The odds of De'Vion Warren ever forgetting this weekend are slim to none.
A 5-10 senior receiver whose contributions in the passing game through his first three seasons at Arkansas had been minimal at best, Warren played no small role in the Razorbacks' memorable 21-14 win at No. 16 Mississippi State.
If not for his production and heady play in the absence of star receiver Treylon Burks, Arkansas' 20-game losing streak in SEC play may very well still be intact. Offensively, Warren was the Razorbacks' star, reeling in four passes for 100 yards and a touchdown against the Bulldogs.
The four receptions in the win match his 2019 total, and the 100 yards more than triple his career output entering the season.
"He did a great job," Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said via Zoom. "De’Vion has had some good practices. It’s just like anything else, you’re pretty much going to play like you practice and the kids have bought into that.
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"It’s just fun to watch him because he’s a hard practicer and a really great kid."
In Week 1 against No. 4 Georgia, the Monroe, La., native recorded one catch that went for a career-best 28 yards. His first reception at Mississippi State went for 52 yards and set up a scoring opportunity in the second quarter.
Catch No. 2 for Warren put the Razorbacks ahead for good. As receiver Trey Knox served as a decoy on what looked to be a swing pass toward the sideline, Warren slipped behind a Mississippi State defensive back and hauled in his first score of the season, and the second of his career.
It was his first receiving touchdown since 2018 against Alabama. Quarterback Feleipe Franks, who completed 20 of 28 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns, was among the first players to greet Warren after the play.
The graduate transfer wrapped his arms around the shifty receiver and lifted him off the ground.
"He’s had good practices, so it’s not shocking or surprising to see him do well," Pittman said.
While his 19-yard score from Franks helped the Razorbacks build a 14-point lead, his final catch was perhaps his biggest of the night. It went down as an 11-yarder — his shortest reception — but it essentially sealed the game with less than two minutes to play.
Franks rolled to his right and connected for a first down on third-and-8 to the Mississippi State 24. If not for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on receiver Mike Woods, Warren's play would have expedited the Razorbacks' celebration.
"De’Vion, he did a great job," Franks said. "In practice, being able to communicate with those guys is important to be able to talk through some of the stuff. I think those receivers across the board do a great job communicating with me and telling me what they’re seeing, and I communicate with them what I’m seeing. That collaborative effort is wonderful. At the same time, go out there and be productive together.
"De’Vion does a great job of communicating with me, just like the other receivers. I was able to get him the ball and he did a great job after the catch, getting the ball down the field. … That was wonderful. I’m happy for him."