The first-ever Arkansas-Arkansas State football game at War Memorial Stadium quickly became a one-sided affair, with the Razorbacks taking control right away. A crowd of 54,224 fans, the largest since 2014, filled the stadium, reveling in the exciting plays. However, amidst the excitement, injuries plagued the team, prompting Coach Sam Pittman to address the growing concerns. Despite the game’s high-scoring nature, the Hogs’ health suddenly became a major talking point fans couldn’t ignore.
While the defense, led by Xavian Sorey Jr.’s impressive 14 tackles, two tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, and an interception, was performing well, he was forced to leave the game in the fourth quarter with a quad injury. Defensive end Phillip Lee also suffered an early injury, forcing Arkansas to adj