Arkansas fans experienced yet another crushing defeat on a big stage last week.

One strike away from winning their first national championship in baseball, the Razorbacks lost to Oregon State in the best-of-three College World Series finals.

Here’s a look at HawgBeat’s 10 most heartbreaking losses of the last five decades at Arkansas…

10. 1985 College World Series

Hogs blow 7-0 lead vs. Texas

Having already won a school-record 51 games, Arkansas found itself matched up with Southwest Conference rival Texas in the College World Series semifinals.

The Razorbacks won four of five games against the Longhorns before the NCAA Tournament and captured their only SWC Tournament title in the process. They were well on their way to adding another victory in Omaha, with a 7-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but that’s when things started to go wrong.

Arkansas lost the shutout on an RBI ground out by Doug Hodo and then gave up five runs in the seventh. With relief ace Tim Deitz finally on the mound, Texas tied it up on another RBI ground out – this time by Rusty Richards – to force extra innings.

Billy Bates, the Longhorns’ All-American second baseman, led off the 10th with a triple and, after Deitz loaded the bases with a pair of walks, Hodo ended the game – and the Razorbacks’ season – with a walk-off single.

“We were in control,” head coach Norm DeBriyn said afterward. “We haven’t let too many games get away from us like that this year. I’m heartbroken… we all are. But that’s baseball.”

9. 2017 NCAA Tournament

Late calls go against Arkansas

Trying to reach its first Sweet 16 in more than two decades, Arkansas survived a tight first-round matchup with Seton Hall and then had to get by a familiar foe in No. 1 seed North Carolina.

The Tar Heels had knocked the Razorbacks out of the NCAA Tournament in the Round of 32 each of their last two appearances, but neither game had been particularly close.

That wasn’t the case in 2017, even though it looked like it was early. North Carolina built a 17-point lead in the first 15 minutes of the game before Arkansas started chipping away and got within five points at halftime.

With 3:28 remaining, a Manuale Watkins steal led to a Jaylen Barford layup that gave the Razorbacks a five-point lead. That was the final bucket for Arkansas, as the Tar Heels finished the game on a 12-0 run.

A pair of controversial calls aided North Carolina’s run. First, with about a minute remaining, Kennedy Meeks blocked Daryl Macon’s three-point attempt, but the officials ruled it an air ball and North Carolina’s ball. On the ensuing possession, with the Tar Heels up by one, Joel Berry drove to the basket and appeared to either travel or commit a charge on Adrio Bailey. Instead, there was no call and North Carolina got a tip in to essentially seal the victory.

“It’s kind of hard to sum it up right now,” head coach Mike Anderson said after the loss. “I’m really kind of pissed, no – I’m kind of not necessarily ticked off, but it’s just one of those things, you had something in your hand and you let it get away.”

Adding insult to injury, the Tar Heels went on to win the national championship.

8. 1988 Miami (Fla.) game

Perfect season slips through Atwater’s hands

During its dynasty of the 1980s and early 1990s, Miami (Fla.) played three games against Arkansas. Two of them were blowouts at War Memorial Stadium sandwiched around a game at the Orange Bowl that came down to the final minutes.

In 1988, the Razorbacks won their first 10 games of the season – including six by one possession – and were ranked No. 8 heading into the regular-season finale against No. 3 Miami, the same team that had beaten them 51-7 the year before.

Considering none of its previous games were against ranked opponents, it was Arkansas’ first chance to prove it was for real. Jimmy Johnson’s squad dominated his alma mater statistically, 26-6 in first downs and 438-186 in total yards, but the 17-point underdog Razorbacks kept it close thanks to a pair of fourth-down stops inside the 30-yard line and an 80-yard touchdown run by Barry Foster.

Foster also caught the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter and Arkansas clung to a 16-15 lead until Carlos Huerta kicked a 20-yard field goal with 5:38 left that put Miami up for good.

The field goal never would have happened, though, had Steve Atwater – the UA’s career leader in interceptions and future eight-time Pro Bowler – hung on to a Steve Walsh pass into the end zone on the play before the kick.

“Arkansas took it to us,” Miami guard Mike Sullivan told to the Associated Press. “They were snorting, they were panting, they were shoving. They were playing the way we should have played.”

