Arkansas just missed out on a bowl game last year with a 5-7 record. Dropping a winnable game to Mississippi State is something that still sticks with the Razorbacks.

Players have talked throughout the week of exacting revenge against the Bulldogs for the 31-28 loss in Starkville, Miss. They seem to regard this year's game as a chance for payback.

That's not necessarily something that's coming from Coach Bobby Petrino.

"What we try to work on is preparation, you know. A lot of times, you know, getting mentally ready and emotionally ready takes care of itself. I think that is something our vets talk about. As a coaching staff we're trying to work on our preparation, really understand what we want to do, understanding what they want to do and doing things correctly on the practice field." [read more]

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark--On a night when the Razorbacks became bowl eligible for the first time under Bobby Petrino sophomore quarterback Ryan Mallett displaced Clint Stoerner as the school's all-time single season passing leader. It almost didn't happen.

In the second quarter, as Mallett was just getting warmed up enroute to a 405 yard passsing performance, he went down in a heap of bodies. One of Troy's defenders stepped on Mallett's hand as he emerged from the pile up. Razorback fans gasped as Mallett grabbed the hand and rolled on the ground for a few brief seconds. Then he suddenly shot to his feet, shook off the pain and went back to work.

"It's part of football," Mallett recalled after the game. "It wasn't my throwing hand," he added. "(It was) my left one," Mallett concluded with a laugh.

Asked the significance of the record that Mallett had just set Petrino said simply, "You're happy for the individuals when they get the records and then you go out and sell it in recruiting and it helps us in recruiting."

Mallett said he didn't think about the record. "We got the 'W,' " he told reporters. "I thought about that."

Mallett wasn't the only Razorback to set a record in the Troy game. Sophomore running back Dennis Johnson eclipsed the career kickoff return mark set by current Dallas Cowboy Felix Jones back in 2007. Jones set his mark in three seasons. Johnson is not yet through his second season as a Razorback. Still he seemed unconcerned with the accomplishment as he wiped a towel across his forehead following the game. [read more]

FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas Razorbacks got bowl eligible with a night filled with record performances in a 56-20 drubbing of Troy University at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The win moved Arkansas to 6-4 on the season while Troy falls to 7-3.

Sophomore quarterback Ryan Mallett tied his own school record with five touchdown passes, and did so in style by hitting five different receivers for the scores.

The sophomore threw for 405 yards, three shy of his career best, hitting 23-of-30 with one interception to mar his night.

Mallett also claimed the school records for consecutive attempts without an interception before that one miscue, and broke Clint Stoerner’s single-season passing record. He also tied Stoerner with his fourth 300-plus passing game of the season. [read more]

Arkansas didn't need its announced available eight to beat Alcorn State.

Rotnei "Records" Clarke almost would have sufficed by himself, it seems.

Add "Records" to Rotnei Clarke's name because Friday night the sophomore shooting guard from Claremore, Okla., scored more points in a game and sank more 3-pointers than any Razorback before him.

Clarke's 51 points in Friday night's 130-68 season-opening triumph over Alcorn State at Walton Arena broke the 36-year Razorbacks' scoring record 47 points set by Martin Terry against SMU in 1973 at Barnhill Fieldhouse. Clarke's 13 3-pointers Friday night not only surpassed the Razorbacks' record 12 set by Al Dillard against Delaware State in 1994 at Walton but set a SEC record, too.

Clarke simultaneously became the first Razorback to score 50 in a game and exceed a dozen 3s in a game when he connected trey No. 13 with 5:32 left. He was then removed from the game to a standing ovation as the Hogs stand an official 1-0 heading into Tuesday night's ESPN2-televised game against Louisville in St. Louis. [read more]

FAYETTEVILLE – Junior tight end D.J. Williams caught seven passes for 137 yards and Broderick Green scored two touchdowns as the University of Arkansas handed South Carolina a 33-16 defeat in Southeastern Conference play.

The victory moved Arkansas to 5-4 on the season, 2-4 in SEC games, while the Gamecocks dropped to 6-4 overall and 3-4 in the SEC.

"It was good to see us go out and be competitive," Razorback head coach Bobby Petrino said. "We did a nice job and I'm very proud of our players. We passed the test today."

Sophomore quarterback Ryan Mallett had a near-perfect day, hitting 23 of 27 passes with no interceptions and 329 yards. [read more]