FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino couldn’t really explain it in words, but the tone of his voice and expression on his face revealed his true thoughts about the yellow flag in the closing minute of the Razorbacks’ 23-21 loss to Ole Miss.

“You know how this world is, there’s a thing called freedom of speech unless you’re a football coach talking about officials,” Petrino said. “Really, that’s all I can say. Because if I said what I’d really like to say then I would get in trouble.”

Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt’s much anticipated return to Fayetteville included plenty of late drama. None of it was more heartbreaking — and frustrating — to the Hogs than the pass interference penalty on receiver London Crawford, which negated a 32-yard gain that would’ve put Arkansas in field-goal range.

Crawford was flagged for pushing off on Ole Miss cornerback Marshay Green on a pass from Casey Dick. A completion would’ve given the Razorbacks the ball at Ole Miss’ 21.

“We felt like we had the game right where we wanted it,” center Jonathan Luigs said. “The momentum was with us. ... I feel bad for London he made a great play. It’s just a tough situation. On the Jumbotron we looked up (and watched the replay) and all the crowd had the same response I did to it.”

The penalty came shortly after Arkansas recovered an onsides kick with a minute remaining, which whipped the crowd in Reynolds Razorback Stadium into a frenzy. The Razorbacks had just closed to within 23-21 with a late touchdown and were on the verge of moving into field goal range for a potential game-winner.

But the penalty turned Arkansas’ elation into disappointment.

“It’s probably the same thing you thought from your vantage point,” said Arkansas offensive coordinator Paul Petrino when asked about his reaction to the penalty. “I can’t really say anything, but I think we all saw it with our own eyes and everybody can make their own opinion. It was a pretty obvious one.”

The reaction was much different out of Ole Miss’ locker room.

Green told reporters after the game he felt Crawford’s hands pushing on him during the play. Nutt said it was obvious.

“I saw London push off,” he said. “I thought it was pretty clear.”

Running back Michael Smith said he wouldn’t blame Arkansas’ loss on the penalty. The Razorbacks missed a field goal in the first half, threw a costly interception in the second quarter and sputtered on offense for most of the night. But the penalty did kill their hopes.

The flag backed the Hogs up 15 yards, giving them a second-and-25 from their own 32. Dick threw incomplete passes on the next three plays to end Arkansas’ comeback hopes.

It shook Crawford, who was in tears as he headed for Arkansas’ locker room. Quarterback Ryan Mallett, who is redshirting, wrapped his arm around the junior as he walked through the tunnel.

Luigs said Crawford was emotional in the locker room. But so were the rest of the Razorbacks, who thought they were close to turning in an enormous come-from-behind win.

“He was dejected,” Luigs said. “He thought he had made the big play, went up and caught the ball at the highest point. Really just something you dream about as a kid and to have that play and have it taken away from you is tough.

“He wanted it for himself and this team.”