7. 1979 College World Series

Errors cost Hogs against Fullerton in finals

Just a few years after joining the SWC in baseball, DeBriyn led the Razorbacks to their second postseason appearance in 1979. They were shipped out to Tallahassee, Fla., and swept the six-team East Regional to make it to the College World Series for the first time.

Once in Omaha, Arkansas beat Pepperdine and Arizona to set up a rematch with No. 1 Texas in the winner’s bracket. The Longhorns won four of the five games between the schools before the NCAA Tournament, but the Razorbacks clinched a spot in the semifinals with a 9-4 victory.

The lone undefeated team among the four remaining, Arkansas needed just two more wins to capture the national title. It lost to Cal State Fullerton 13-10, but still advanced to the finals automatically because it was its first loss.

The Titans got by Pepperdine to set up a rematch with Arkansas in the finals. The game was tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the sixth, but that’s when a couple of errors allowed Cal State Fullerton to take the lead.

Salvatore Favata reached on an error, stole second and took third on a throwing error by catcher Ronn Reynolds, who eventually spent parts of six seasons in the big leagues. Tim Wallach, that season’s Golden Spikes Award winner and 10th overall pick who became a five-time MLB All-Star, drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

That was all of the run support Dave Weatherman needed. Despite getting knocked out in the first inning the night before, he went the distance against Arkansas. He faced the minimum over the last three innings and limited the Razorbacks – who had averaged 8.4 runs in their first eight NCAA Tournament games – to just one run on four hits.

“What a heck of a job Weatherman did,” catcher Kurt Kingsolver told Sports Illustrated. “They’re such a good hitting team, and for him to hold them like that – just super. Weatherman can’t do any better than this. He can’t pitch any better.”

The final three outs were all hard hit balls. Wallach had to dive and stop a hard grounder down the first base line and then crawl to the bag for the first out, Mickey Palmer made an over-the-shoulder grab in front of the warning track in the power alley in right field for the second out and then second baseman Mike Garcia caught a sharp line drive right at him to end the game.

6. 2011 Sugar Bowl

Horton fails to scoop-and-score

In just his third season at Arkansas, Bobby Petrino had the Razorbacks firmly on the national stage and talked about as potential SEC and national title contenders. The 2010 regular season featured a couple of heartbreaking losses – to then-No. 1 Alabama and eventual national champion Auburn – but they still reached their first BCS game in school history.

Arkansas was ranked No. 8 by the BCS and matched up with No. 6 Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. The Buckeyes had not beaten an SEC school since 1988 and it looked like they would be shorthanded for this game, as five key players – quarterback Terrelle Pryor, running back Dan Herron, wide receiver DeVier Posey, offensive tackle Mike Adams and defensive end Solomon Thomas – were suspended for five games for violating NCAA rules such as selling memorabilia and receiving discounted tattoos.

However, they were granted permission to play in the bowl game when they promised to return to school in 2011. That proved to be critical in the Sugar Bowl, as they each came up big. Thomas intercepted a pass, Posey caught three passes for a team-high 70 yards (including a 43-yard touchdown), Herron rushed for 87 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries and Pryor earned MVP honors after throwing for 221 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 115 yards.

Despite Ohio State being at full-strength, the Razorbacks still nearly pulled off the upset. They trailed 28-7 late in the first half before storming back and pulling within 31-16 in the fourth quarter.

Arkansas forced a punt with a little over a minute remaining and Colton Miles-Nash jumped over blockers to block the kick. Instead of picking up the ball and returning it for a scoop-and-score, Julian Horton fell on the ball at the 18-yard line. Two plays later, Thomas intercepted a Ryan Mallett pass to clinch the victory for the Buckeyes.

“I knew we were close to the goal line, so I knew our offense would have a chance to score,” Horton told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “That’s all I was thinking at the time. Now everyone tells me that no one was even behind me, so it makes it even worse. But, hey, I can’t do anything about it now.”

5. 2006 SEC Championship Game

First SEC title muffed away by Fish

The first two times Arkansas made it to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, it scored a combined six points and lost to Florida and Georgia by an average of 29 points.

With the greatest backfield in SEC history – Darren McFadden, Felix Jones and Peyton Hillis – and a No. 9 BCS ranking, the Razorbacks appeared to be a much bigger threat to the Gators in 2006.

