FAYETTEVILLE -- Starting with a loss to BYU last year, Arkansas' former ballyhooed home field advantage at Razorback Stadium began slip-sliding away.
So it seems these Razorbacks have a chance to reestablish themselves in Fayetteville starting with today's 3:15 p.m, nonconference game vs. UAB.
Beaten by Arkansas in a 2022 at their Lavell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, the BYU Cougars shocked the Razorbacks 38-31 at Razorback Stadium last September.
Coach Sam Pittman's Razorbacks -- off consecutive bowl victories capping 9-4 and 7-6 seasons -- seemed undone losing to BYU in Fayetteville. The BYU nonconference game commenced an Arkansas six-game losing streak, including a 0-5 SEC start.
The Razorbacks closed with two SEC embarrassments in Fayetteville, routed 48-10 by Auburn and 48-14 by Missouri.
Well before the finish of those last two SEC routs saw Razorbacks fans fleeing Razorback Stadium like a leper colony.
A home loss today to the 24 1/2-point underdog Blazers would have some Razorbacks fans not attending or coming prepared to leave by halftime the big SEC games coming to Fayetteville vs. Tennessee, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas.
So far Razorback fans were pleased by the season-opening 70-0 rout in Little Rock of the lower UAPB.
Emotions mixed on the 39-31 double-overtime loss at Oklahoma State.
Arkansas fans weary of close but no cigars, however most acknowledge the Razorbacks outplayed the Cowboys on the road. Arkansas sported 14-0 and 21-7 leads and out-gained OSU 648-385 in total offense.
The Cowboys lost the stats comparisons except one. OSU only committed one turnover. Arkansas committed three.
Two turnovers set up OSU scores and there was a pick-6 touchdown interception thrown by the otherwise superb quarterback Taylen Green.
"We respect Oklahoma State, but they really didn't stop us a whole lot," Pittman said. "We kind of stopped ourself. I think they've got a really good team, but we inflicted our own wounds with three turnovers."
All three turnovers were committed by Hogs with otherwise great games. Green was 26 of 45 for 415 yards and 1 touchdown. Running back Ja'Quinden Jackson had a fumble but also 24 carries for 149 yards and 3 touchdowns, and punt returner Isaiah Sategna, 4 catches for 78 yards as Arkansas' second leading receiver.
Defensively linebacker Xavian Sorrey committed a pivotal penalty, body slamming rather than merely tackling an OSU ballcarrier, but the Hogs wouldn't have been in the game without Sorrey's team-leading 13 tackles.
In on-paper prowess the Blazers perform considerably above UAPB but considerably below Oklahoma State.
Louisiana-Monroe thumped the Blazers 32-6 last week.
Arkansas could use a similar score to make Razorback Stadium resound with Hog calls. These Hogs would turn things around if they cease turning it over.