The Arkansas Razorbacks (3-2, 1-1 SEC) stumbled in the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) following their 21-17 loss Saturday to the No. 24 Texas A&M Aggies (4-1, 2-0 SEC) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
After coming in at 23rd overall following Week 4, the Razorbacks fell four spots to No. 27 off the back of the loss to Texas A&M in ESPN’s FPI this week.
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For the second game in a row, Arkansas' offense showed rare signs of life thanks to poor blocking, a strong Texas A&M run defense and a poor showing by quarterback Taylen Green. The former Boise State transfer completed 23-of-41 (56.1%) passes for a touchdown, interception and 279 yards.
Defensively, Travis Williams' unit kept the Aggies at bay for the majority of the contest. A broken-coverage passing score in the first quarter by Texas A&M and a failed red zone stand after Arkansas' offense fumbled in its own territory were the only touchdowns allowed.
Head coach Sam Pittman’s squad now has a 5.9-6.1 projected win total with a 63.0% chance of obtaining six wins during the season. On top of that, Arkansas has a 0% chance of winning the SEC and a 0.8% chance of making the College Football Playoff, according to the FPI.
After five weeks of football, Arkansas faltered to No. 27 in the country in efficiency rankings, according to ESPN. This includes a 66.8 (No. 38) offensive rating.
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The defensive rating moved up to 72.2 (No. 29) this week, and the special teams unit increased its rating to 44.5 (No. 89) after the Texas A&M game.
Compared to the rest of the SEC, the Razorbacks come in at No. 12 in the FPI just above Auburn, Florida, Vanderbilt and Mississippi State. The Hogs look better in the efficiency department, as they slot in at No. 9 in the SEC above Missouri, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Auburn, Florida and Mississippi State.
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Going into a Week 6 matchup against No. 5 Tennessee — a team that ranks No. 5 in the FPI — the Razorbacks must clean up their offensive miscues for a Volunteers team that ranks No. 1 in defensive efficiency (98.9).
Up next, Arkansas will take on the Volunteers (4-0, 1-0 SEC) at Razorback Stadium on Saturday. The game will kick off at 6:30 and it will be broadcast on ABC.
