“ It’s real frustrating, ” Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino said. “ The positive is, at least we’re on the field, which helps the defense. It’s frustrating, but it’s better than going threeand-out all the time. It’s something we can at least build on. ”

On its four, first-half possessions inside Florida territory, Arkansas committed three penalties inside the 40-yard line and quarterback Casey Dick suffered two of his four sacks. The senior also tossed his lone interception on the final drive, which ended at the 25-yard line when nickelback Joe Haden dropped back to the goal line and eventually into the end zone for the turnover with 12 seconds remaining in the first half.

“ Once we get down there, we’ve got to be able to check the ball down and not throw an interception right there, ” said Dick, who hasn’t thrown a touchdown in two weeks.

It was a turnover waiting to happen. The familiarity with the situation prior to the play prompted Bobby Petrino to turn his head as Dick approached the sideline.

“ We had talked just before he went out on the field, ” Petrino said, before recalling the conversation with his quarterback. “‘ Hey, we’re in good field position here We’ll take a field goal. No sacks. No picks. ’ I think he was just trying to make play for a touchdown. ”

Even without the points the promise of the UA offense moving the ball downfield provided an opportunity and also a different atmosphere in the locker room.

“ I liked what I saw at halftime, ” Petrino said. “ thought our players were listening to the adjustments and feeling good that they were in the game and com peting to be in the game. We came out in the third quarter and gave the same effort. ”

Arkansas held Florida to a field goal to open the third quarter, drove down the field again on offense and finally scored a touchdown to cut the deficit to 17-7 Then Arkansas’ Jerry Franklin intercepted Tim Tebow to excite the crowd and the Arkansas sideline.

Hope was spreading.

“ But then we couldn’t take advantage of the turnover when we got the interception, ” Petrino said. “ Not being able to get points off of that was real disappointing. ”

A lot could be picked at as to why Arkansas struggled to put the ball in the end zone The penalties and mental mistakes are one. And then there’s the lack of big run ning plays, Petrino said.

“ We haven’t had the home-run hitter yet, ” Petri no said.

Smith had five carries of 10 or more yards in the game, but several could have been longer gains — or even touchdowns — with a cut or adjustment, the running back admitted.

“ I should have cashed in on a couple of those runs, Smith said. “ A few of them I was tripped up. Once regained my balance some body hit me. I’ve got to try little bit harder, give a little bit more effort and hopeful ly we’ll get those 70, 80 yard [runs ]. ”

A lot of work is left for the Hogs on both sides of the ball, Petrino said.

“ We’re still a ways away, he said. “ We’ve got to get points. We’ve got to score... I would have felt better about the game if we had finished stronger and not given up those three scores in the fourth quarter. ”

But the improvements made between the 52-10 loss at Texas last week to the flop in the fourth quarter Satur day were apparent, Petrino said, as he cleared the air.

“ We’re a better football team than we were a week ago at Texas, ” he asserted “ We’ve just got to keep work ing hard and keep going to practice with a good atti tude. ”