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FAYETTEVILLE — Over the last eight years, Arkansas fans have learned that no lead is safe for their team.

Despite jumping out to an early 14-point lead and going up by 10 early in the third quarter Saturday against Colorado State, there was still the thought the Razorbacks would find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Except they didn’t.

Instead of falling apart in the fourth quarter or at any of the various points during the game when things didn’t go its way like it has so many other times during one of the worst stretches in school history, Arkansas not only managed to win, but pulled away to convincingly beat the Rams 55-34.

“A lot of us know the old Hogs, we didn't know how to respond - we got down, the energy lowered,” tight end Cheyenne O’Grady said. “This year, I just think we all came together as a team, defense and offense. … That's what led us to a victory today.”

A quote like that seems to indicate all of the Razorbacks’ preseason talk of changing the culture and buying into the program might actually have some substance.

They had a chance to prove that against Ole Miss last week, but shot themselves in the foot too many times in a 31-17 defeat. Considering a Week 2 loss spiraled into the first 10-loss season in school history in 2018, head coach Chad Morris knew this was a critical point of his tenure.

“I thought this was going to be a huge week for this program and this team this year of how we dealt with adversity today,” Morris said. “I thought we did a good job of that. Again, I’m proud of the way the guys responded.”

Morris told the media immediately after that loss, again on Monday and again on Wednesday that his message to the team was simple: Don’t let the loss to the Rebels carry over like it did last year, when Arkansas followed the Colorado State collapse with an embarrassing loss to North Texas.

“We just weren’t going to let the Ole Miss game determine our season, basically,” linebacker De’Jon Harris said. “It's been like that since I've been here - the first loss of the season always determines our whole season.”

Sure enough, the Rams gave Arkansas plenty of times to roll over and pack it up for the year.

On just the second play of the game, Marvin Kinsey Jr. went untouched up the middle for a 75-yard touchdown. That seemed like a sign of bad things to come, as the offense had managed to score in just one of its last six first quarters against FBS teams, but the Razorbacks bounced right back.

Making his first start at Arkansas, Nick Starkel led a five-play, 75-yard touchdown drive capped by an impressive touchdown to Trey Knox. That sparked what would be a 24-point outburst before the end of the quarter.

“That definitely was big,” safety Kamren Curl said. “You could see the momentum on the sidelines. You could see the hype everybody had. We could feed off of it.”

Colorado State grabbed the momentum back after Limpert’s second kick of the game, when Morris opted for a chip-shot field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-two from the 4-yard line.

The offense gained just 26 yards on 11 plays and lost a fumble the rest of the half as the Rams pulled within 27-24. In the past, the Razorbacks wouldn’t be able to move the ball at all after that, but this time they came out and scored a touchdown in less than two minutes on the opening drive of the second half.

“I remember my freshman year we had two games, it was Missouri and then it was Virginia Tech,” defensive tackle McTelvin Agim said. “What I can say is different is we can keep scoring with people now. I felt like Nick showed that today, that he can continue to score.”

The Rams didn’t go away quietly, though. On the ensuing possession, Arkansas appeared to force a turnover with Greg Brooks Jr. knocking the ball loose and Harris recovering, but Joe Foucha’s roughing the passer penalty kept the drive alive.

The defensive stiffened inside the red zone and limited Colorado State to a field goal, but then gave up a long 75-yard touchdown to Dante Wright that tied the game on the next drive, following a three-and-out by the offense.

With the score tied 34-34, Morris said he called the team together to preach the word of the week: “Respond”.

“We called them up and we just kept talking about one play,” Morris said. “Just play one play at a time. You’ve got one quarter to play and it’s one response at a time. That’s really what it is.”

Just before the end of the quarter, Arkansas found itself in a situation similar to last year. Facing a fourth-and-one at his own 34, Morris initially sent the punt team out there, but called a timeout and changed his mind.

Starkel seemed to get the yardage needed on a keeper, but false start by freshman Ricky Stromberg blew the play dead and the Razorbacks ended up punting anyway.

“I was going to consider punting, then we got the guys coming off the field, just looking at their eyes,” Morris said. “I looked at them, saw our offense look at me and go, ‘Coach, I want to go for it.’ So okay, this is what you asked for, we’re going to do it.”

Needing just inches on a fourth down at midfield to start the fourth quarter last season at Fort Collins, Colo., Morris punted and the offense gained just 22 yards on its final eight plays of the game. Even though they weren’t able to get it this year, the faith he showed Saturday paid dividends later.

In the fourth quarter, not including the final kneel down, both of Arkansas’ drives ended in touchdowns. Devwah Whaley capped the first with a five-yard run and then O’Grady broke multiple tackles on his way to a 62-yard score.

With Starkel under center, the offense seemed to find a rhythm that it hasn’t had since Morris took over.

“As an offense with weapons in the backfield and spread out wide, then with a hand in the ground, there's not a lot that we can't do,” Starkel said. “Our offense is just kind of getting started right now."

It may just be hitting its stride, but it was also against a Colorado State team that ranked 107th nationally in scoring defense coming into the game and that won just three games a year ago.

The SEC could be another story, something Morris realizes, but Saturday was an encouraging sign moving forward - something Arkansas hasn’t had too many of in recent years.

“I thought that was huge for the culture of this football team and what we’ve talked about because it took great mental and physical toughness to finish,” Morris said. “I would say that had a lot to do with it. But again, we’ve got to continue to put games together.”