Hogs looks like quality SEC team or really good team in Little 12 after taking one of top teams to wire

Worst feeling in sports is to outplay the other team and lose. Especially when you’re the underdog. That’s why the Arkansas Razorbacks’ bus trip back from Stillwater will likely be the worst three hours of their season.

This rebuilt Arkansas team traveled 180 miles to Stillwater, anxious to prove this year’s version is light years better than last season’s disappointing bunch. For a half, it was true, and the whole country noticed.

Then, like a recurring nightmare, the mistakes began. Turnovers, missed opportunities, miscue after miscue, resulting in 21 straight points for the home team.

To their credit, this bunch of fightin’ Razorbacks clawed their way back twice to tie the game and force overtime. Still, a bad pass in the second overtime blew an easy touchdown and most of what folks will remember is a 39-31 loss.

Takeaway for most fans? That the Hogs can’t win the close ones under coach Sam Pittman, citing six losses in the last seven one-score games.

Takeaway for me? That this Hog team has grit, talent and resolve. They’ll recover from this disappointment, bad as it is.