Razorbacks rewind

Hogs like effort vs. Bulldogs

Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman reacts to a play on Saturday, September 26, 2020 during the second half of a football game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville. Check out nwaonline.com/200927Daily/ for the photo gallery.

FAYETTEVILLE -- After limiting a rebuilding Georgia offense to 387 total yards, 121 rushing yards and 6 of 20 third-down conversions in a 37-10 loss, the University of Arkansas will face the scary "Air Raid" of Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs' debut under Coach Mike Leach with transfer quarterback K.J. Costello could hardly have gone better. Costello completed 36 of 60 passes for 623 yards and 5 touchdowns as part of Mississippi State's 632 yards in its shocking 44-34 victory over defending College Football Playoff champion LSU. The Bulldogs, who shot into The Associated Press Top 25 poll at No. 16 on Sunday, had 11 called runs and 65 called passes against LSU.

Mississippi State is a 17-point favorite on the opening line.

"It doesn't matter who we play, we've got to come out and we have to respect our opponent regardless of who we play," Arkansas safety Jalen Catalon said. "I mean, them beating LSU, that just shows they're a really good football team. And it's the SEC. You never know who is going to get beat, so you have to be on your toes and ready to go."

The Razorbacks have lost 20 consecutive SEC games and 10 games in a row overall, but first-year Coach Sam Pittman said he saw the makings of a good team in the Hogs' loss to Georgia.

"I think our team, honestly, what I like to see, they were hurting after the game, mentally, because we lost the football game," Pittman said. "If we didn't feel that way we'd be in major, major trouble. But I think our guys understand we can have a pretty good football team if we keep working."

Quarterback Feleipe Franks concurred.

"I think Coach Pittman is right," he said. "We're improving, and that's really what matters. We're improving, and at the end of the day we're going to just keep improving throughout the week and get wins at the end of the day. That's our main goal is to win games. Fell short today, but we're going to prepare again this week, all out, to go out there and win next Saturday."

Senior linebacker Grant Morgan said the Razorbacks definitely played with confidence.

"It's different than last year because anyone who watched that game can tell that we can be a good football team," said Morgan, who had a game-high 13 tackles. "We had a lot of confidence in the first half, we played a really good game. If you would have all asked yourselves if we would have been in that game the way we were at halftime, you would've said 'no.'"

Kirby tout

Georgia Coach Kirby Smart had praise for what he saw of Arkansas' fight in the Bulldogs' 27-point win.

"We talked before the game and his kids believe and I know when I was trying to start a program at Georgia, it starts with that fight and competitiveness," Smart said. "I respect the way his team played. They fought right down to the wire and I love the fact that he was trying to fight and compete at the end and score and calling timeouts.

"I have a lot of respect for his kids and they needed that opportunity. We are only guaranteed 10 games and those games aren't guaranteed in the pandemic era. You better enjoy and go play and they competed throughout the game."

Back soon

Sam Pittman said he felt defensive backs Jarques McClellion and Devin Bush would be back very soon and that safety Joe Foucha would see greater playing time starting this week. Covid-19 testing results and contact tracing might have been related to their absences.

Pittman said Foucha was out a few days. Simeon Blair started at safety for Foucha and notched three tackles. Foucha played limited snaps and also posted three tackles.

"We got him back on Thursday, so I'm assuming he'll get a few more snaps next week," Pittman said.

Bush is expected back today, while McClellion, Pittman said, is likely targeted for a return on Wednesday.

Stout Georgia D

Arkansas became the first team to score a touchdown on offense against Georgia in a season opener since 2017 on Feleipe Franks' 49-yard pass to Treylon Burks in the first half.

The Bulldogs didn't allow the opposing offenses a touchdown in the 2018 and 2019 openers when they drilled Austin Peay 45-0 and Vanderbilt 30-6.

Appalachian State had been the last season-opening opponent to score an offensive touchdown on Georgia on quarterback Taylor Lamb's 20-yard run in the Bulldogs' 31-10 victory in 2017.

Georgia did not allow a rushing touchdown by a running back for the 16th consecutive game.

The last time the Bulldogs allowed a rushing touchdown by a running back was the 2018 SEC Championship Game when Alabama's Josh Jacobs scored on a 1-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. Georgia has gone 66 consecutive quarters and two overtime periods without allowing such a score.

The Bulldogs allowed two short rushing touchdowns to quarterbacks -- Auburn's Bo Nix and Baylor's Charlie Brewer -- last season when they led college football with 74.6 rushing yards allowed. Prior to Georgia, LSU in 1970 had been the last SEC team to allow two rushing touchdowns or less.

Arkansas rushed for 77 yards on 28 attempts against the Bulldogs.

Chiz biz

SEC Network analyst Gene Chizik, the former Auburn head coach, threw some laurels toward Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom at halftime on Saturday.

At that point, Georgia had converted 1 of 12 third-down plays, had rushed for 48 yards on 20 carries and trailed 7-5.

"They can't block Arkansas' front and you don't see Arkansas turning receivers loose down the field," Chizik said on the SEC Network. "They're playing tight coverage all the way up until that last drive. This is the best Arkansas defensive performance -- I know it's early but it is what it is -- but the best I've seen in years from these guys. That's what Barry Odom brings to the table."

Punt particulars

Georgia's Jake Camarda made an early case for the Ray Guy Award for punter of the year. The junior averaged 49.9 yards on seven punts, including a long of 63 yards. Camarda had consecutive punts in the first quarter covering 38, 56, 50 and 46 yards that were all downed or fair caught at or inside the Arkansas 10-yard line, including one that pinned the Hogs at the 1-yard line.

The Arkansas punt team is off to a better start than last season, even though the unit gave up a blocked punt in the decisive third quarter. George Caratan averaged 48.0 yards on six punts and had three of 50-plus yards, including a 57-yarder. Sam Loy averaged 40.5 yards on two punts with a long of 44.

First series

Arkansas forced a punt on Georgia's first possession Saturday, a result that was a rare occurrence in 2019.

The Razorbacks forced a first-drive punt in only three games (at Ole Miss, vs. Texas A&M, at Kentucky) in 2019, while allowing six touchdowns and two field goals. Missouri turned the ball over on downs on its first series in last year's season finale.

Bob Holt and Matt Jones contributed to this report.

More News

Offense

WR Treylon Burks

Burks, the sophomore from Warren, notched career highs with 7 catches for 102 yards. His 49-yard catch and run touchdown behind All-American Richard LeCounte put the Hogs ahead 7-0.

Defense

LB Bumper Pool

and S Jalen Catalon

Pool posted 11 tackles, 5 solo, a half-sack with Dorian Gerald, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Catalon racked up 9 tackles, 7 solo, a pass breakup and a forced fumble recovered by Myles Slusher.