The way things started, though, it seemed to be much of the same. Florida stormed out to a 17-0 lead late in the first half before Casey Dick hit Marcus Monk for a 48-yard score with a couple of minutes left in the second quarter.

That was the first of three straight touchdowns by the Razorbacks, with the others coming on a two-yard pass from McFadden to Jones and a 40-yard interception return by Antwain Robinson, giving them a 21-17 lead.

On Florida’s ensuing possession, Arkansas kept the momentum on its side by forcing a punt…or so it seemed. Reggie Fish was back to receive the punt and he kept drifting further and further until he the ball finally came down around the 5-yard line.

For some reason, he still tried to catch the ball and ended up muffing it into the end zone, where it was recovered for a go-ahead touchdown for Florida. The Razorbacks never recovered from the mistake and ended up losing 38-28.

“I really thought the momentum in the third quarter, we really had it there,” head coach Houston Nutt told The Gainesville Sun. “They took it back on the muffed punt. … Those plays are difficult, especially in the third quarter when we had the momentum. You can’t afford to give away points, especially in championship games.”

4. 1979 NCAA Tournament

Controversial call against Reed leads to last-second loss

Two-thirds of Arkansas’ famed “Triplets” were gone in 1979, but Sidney Moncrief was back as a senior and good enough to lead the Razorbacks to the brink of a second consecutive Final Four appearance. Standing in their way, though, was an undefeated small school called Indiana State, which was led by a player named Larry Bird.

Those two players, both of whom enjoyed very successful professional careers, were the stars of the game. Moncrief was 10 of 16 from the floor for 24 points and eight rebounds, while Bird was 12 of 22 for 31 points and 10 rebounds.

However, neither of them were a factor on the two most important plays of the game. After a timeout with about a minute remaining and the score tied at 71-71, U.S. Reed was dribbling the ball at the top of the key. It appeared that the defender tripped him, causing him to stumble, but instead of a foul being called, Reed was whistled for traveling when he stood back up with the ball.

“The big deal wasn’t the trip,” Reed told ArkansasFight.com in 2009. “It was the fact that I lost the ball – it got away from me – and then I went over and picked it up.

“I didn’t dribble or anything, and he called traveling. … That probably was the worst loss of my career. We were on the way to the Final Four.”

That gave the ball back to Indiana State, which – without a shot clock – ran out the final minute before Bob Heaton put up short left-handed jumper that bounced around the rim and fell as the final seconds ticked off the clock. This result, of course, kept the possibility of Bird vs. Magic Johnson in the championship game alive.

3. 1998 Tennessee game

Stoerner’s fumble costs win over No. 1, undefeated record

With a former player and Arkansas native at the helm, the Razorbacks burst onto the national scene in 1998. In his first season, Houston Nutt had them 8-0 and ranked No. 10 nationally going into a road game at No. 1 Tennessee.

Arkansas scored the first three touchdowns of the game and led 21-3 late in the first half thanks to three touchdown passes by Clint Stoerner, including two to Anthony Lucas. The Volunteers found the end zone with about two minutes left until halftime, but the Razorbacks recovered a fumbled punt early in the third quarter and kicked a field goal to push their lead to 24-10.

From that point on, it was all Tennessee. With about three minutes left, a snap sailed over punter Chris Akin’s head and he kicked it through the end zone for a safety that pulled the Volunteers within 24-22.

Arkansas caught a break when the officials didn’t give Tennessee the option of taking the safety or the illegal kicking penalty – which would have given it the ball at the 5-yard line with a chance to score the go-ahead touchdown.

Luck was running out for the Razorbacks, though. Two plays after a fourth-down stop with about two minutes left, Stoerner took a snap from under center, stumbled and fumbled the ball when he put his hand out to stop the fall. Tennessee recovered with 1:43 left and needed only five plays – all runs by Travis Henry – to score the game-winning touchdown with 28 seconds left.

“It’s a thought that’ll always be with me,” Stoerner told Fox16 in a recent interview. “What if? What could have been? But it’s a part of what shapes you as a man.”

The Razorbacks still had a chance to win the SEC West, but lost to Mississippi State on a field goal in the final seconds the following week. Tennessee went on to win the first BCS national championship.

