Hogs using last year's blowout as motivation vs. Mississippi State

FAYETTEVILLE — The way last year’s game against Mississippi State unfolded is not lost on the current Razorbacks.

Already up 45-6 and facing a fourth-and-13 with less than six minutes remaining, the Bulldogs dialed up a deep ball and backup quarterback Keytaon Thompson connected with Austin Williams to put the finishing touches on a 52-6 blowout in Starkville, Miss.

If any of his players had forgotten that detail, head coach Chad Morris made sure to remind them this week as Arkansas prepares to host Mississippi State for homecoming at 3 p.m. Saturday.

“It is kind of a revenge deal,” defensive tackle T.J. Smith said. “They ran it up on us. Coach (Morris) was talking about it…throwing the ball at the end of the game when they were up, so we are going out there excited to play against these guys.”

Wide receiver Mike Woods didn’t mince his words, either.

“For sure, we've got a little chip on our shoulder going into this week,” Woods said. “They didn't have no respect for us, so we've got no respect for them.”