It wasn’t a fairytale ending for Feleipe Franks in his return to The Swamp.

Based on how Arkansas’ season had gone entering Saturday’s matchup against Florida, there was thought they could challenge the Gators on the road. Franks’ ties to the program strengthened that narrative.

However, it quickly became clear how outmatched Franks and the Hogs were against his former team.

He still finished with 250 yards passing and 2 touchdowns, a respectable performance. But some of that production came late after Florida already had the game in hand. The No. 6 Gators won with ease, 63-35.

If you’re looking for someone to blame for the loss, Franks isn’t it. The Razorbacks defense was helpless to withstand an onslaught from Kyle Trask (356 yards, 6 TDs) and the Gators’ passing attack. The 63 points were the most they have ever given up against Florida.

No matter how well Franks played, he was facing a tall task to make up for that.

He still gave Hogs (and Gators) fans a couple of highlights to enjoy. His 47-yard touchdown pass to Mike Woods on the first Arkansas drive tied the score at 7.

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Franks also completed another touchdown toss to Woods later in the game, this one an 82-yarder.

More impressive than his highlights, though, was how Franks handled himself.

In the face of what was surely an emotional defeat, he answered postgame questions with composure. It has been a long journey for Franks since suffering that ankle injury last season with the Gators. It’s good to see him succeeding this year, even if Saturday night didn’t go his way.

He was greeted with a plethora of hugs and handshakes as he walked off the field in Gainesville for the final time.

The way his former teammates reacted toward him afterward speaks volumes to the type of leader Franks is. As we’ve already said many times this season, he is the piece the Razorbacks have lacked in recent years.

They’ve got him now and have every reason to be thankful.

As emotional as the loss likely was for Franks, it was expected. But the Razorbacks still have a pair of winnable games left. One is a game scheduled for next week against LSU. The next is the following week against Missouri.

There’s no telling whether 4 wins would get the Razorbacks in a bowl game in this crazy season, but 5 should make them a lock. That’s remarkable considering the state of the program at the beginning of the season.

Franks could technically stay, with the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility to everyone this season. Regardless of what he chooses, his impact on Arkansas will probably linger for some time.

When the team steps onto the field this season, there is actual anticipation about what is going to happen. We knew that Arkansas likely wouldn’t beat Florida, but we also had to acknowledge the possibility. The offense looks miles ahead of where it was at this point last year.

The Razorbacks are respectable again. And they have Feleipe Franks to thank in part for that.