Arkansas Got Stomped 34-7, But Their Running Backs Finally Found Their Footing

Look, a 34-7 blowout loss to a long-time rival like Texas A&M is never something you want to see, especially when your record is already sitting at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the SEC. Saturday, October 3, was a tough day. But after five weeks of Ryan Silverfield’s first season in Fayetteville, Arkansas football finally found some juice with its running game against the Aggies. It’s not a moral victory by any stretch, but it’s the one thing this team can call a building block.

Braylen and Sutton Finally Got Some Juice

The whole idea coming into this season was that the two-headed backfield of Braylen Russell and Sutton Smith would be the offense’s catalyst. We were all looking forward to that, right? Instead, it’s been a total slog up until now. But against Texas A&M, something clicked. Both Russell and Smith finally found some holes, breaking through the line and showing flashes of what they were supposed to be all along. It’s been a long wait, but seeing them get going in a conference game, even a losing one, is a positive sign for where this offense *could* be headed.

Still a Blowout, Still a Slog

Let’s be real, a 34-7 defeat is a 34-7 defeat. Texas A&M moved to 3-2 overall and 1-2 in the SEC, while Arkansas is stuck at 2-3 and still winless in conference play. Head coach Ryan Silverfield is only five weeks into his tenure, and you can tell they’re fighting to figure things out. You never want to walk away from a rivalry game with a lopsided loss like that, no matter what. But if you have to find *one* silver lining, one thing to say, “Okay, we can build on that,” it’s the running game showing up.

So, no celebrating a 34-7 loss, obviously. But after five weeks of a grind, finally seeing Braylen Russell and Sutton Smith bust through and make plays? That’s the one thing Ryan Silverfield and this Arkansas squad *have* to grab onto and build on moving forward. They need to turn that juice into actual wins.

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Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.