Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

This football season marks the 21st for the Razorbacks as members of the SEC. Having completed two decades in the league it seemed worth reflecting on how far the program has come. Which victories over the last 20 years were the sweetest? Were there losses that hurt more than others? What coaching decisions still have folks scratching their heads? ArkansasSports360.com assembled a panel aimed at answering these questions. We have our list and we'd love to hear yours.

No. 9 on our moments you would love to forget ...

Razorbacks Make Three SEC Title Games, Can’t Win
When It Happened: 1995, 2002, 2006
Who To Remember: Danny Ford, Houston Nutt, Reggie Fish, Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs
Why You’d Like To Forget: All Reggie Fish had to do was let the punt roll into the end zone.

Pretty simple, really. Don’t field the punt. Anything would have been better than fielding the punt. Instead, Fish tried to make a play inside the 10 — a huge no-no in the return game — and he mishandled it. Florida recovered, reclaimed momentum, won the game 38-28 and sent the Razorbacks to yet another loss in Atlanta.

Instead of a trip to the national title game (which Florida got) or the program’s first BCS bowl, the Razorbacks wound up playing Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl. Deflated by the title game loss and decimated by internal strife the Razorbacks came out flat against the Badgers and lost 17-14.

Maybe it would have been easier to handle if the SEC title game loss had been lopsided as usual. Arkansas’ other trips to the SEC championship weren’t close losses and, quite honestly, were worse beatings than the final scores indicated.

Florida handled the Razorbacks with ease in 1995, winning 34-3. Georgia posted a closer, but no less convincing, 30-3 victory against Arkansas in 2002.

Each trip to the SEC championship began as cause for celebration, but ended with the program being reminded how much further there was to go.

Before Atlanta became the second of three consecutive losses to end the 2006 season, it looked like the UA might be ready to break through and join the league’s elite list of SEC champions.

Arkansas led 21-17 thanks to an interception returned for a touchdown and the defense held strong to force a punt. No more SEC West title rings, the Razorbacks were on their way to the real thing this time.

If only the return man had let the dang ball roll into the end zone.

Up Next: Questionable calls …