FAYETTEVILLE -- The Battleline Trophy will remain with Missouri for another year after the Tigers downed Arkansas 31-17 on a cold, rainy day in Razorback Stadium.
As has happened in many games this season the Hogs played well in the first half leading 17-14 at intermission only to go scoreless in the final two quarters. Arkansas (2-10, 0-8) saw the 2025 season mercifully end. Bobby Petrino served as interim head coach the final seven games. He talked about the message in the locker room.
"Yeah, I think the message I tried to give them at the end was, it didn't end the way we wanted to," Petrino said. "Obviously, you want to win the games, but they need to be proud of the leadership from within the team, how hard they practiced, how they stuck together, they kept a positive attitude. We didn't have any issues, you know, with players, so that was a good thing, but they just got to make sure that they understand they put video on film that will help them in the future. Because I really feel like our players improved, got better, played hard. There's a number of them that's futures are up in the air, going, coming, done. Playing here the possibility going into the NFL, and then always that transfer portal that you know, they don't know a whole lot right now. So you know, the most important thing is that they finish the semester off, get their grades that they need so they open up windows for opportunities."
Missouri wasted no time taking a 7-0 lead. They went 60 yards in three plays with Jamal Roberts powering in from 4-yards out. They took the lead 87 seconds into the game.
The two teams then exchanged punts. Starting quarterback KJ Jackson got the offense going on its second possession of the game. On a third-and-10 play at the Missouri 16, Jackson found O'Mega Blake for a touchdown to tie the game at 7 with 2:20 remaining in the first quarter.
The Arkansas defense then stepped up on Missouri's next possession. Quarterback Beau Pribula was thrown for an eight-yard loss and lost the football. Linebacker Bradley Shaw picked up the fumble and raced 32 yards for a 14-7 lead with 14:12 remaining in the first half. Shaw's touchdown came on the first play of the second quarter.
The Tigers thought came right back to put together a 9-play, 75-yard drive that concluded with Pribula running it in from the 11 to tie the game 9:33 before halftime.
Disaster struck for Missouri's special teams late in the first half. Set to punt on a 4th-and-11 play at the Arkansas 48. The long snapper sent the ball sailing over the punter's head back to the Missouri 22. The officials called 16 penalties on 121 yards ruled that Arkansas had an unsportsmanlike penalty. So the Hogs started at the Missouri 37 instead of the 22. The drive ended with 11 seconds remaining in the first half with Scott Starzyk kicking a 28-yard field goal.
After the Razorbacks were limited to three plays on its first series to start the second half Missouri struck quickly. Ahmad Hardy, who had 27 carries for 157 yards in the game, raced 53 yards to put Missouri up 20-17. The snap on the PAT wasn't good.
Arkansas with Jackson back in at quarterback in the third quarter drove Arkansas to the Missoui 24. The drive stalled and facing a 4th-and-2 play Petrino opted for a field goal Starzyk's 41-yard field goal was no good.
Missouri added two more times in the fourth quarter to put the game on ice. Kicker Oliver Robbins nailed a 41-yard field goal with 9:56 remaining in the game for a 23-17 lead.
Taylen Green and the offense was stuffed on three plays. Devin Bale's 49-yard punt was returned 67 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was good and Missouri had the game out of reach with 8:07 left. Petrino was asked why he used two quarterbacks?
"I mean, we told them at halftime, we need zero more penalties," Petrino said. "A couple of them that we certainly shouldn't have had, that our players shouldn't have done what they did, you know, hit a couple personal fouls that were in the wrong. I tried to get them to review that play and see if they would get a call upstairs and see about it, and they just ignored me. But guys upstairs said it definitely wasn’t a targeting No question about it. Taylen’s had a tough time all year. They haven't protected him very well. They haven't. You know, going into the year, you always get these little packets that say, in the SEC, we're going to emphasize protecting quarterbacks. I don't think they lived up to it very well."
Arkansas finished the game with 246 yards of offense including 185 through the air. Jackson completed 11 of 17 passes for 126 yards, a touchdown. He also rushed four times for 14 yards. Green completed 6 of 13 passes for 59 yards. Mike Washington rushed 11 times for 50 yards and caught five passes for 26 yards.
Missouri racked up 347 yards of offense with all but 25 yards coming on rushing. Roberts had 11 carries for a 100 yards and the touchdown. He also pulled in a pass for 10 yards. Pribula who was only 4 of 7 passing did rush 16 times for 78 yards and a touchdown. Petrino spoke about the Tigers running the football with such success.
"I kind of felt like our defense did a good job," Petrino said. "They kept us in it. We got a touchdown, we got them off the field sometimes, gave the offense opportunities. We know that they’re a ‘run the football’ team, they got a great running back and their quarterback, after they turned it over they kind of said, ‘let’s let him run, not throw it that much.’ But I don’t think all that was on the defense. I thought they competed extremely hard and gave us a chance. We just offensively could not protect our quarterback."
The attention at Arkansas now turns to who will be the next head football coach. Petrino avoided a question about had Hunter Yurachek talked to him about the job.
"I’m not going to get into any of that tonight," Petrino said. "I’m just going to get this press conference over and get out of here. How’s that sound? Like a good idea?
"Hey man, it’s been a hard gig. But I appreciate you guys. I’ll tell you what, I appreciate the questions that you’ve asked me, and it made it a lot easier for me, and I respect y’all for that. I really do, I do appreciate it."
