For six games and three quarters, the Razorbacks probably haven’t missed Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.

Junior SEC rushing leader running back Michael Smith has been that good and the blowout losses to Nos. 1, 2 and 5 ranked Texas, Alabama and Florida that bad. So the Arkansas presence of absent All-American turned NFL running backs McFadden and Jones likely wouldn’t have altered the 3-3 overall and 1-2 SEC records the Razorbacks took to Lexington for last Saturday night’s SEC game at Kentucky.

But, oh, how either McFadden or Jones could have altered Arkansas’ 21-20 loss at Commonwealth Stadium.

With either available, maybe Arkansas, now 3-4, 1-3, doesn’t unravel from up 20-7 with 4: 56 left to the loss All-American center Jonathan Luigs described as one “ we gave away. ”

The Hogs unglued after Smith, 35 carries for 196 yards and a touchdown and 3 catches for 33 yards with a TD reception against Kentucky, and 35 carries for 176 yards the week before to win at Auburn, exited injured late in the fourth quarter.

Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said it was believed Smith suffered a concussion.

Because of quarterback Casey Dick’s throwing and unexpected running and a Fayetteville home crowd and an underdog opponent that couldn’t finish, Arkansas at the last eked out a 28-24 victory over Western Illinois while Smith was suspended for that Aug. 30 season opener.

However minus Smith late in Lexington, the Razorbacks unraveled on both sides of the ball against Wildcats ready to pounce.

An Arkansas defense that pitched a first-half shutout and been burned only on Alfonso Smith’s tackle-evading 71-yard third-quarter touchdown run of quarterback Mike Hartline’s pass suddenly couldn’t pressure Hartline nor locate Kentucky wideout Randall Cobb.

Freshman Cobb was Kentucky’s quarterback for awhile in the first half. Hartline had been throwing picks and getting booed as had been the sophomore’s Commonwealth custom.

Half of the mostly Kentucky blue 70, 000 crowd was gone by the fourth quarter.

Hartline had even thrown what appeared a game-sealing pick to Arkansas cornerback Ramon Broadway with 4: 56 left before the fumble by Razorback freshman backup tailback De’Anthony Curtis gave Hartline a transfusion and expressed the Razorbacks’ road to ruin.

Hartline and Cobb connected for their TD passes at 4: 15 and 2: 21.

It wasn’t just Curtis’ fumble by the way. The quality freshman from Camden came back nicely with a strong run only to have it voided by one of Arkansas’ 13

penalties. An earlier illegal shift voided a Casey Dick touchdown which would have sufficed to win. Instead the Hogs settled for a Shay Haddock field goal that proved not enough.

Arkansas opportunities abounded both offensively and defensively after Hartline’s first fourth-quarter TD pass to Cobb for the Hogs to right the ship. They couldn’t find a rudder with Smith in dry-dock. Especially with more illegal shifts than a renegade race car. The illegal shift on Curtis’ post-fumble 5-yard run turned what would have been a first down at the Arkansas 22 into a third and 15 back at the 12. The Hogs ended up punting. Cobb returned it 14 yards to the 35 and soon caught the Hartline game-winner wide open from 21 yards out. “ It’s a shame because he [Smith ] was playing his heart out, ” Petrino said of Smith’s injury. “ But we have to have other guys step up and make plays. We didn’t continue to play like an entire offense like we had earlier. We fumbled it back and our defense has to come up with a stop and couldn’t do it. ” Arkansas unraveled every direction. Several on the defense said they suddenly couldn’t pick up the defensive signals from the sideline on Kentucky’s last drive.

Seemed with Smith out everyone lost their compass.

Now comes Ole Miss and former Arkansas coach Houston Nutt to Fayetteville for Saturday’s 6 p. m. SEC game at Frank Broyles Field at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Arkansas fans have circled this game since Nutt departed under pressure last November to Ole Miss.

By next Saturday, these Hogs’ emotions will circle around celebrating Smith’s return or circling the wagons with Curtis and fellow freshman running back Dennis Johnson if Smith still ails.

But in Lexington there was no new talk about playing their old coach. Just lamenting the one that got away.

“ We had them where we wanted them, ” Luigs said. “ And then to give it away like that — with penalties and just not really executing — is a tough one to swallow. ” Nate Allen covers the Razorbacks for the Northwest Arkansas Times.