Arkansas was an 18.5-point underdog in this one, and while most fans were just hoping for something to be encouraged about, what they got was an uninspired 41-point blowout loss at the hands of the Auburn Tigers and Chad Morris’ good friend Gus Malzahn.

It was 17-0 before the first quarter even ended, and Arkansas picked up just one first down on their first five drives. Those aren't statistics that will keep fans in the game. Only 54,619 showed up for the 11 a.m. kickoff in 76,000-seat Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. It was one of the lowest attended SEC games since the stadium expanded in 2001. They tried to cheer in the first home game in 28 days, but eventually the cheers turned to laughter and/or expressions of frustration. People did not boo the disastrous fake punt attempt; they were literally cracking jokes -- at their own team.

That is what it has come to for Razorback fans. They didn’t even boo the whole game. At least booing would show some level of investment. They have been patient but at some point they need something from this team. I don't know if Razorback fans could feel more disconnected from this losing program at this point. At least in the past when they lost you heard the anger. The last thing the University of Arkansas needs is for these performances to be laughed off because of zero expectations.

Aside from some offseason hope generated by a strong recruiting effort, the Arkansas coaching staff has not given Razorback fans a single thing to be encouraged about to this point over 19 games. First, they should have been better than 2-10 last season, but they sure should have been better than 2-6 this season. There are things we can point to that are better like more talented skill players and better overall play on special teams, but the results are still the same.

It’s not like people were asking for a lot. Many would have seen even five wins as a step in the right direction, but Arkansas isn’t hitting that mark this season, and if I had to bet on it then I don’t think they’re going to next season, either. And if that is what we have to look forward to in 365 days, then what is really being built on the Hill? Is there something building that will just explode into wins behind the scenes? I mean, you'd hope right, but that isn't likely.

Arkansas forced five turnovers on Eastern Illinois last season to open and won 55-20. This year they squeaked by their FCS opening opponent 20-13. Last year they fell to Ole Miss in Little Rock 37-33. This year they fell in Oxford 31-17. Last year they fell to Colorado State 34-27, and give them credit they came out this year and won convincingly in Fayetteville, 55-34. But they still managed to get their loss in against a Mountain West team, and it was because they actually took SJSU lightly and fell 31-24. Last year, they lost to Texas A&M 24-17. This year they lost 31-27. Last year they fell 34-3 to Auburn in Auburn, and this year they fell 51-10 to Auburn in Fayetteville. There are some statistical indications of improvement, but there’s not enough to inspire encouragement. Arkansas is still the worst team in the SEC when it comes to critical situations like red zone scoring.

Everything is better in terms of experience and personnel, but the results are the same. Arkansas has yet to even scare a team they’re not supposed to beat aside from A&M, and they certainly haven’t won the games they are supposed to win. Until today’s game against Auburn, none of their opponents were better than .500.

You're next Alabama...

HOW THE GAME UNFOLDED

Arkansas got off to an awful start. They won the toss and elected to receive. After a positive outside run by Rakeem Boyd for four yards, he was stopped the next time and then Ben Hicks was strip-sacked by Auburn’s Marlon Davidson, who also recovered at the Arkansas 22. Auburn scored three plays later to make it 7-0.

Then Auburn used a 52-yard run by Kam Martin down to the Arkansas 11-yard line to set up a 6-yard touchdown run by Shaun Shivers. Arkansas answered with a third straight 3-and-out after the drive started with a chopped block and ended in Ben Hicks’ third pass attempt that was either stripped or batted. Hicks was off to a 2 of 6 start for 14 yards, and all this came less than five minutes into the game.

Arkansas built a little momentum with a fourth-and-inches stop at the Arkansas 43-yard line when Joe Foucha made it into the backfield for a big play. It was the first real positive play for Arkansas on the day…they went 3-and-out for the fourth time out of four drives.

After it was 17-0 with 44 seconds left in the first half, Arkansas finally got its first first down on a screen pass to Boyd. It took them five drives, and they didn’t get another first down after Hicks was sacked on third and eight at the UA 41-yard line. Arkansas attempted a fake punt with a pass that was intercepted at the Arkansas 37.

With 3:18 to play in the first half, Treylon Burks touched the ball for the very first time and picked up a first down with a 7-yard gain. Later on the drive, Hicks hit Trey Knox on a back-shoulder throw for the biggest pass play of the day, a 19-yard gain to the AU 29-yard line. That would set up a 44-yard Connor Limpert field goal attempt that went wide right to keep it at 17-0 heading into halftime.

With 10:49 to play in the third quarter, Ben Hicks threw to over the middle to Treylon Burks, but the pass was way behind him. Burks reached back, tipped it to himself and made the catch as he went to the ground for a first down. The next play was a Wildcat with Burks at QB, but he was dropped for a loss.

With a little help on a facemask penalty on third down and a pass interference on third down, Arkansas moved the ball into scoring territory with just over six minutes to play in the third quarter. Ben Hicks had Cheyenne O’Grady in the corner of the end zone as his defender fell to the ground, but Hicks waited too long to throw the ball and ended up tossing it way out of bounds. Arkansas settled for a 28-yard Limpert field goal with 5:53 to play in the third.

Arkansas linebacker Bumper Pool got matched up with 18 and Bo Nix took advantage with a 48-yard touchdown bomb to Seth Williams with 4:19 to go in the third quarter. Hicks went deep over the middle on the very next play and was intercepted at the Auburn 49-yard line by Jarvis Davis with just over four minutes to play in the third. Two plays later, Auburn was in the end zone to make it 31-3 on a 28-yard fade to Anthony Schwartz with 3:57 to play. That was two touchdowns in 22 seconds for the Tigers.

After a failed attempt on fourth down attempt by Arkansas, De’Jon Harris made a strip-sack on Nix, and McTelvin Agim recovered it at the Auburn 45-yard line just before going out of bounds. This time Arkansas capitalized. Hicks hit O’Grady wide open over the middle at the AU 25 and O’Grady raced to the end zone. He was stripped in the process and recovered the ball in the air as he made it to the end zone.

Auburn went up 44-10 with 7:03 to go on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jay Jay Wilson that was actually pretty well defended by Jarques McClellion. Auburn had out-gained Arkansas 429 to 224 at this point. Auburn used five running plays to march down the field on their final non-victory formation drive to make it 51-10 with 2:27 to play in the game. Arkansas answered with two plays and a Ben Hicks fumble -- his second of the day and third turnover overall.