2. 2018 College World Series

Pop foul falls between three Hogs, gives OSU new life

Arkansas had arguably its best baseball season in program history in 2018, with a deep lineup, excellent starting pitching and a solid bullpen. It compiled a 34-4 record at Baum Stadium and – aside from one loss to South Carolina in the super regional – cruised to the College World Series.

Once in Omaha, the Razorbacks won their first three games rather easily to reach the championship series. They were matched up with baseball power Oregon State, which had to play five games coming through the loser’s bracket.

That seemingly gave Arkansas an edge with pitching and it played out that way in Game 1, which the Razorbacks won 4-1 to get them within one win of a national title.

In Game 2, a couple of bloop singles fell in the fifth inning to help put Arkansas on top 3-2. The score remained that way until the ninth inning. Ace closer Matt Cronin was on the mound looking to add to his single-season saves record, but issued a leadoff walk.

A sacrifice bunt and ground out put the tying run on third for the Beavers, but they were down to their final out. Cadyn Grenier hit a pop up in foul territory and three Razorbacks converged on it, but it ended up falling to the ground and giving Oregon State new life.

Despite being one strike away even after the pop foul, Cronin gave up a game-tying single to Grenier and then a go-ahead two-run home run to Trevor Larnach. The next day, Arkansas was shutout by freshman Kevin Abel and lost 5-0 to finish runner up.

Fifth-year senior and Fayetteville native Carson Shaddy has taken most of the criticism, as he overran the ball, but Jared Gates and Eric Cole were also in position to potentially make a play on the pop up.

“It rips my heart out that we didn’t make that play,” Shaddy said on Sports Talk with Bo Mattingly. “This means more to me than anything I’ve ever experienced. … I wish we made that play for the state.”

1. 1969 Big Shootout

Interception in FG range comes back to haunt Hogs

Younger fans may scoff at the idea of Arkansas and Texas being rivals, but it was always the biggest game of the season when they were members of the Southwest Conference. The rivalry peaked in the 1960s, when both schools were consistently competing for national titles.

To understand how big the 1969 matchup was, all you have to know that President Richard Nixon flew in to Fort Smith on Air Force One and then arrived in Fayetteville on Marine One to watch the game. Future president George H.W. Bush – then a U.S. Representative from Texas – and evangelist Billy Graham were also in attendance.

Hyped as the “Game of the Century” because it was between No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Arkansas and the 1969 season marked the 100th year of college football, ABC arranged for the game to be played at the end of the regular season. Nixon was there so he could present the winner with a plaque declaring it the national champion, despite bowl games still to come.

The game itself lived up to the hype, even though it appeared the Razorbacks were going to run away with it. They struck first with a 1-yard touchdown run by Bill Burnett in the first quarter and then extended their lead on a 29-yard touchdown catch by Chuck Dicus in the third.

Legendary quarterback James Street ended the shutout on the first play of the fourth quarter with a touchdown run and then converted a successful two-point try to cut Arkansas’ lead to 14-8.

The Razorbacks responded with a 73-yard drive to the Longhorns’ 7-yard line. A field goal likely would have sealed the victory for Arkansas, but Bill Montgomery threw an interception in the end zone on third down.

That led to Texas’ game-winning touchdown drive, which included a 44-yard pass on fourth down. Arkansas still had about four minutes to work with after the score, but Montgomery threw another interception that prevented All-American kicker Bill McClard from getting a field goal attempt in the final minute.

Some Arkansas fans point to the 1969 Texas game – which has been the subject of a book, Horns, Hogs and Nixon Coming, and a documentary, The Big Shootout – as the beginning of a curse on the program.

A story by sportswriter and Arkansas native George Schroeder gives fans something to point to as proof: The morning of the game, Graham – the evangelist – was having brunch at head coach Frank Broyles’ home with his family when the Broyles’ dog bit Graham’s son.

Although it didn’t result in a serious injury, the coach was mortified and told Schroeder many years later, “That’s why we lost.” Based on other comments he made, Broyles – who passed away last August – never got over the loss.

“I’ve never looked at the film, never intend to, won’t read the book and don’t want to talk about it,” Broyles told the Associated Press in 2004. “I haven’t forgotten about it and won’t until I go to my grave.”