Arkansas football offense turns in worst performance of season, falls to Mississippi State

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A disappointing season took a turn for the worst Saturday, with Arkansas football returning home and laying an egg in a 7-3 loss to Mississippi State (4-3, 1-3 SEC).

The Razorbacks (2-6, 0-4) scored a field goal on their first drive and failed to score again.

Arkansas has now lost six-straight games and must win out to become bowl eligible, which feels like a daunting task considering the recent struggles.

Here are some immediate observations following another Arkansas loss.

The worst offensive performance of the season

There are simply no excuses to justify the Razorbacks' offensive output Saturday. Arkansas was incapable of picking up Mississippi State blitzes and the receivers couldn't create enough separation. When KJ Jefferson was given time to throw, he often looked to run the football.

Arkansas' first drive of the game started at the Mississippi State 35, and the Razorbacks gained just 29 yards before settling for a field goal. Their next four series all ended in punts.

In total, Arkansas finished with 200 yards. Mississippi State, who entered the game ranked 114th in passing defense, gave up just 97 yards through the air.

Defense lives up to its billing

The Arkansas defense should shoulder no blame for this sixth-straight loss. The Razorbacks held Mississippi State in check throughout all four quarters, aside from one smash mouth touchdown drive by the Bulldogs in the first half.

The Bulldogs produced just 205 yards behind backup quarterback Mike Wright. Arkansas has one of the better defenses in the SEC, but unfortunately, the offense might be the worst across the league.

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Sloppy coaching rears its head

Late in the third quarter, Arkansas sent Cam Little onto the field for 51-yard field goal try, but the Razorbacks never got the play off due to a delay of game.

Arkansas settled for a punt, and that penalty proved costly. Instead of Arkansas only needing a field goal to win the game in the fourth quarter, an anemic offense had to find the end zone.

This isn't the first time this season head coach Sam Pittman has struggled with game management. Arkansas needed to call a timeout and make sure Little got a chance to use his reliable right leg.

Boo birds flock to Fayetteville

The Arkansas offense was booed off the field at halftime. There were empty seats throughout Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, and toxicity from social media rolled over into real-life frustration.

Is there any road back for Pittman and this coaching staff? Only time will tell, but the Arkansas faithful seems to be losing faith with each passing week.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas football vs. Mississippi State score: Razorbacks' putrid offense falls at home