Arkansas can't hit basics on the opening kick

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Much like men, football isn't complicated.

Win the turnover battle, work on special teams, dominate the trenches and keep early penalties to a minimum. Aside from the penalties, Arkansas did none of that.

Rashod Dubinion recovered a fumble that killed the offensive momentum after he faked a 13-yard run on the opening play of the Hogs' second drive. The previous drive, a slick 52 yards that felt almost too easy until it got stuck at the LSU 23, ended in a missed field goal that feels almost routine to Arkansas fans at this point.

That set the tone for the evening. After a rocky start, the defense began preventing LSU from making field goals while the Arkansas offense went to work and made saves.

Shortly after halftime, the Hogs followed up with a 51-yard field goal from Matthew Shipley, cutting the deficit to 16-10 with a strong defensive start to give the Razorbacks the ball with a chance to take the lead and the Using momentum in front of them, a wild crowd that gave the Tigers a year of false starts.

But on the first play from his own 14-yard line, quarterback Taylen Green's pass was hit into the air. He did his best to deflect the ball, but at a moment when it became clear it wasn't going to be the Hogs' night, he slapped it into the hands of Whit Weeks, who stumbled toward the two and set up an easy touchdown by Caden Durham, who essentially ended the game with just under five minutes left in the third quarter.

From then on it was academic. Arkansas lost all ability to control the trenches on offense in the second half after the Hogs fell behind from the opening kickoff due to an inability to control the trenches on defense in the first half.

Perhaps the most telling story of the night is the twist of fate in the running game. LSU coach Brian Kelly said during the week that he told his coaches to place an emphasis on cleaning up the running game.

Whatever they did, it worked as the Tigers ran at will and averaged 4.27 yards per carry. Meanwhile, nothing was found in Arkansas, known for its punishing running game.

Ja'Quindon Jackson led the Hogs with 26 of their 38 total yards on the ground. Fittingly, the whole affair was put to rest with another lost fumble on the end of a 10-yard catch by Isaiah Sategna.

Pittman must now get his coaches back in the film room to figure out how to get back on the bright side of the four major keys. If they don't get it done, as Mississippi State has shown in the last two games, the Bulldogs can cause enough headaches to send a once-promising season into a complete spiral.

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