FAYETTEVILLE -- Members of the University of Arkansas football team were asked Saturday night how they would "hold the rope" the rest of the season now that they have been eliminated from postseason eligibility with a 2-7 record.
"The same way we do every week when we come in," senior linebacker De'Jon Harris said. "Just go in there with our heads up and put it away after we finish. Try to make the best corrections and just try to get everybody [to do] what they're doing within the game plan."
Sophomore receiver Mike Woods said the players have to have amnesia.
"Forget about it. The past is the past," Woods said. "We can do nothing about what just happened. The only thing we can do is have a good practice tomorrow.
"We've just got to do our best to keep the young guys up and do our best to lead by example and come in and work hard every day."
Senior defensive tackle McTelvin Agim said the Razorbacks have to "make sure everybody knows we're playing for pride. We've got three games left. Bowl game is out of the picture now, but we've still got three games left. We can't just go out there and lay down."
Agim said he did not sense any lack of enthusiasm in the pregame locker room.
"We felt very energized," he said. "We felt very energized in pregame. The game just started and things just weren't going our way.
"That's what I think it was, things just weren't going our way. We're always energized. We had energy against Bama, Auburn, A&M, San Jose State. We had energy against everybody. Just when we get out there, plays just weren't going our way."
Boyd breaks it
Arkansas tailback Rakeem Boyd, boosted by a 52-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, posted his fourth 100-yard game of the season.
The junior from Stratford, Texas, rushed for 114 yards on 11 carries, averaging 10.4 yards per carry.
Boyd has seven career 100-yard games, including a career-best 134 yards at Kentucky on Oct. 12.
Boyd ranks 26th in the country with 820 rushing yards and 82nd with 5.77 yards per carry.
Over the Hill
Mississippi State tailback Kylin Hill made a strong case for SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors with his 21 carries for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Hill surged over the 1,000-yard mark for the season, taking his rushing total from an SEC-best 793 yards to 1,027 yards. Hill is now eighth nationally in that category. The junior from Columbus, Miss., boosted his per-game average to 114.11 yards per game.
Three consecutive runs by quarterback Tommy Stevens for 1, 15 and 6 yards to open the game threw a curveball at the Arkansas defense.
Hill took the next snap 62 yards over the right side as Arkansas safety Joe Foucha made it clear he was being held on the play by raising his arms.
"I knew I was going to be in a good groove from that first run on," Hill said. "... I was really surprised there was so much running room and I just took off.
"The offensive line did an amazing job today. They get a lot of backlash, but today they proved a point. Once everything is clicking, I think we can run the ball on anybody."
Switch read
Mississippi State safety Marcus Murphy made what felt like the game-sealing play, a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown with 1:59 remaining in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a 38-10 lead.
The interception came off of senior quarterback Ben Hicks, whose second pick was intended for tight end Grayson Gunter about 15 yards down the left sideline. Murphy had been waiting inside, jumped the route and weaved near the goal line to complete the touchdown return.
"In the mix of the play, we knew they were going to run the switch route," Murphy said. "So the whole way I was just waiting on him to sit down and the quarterback to throw the ball, and it was on from [there]."
QB keeper
Mississippi State senior Tommy Stevens, considered more the passing quarterback to freshman Garrett Shrader's status as a dual-threat signal caller, rushed for a career-best 74 yards on 15 carries as the Bulldogs got their run-pass option attack in full gear against Arkansas.
Stevens had a 15-yard carry on a fake toss on a second-and-14 snap on the second play of the game, and he tacked on many good gains after that.
"We were singling one of the linebackers out on that play and he kept flying out with our backs and it was just the read," Stevens said. "It wasn't necessarily a game plan thing, but it was just the look that they gave us and the role that I had while abiding by my rules."
Shrader, who had started the last two games, did not play Saturday due to "general health issues," said Coach Joe Moorhead.
Shrader had been anointed as the starter a few weeks back.
"We made the decision to move ahead with Garrett, but to [Stevens'] credit he didn't come in and pout," Moorhead said. "He didn't complain. He didn't ask why. He understood and kept working, kept his head down and kept working."
Arkansas Coach Chad Morris said the Razorbacks had an idea Stevens would get the starting nod Saturday.
"He ran the ball well and operated their offense extremely well," Morris said.
Not for today
A reporter asked Chad Morris during his postgame session that in the interest of holding everyone accountable, would he consider any staff changes.
"I'm not gonna answer that today," Morris said.
Back bobble
Freshman A'Montae Spivey's fourth-quarter fumble broke a long streak of carries by Arkansas running backs without a lost fumble.
On the play, Spivey had run for first-down distance when cornerback Martin Emerson punched the ball free. Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. made the recovery after Spivey's 11-yard gain to the Mississippi State 38.
The last lost fumble by an Arkansas running back came in the Razorbacks' 55-34 victory over Colorado State in Week 3 when Rakeem Boyd gave one away in the second quarter. Arkansas backs had gone 126 consecutive carries without losing a fumble.
KJ tout
Arkansas players Mike Woods, Rakeem Boyd, McTelvin Agim and De'Jon Harris were very complimentary of freshman quarterback KJ Jefferson, who took the first seven snaps of his college career on Saturday.
But they weren't the only players touting the work of the 6-3, 228-pounder.
"I didn't know much about him, but he is real big," Mississippi State tailback Kylin Hill said. "He's real fast and elusive, and he's really going to be something down the line. I was very, very impressed with him."
Sports on 11/04/2019