Arkansas' Undoing Against Georgia Can Be Traced to Undisciplined Moment

FAYETTEVILLE -- It's debatable that Arkansas' defense could have managed to hold what, in most cases, would be a comfortable lead of 18 points, but the difference in Saturday night's 52-41 Georgia win might be found in a key swing of field position and momentum early in the second quarter.

When the head coach gets a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty in a football game that's in the balance, on top of his team getting 45 yards for the same offenses at about the same time, that team's got serious problems.

Yes, Arkansas would rebound after seeing an 11-point lead turn into a six-point deficit as the first half expired, and the Southeastern Conference opener at Reynolds Razorback Stadium would go back and forth through the third quarter before the Dawgs began to stretch out to a two-score lead. But that one little segment, where the Hogs lacked the needed discipline on this large stage on national TV, is what Arkansas can point to as the turning point in a game the Razorbacks looked primed to win against No. 23 and far-from-vintage Georgia.

Arkansas was set to blow open the game when Hogs safety Tramaine Thomas stepped in front of a long Joe Cox throw down the middle and gave the Razorbacks possession at the Bulldogs 48. Already, UA coach Bobby Petrino had dialed up winning plays almost immediately after Georgia's two previous mistakes.

The 70,000 fans in Reynolds Razorback Stadium were going nuts. The Arkansas bench was amped, and Georgia was reeling. Big Mo was completely on the Hogs' side.

Then, everyone took note of a penalty flag dropped nowhere near where the play ended after Thomas was tackled.

And that was the first of what would be 60 yards in penalties in five snaps of the football. The first 30 came on that one flag, as Hogs linebacker Jerry Franklin did something overly boisterous with his fists, either connecting with Georgia players in celebration of Thomas' interception or finally tiring of the after-the-whistle cheap shots he'd been getting. Georgia had been penalized a play or two earlier for a personal foul.

Apparently the officials were trying to get the game under control when Franklin went off (literally and figuratively, as the consecutive personal fouls meant his night was done).

Rather than starting on the Dawgs 48, Arkansas was marched back to its 22. That momentarily didn't faze quarterback Ryan Mallett and Petrino, as they dialed up the same deep sideline route that was open much of the night, and the ball was back in Georgia territory. Then came another personal foul call on the Hogs' offense, putting them in the hard-to-overcome first-and-25 spot.