Bret Bielema fired as Arkansas' head coach after loss to Mizzou

7:05 PM ET

Arkansas has fired Bret Bielema after five seasons as its head football coach.

The school announced the decision shortly after a 48-45 loss at home to Missouri, which dropped the Razorbacks to 4-8 on the season and 1-7 in the SEC.

"Shortly after the completion of today's game, I met with Coach Bret Bielema and informed him of our decision to move forward with new leadership in the Razorback Football program," interim athletics director Julie Cromer Peoples said in a prepared statement. "During the course of the past five seasons, we have not been able to sustain the success on the field that is expected and required at the University of Arkansas."

Bret Bielema and the Razorbacks went 1-7 in the SEC this season, tied for the second-most losses in conference play in school history. AP Photo/Samantha Baker

Bielema recorded two seven-win seasons and one eight-win season at Arkansas, but never finished higher than third in the SEC West. He finished 29-34 overall.

The Razorbacks' seven losses in conference play were tied for their second-most in a season in school history. The most came in 2013, also under Bielema, when the Razorbacks went 0-8 in the SEC.

"Our goal has been and will always be to compete and win in the SEC and nationally," Peoples said. "I firmly believe that with all that the University of Arkansas has to offer, including our history and tradition, our facilities, our passionate fan base and competing in the nation's best conference, we will attract the interest of many of the top coaches in the nation."

With Bielema out, the SEC now has four coaching vacancies this season; Ole Miss, Florida and Tennessee are the others.

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