By DON KAUSLER JR.

Just when things looked up for the Arkansas football team, the Razorbacks went from their highest high to their lowest low of a season to forget.

Coming off a 39-36 overtime victory at Florida, Arkansas lost 48-10 Saturday at home to Auburn.

The Razorbacks (3-7, 1-6 in the SEC), now eliminated from bowl contention, will try to rebound at 6:30 p.m. CST Saturday with a nonconference home game against Florida International (4-6, 1-6 in Conference USA). The game at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville can be seen on ESPNU. Arkansas is a 29½ -point favorite.

But before we look ahead, here is one last look back.

The 38-point loss to Auburn could have been worse. So says first-year Auburn Coach Hugh Freeze.

"I don't mean this to sound any sort of way, but we could have put up a lot of numbers [against Arkansas],” Freeze said. “We started milking some clock."

Mercy.

Now let’s look ahead. …

FIRST DOWN

Job insecurity: Fourth-year Coach Sam Pittman’s record now is 22-24 in three-plus seasons at Arkansas. According to Brandon Marcello, a national college football reporter for 247sports.com, Pittman is “safe,” barring a terrible performance against FIU, but the coach will overhaul his staff after the season.

Pittman was asked Monday if he thinks he is coaching for his job in the next 2 games. The Razorbacks play host to Missouri on Nov. 24.

“You’re always trying to win,” Pittman said. “So honestly it doesn’t feel a whole lot different than what it does every week. We want to win and coach for our players to be the best they possibly can be.”

Arkansas is 1-3 this season in Fayetteville.

“Obviously we’re disappointed we didn’t have even a good showing for them on Saturday,” Pittman said, “but we believe that we can get this thing turned around, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek spoke last week at a Hawgs Illustrated Sports Club lunch.

“I have all the faith in Sam Pittman as our head football coach,” he said. “I know we’re 3-6 and we’ve lost some close games. We’re also in the SEC. Do we have challenges and some areas where we need to improve? Absolutely. But this is not where we’re at a make-or-break having to win the last 3 games or anything here down the stretch.”

Pittman and Yurachek talk weekly.

“I know what’s going on, and Hunter Yurachek knows what’s going on, but really nobody else,” Pittman said. “It’s opinion. They don’t really know what’s going on. But it affects our recruits, so we spent a long time yesterday [Sunday] with that as well.

“My job is to get ready for FIU. I’m not worried about my job security at all. And I think I’m the guy for the university, and I want to stay here for a long time.”

How about the conversation between the coach and AD after the loss to Auburn?

“You’d have to ask him about the conversation,” Pittman said. “But I haven’t really expressed to you what our conversations have been over the 4 years. I don’t think today’s a good time to talk about that, either.”

SECOND DOWN

Blush: As if the Razorbacks couldn’t have been embarrassed enough trailing 27-3 at halftime Saturday, a video surfaced later of Arkansas players watching “The Polar Express” during the break in their locker room. The video went viral on social media.

And you thought players review first-half game film at halftime?

Pittman addressed the clip Monday.

“I didn’t even know there was a TV in there,” he said. “I haven’t seen ‘Polar Express,’ so I don’t really know my thoughts on the movie.

“We don’t have enough lockers in our main locker [room] to house all the kids, so some of them have to go in a separate locker,” Pittman said, referring to redshirt players and walk-ons. “A young man, I’ve already addressed it with him, he made a mistake.

“[He] sent it to a friend, friend sent it to his brother, brother put it out on what have you. I’ve already addressed it, and I think we’re fine there, but it was just a mistake that a young man made, and I wish he wouldn’t have, but he came in, he was sorry for it, he was very remorseful for it, so we’re going to move on.”

A team rule forbids players from posting anything on social media after the team leaves for its hotel on Friday until after games on Saturday, Pittman said.

THIRD DOWN

Broyles Award nominee: First-year Arkansas defensive coordinator Travis Williams has been nominated for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.

Arkansas was ranked No. 124 in total defense last season. The Razorbacks are ranked No. 49 this season (357.7 yards per game. They were ranked last in the FBS last season in passing defense. They are ranked No. 38 this season (205.6 yards per game). The Razorbacks lead the nation in defensive touchdowns with 4.

Williams is one of 57 nominees up for the award that will be presented Dec. 5 in Little Rock.

FOURTH DOWN

Scouting report: FIU quarterback Keyone Jenkins is a true freshman. He led Miami Central High School to 3 consecutive state titles, then took over the starting job at FIU in Week 2. He has completed 146 of 247 passes for 1,900 yards and 6 touchdowns. He has had 7 passes intercepted.

FIU Coach Mike MacIntyre said Jenkins is making progress but needs patience.

"From high school football to college football everything speeds up," MacIntyre said. "The windows in the secondary close quicker, the D-line closes quicker on you when you go to scramble.

"He's learning all that and really growing. It's fun to see the growth in him that you see on the practice field. You see sometimes on the game field and you definitely see in the film room, understanding football better and better and better at the college level.

"We're pleased with a lot of his progress. I know he gets frustrated, just like we all do, about trying to make more plays and do more things. He'll keep improving and we're real excited about Keyone."

FIU is coming off a 40-6 loss to Middle Tennessee State. The Golden Panthers are ranked No. 120 in the nation in points per game (19.3) and No. 102 in points allowed per game (29.7).