Here’s what was, uh, SUPPOSED to happen on this strange Arkansas fake fumble play

Arkansas is really trying everything in its comeback attempt against Ole Miss. After a failed two-offensive line trick play, the Hogs broke this out on a fourth-and-1 try:

QB Cole Kelly pretends to dribble the ball a few times, apparently going for a faked fumble instead of play action. It did not work! The ball bounced incomplete.

With the Spartans facing fourth-and-2 at the Fighting Irish’s 30-yard line, coach Mark Dantonio laid it all on the line and called MSU’s version of the so-called fumblerooskie.

As Hoyer, whose actual fumble on the second play of the game led to Notre Dame’s first touchdown, dropped back, he simulated dropping the ball and recovering the fumble.

The deception froze the linebacker, and Hoyer threw a perfect pass to tight end Kellen Davis streaked down the right sideline and into the end zone for the final score in MSU’s 31-14 victory.

“That’s a play we have in our trick book,” said Hoyer, who threw a career-high four touchdowns. “We’ve been waiting to run it and that was the perfect time to call it. I was just trying to give a good fake and make it look like I fumbled the ball.”

Although it looked like a genuine fumble on the television replay, Hoyer said he never actually let go of the ball. The Spartans practice the play often.

“Sometimes I just roll the ball on the ground, but I didn’t have the courage to do it on fourth down,” Hoyer said. “I just tried to make it look like a fumble and I guess it helped that I fumbled on the second play of the game.

“I just try to make it look like I’m fumbling around and I guess I did a good job because everybody was said I did (fumble).”

Former Spartans QB Kirk Cousins has also attempted a somewhat similar fake at the NFL level, though it looks more akin to a fake spike in execution.

Arkansas should just never do plays that look like this, basically.