Lofty expectations and still dreaming of conference dubs. Part dos.
The upcoming Arkansas Razorback football season was briefly discussed last week in this column, and I boldly predicted that the Hogs would breeze through their first two games against Alabama A&M and Arkansas St. – guaranteed ‘em at that (I know, way to go out on a limb, huh?). The remaining games on the schedule are birds of a different breed and the outcomes not so blatantly obvious. So hop in and let’s tour those final 10 matchups.
After a 2-0 start, Coach Pittman and Co. travel to face their first conference opponent, Ole Miss. A preseason #11 ranking has the Hotty Totty fans chomping at the bit, as they place their trust in coach Lane Kiffin to deliver them to the promised land. Fortunately for Arkansas, QB Jaxson Dart has moved on, cuz he picked the Razorback defense apart plenty during his stay in Oxford. Taylen Green drives the red and white team up and down the field at Vaught Hemingway Stadium to the tune of 600+ yards of total offense and shocking the home team by pulling out a 35-21 victory.
Rolling east, back down the same chunk of government concrete as the prior week, the Razorbacks return to a sort of home away from home, the oh-so-awful Liberty Bowl, to play Memphis. On the heels of a banner year, folks are expecting grand things outta the Tigers in 2025, but they are clearly overmatched in this game. Once again Taylen Green goes off and has a hand in all six of the TDs 45-14.
Notre Dame is coming to Fayettenam. Notre Dame is coming to Fayettenam. Notre Dame is coming to Fayettenam. Hard to believe, really. This game has been in the works ever since the Covid-shortened season of 2020 and will soon come to fruition. Arkansas hangs around for three quarters but eventually falls to the Fighting Irish, 31-21.
Ahhh, a week off is just what the doctor ordered.
Knoxvegas – the town is nuts come gamedaze and is my kinda place. Over 100K will pack into Neyland Stadium and sing Rocky Top ‘til the clowns come home. The Hogs have their chances to win this one but, ultimately, turn the ball over at inopportune times, falling 28-24.
Halfway through the season with a 4-2 record, the Razorbacks find themselves in complete control of their own destiny. Sure, there are still some dangerous teams along the way, but only half of the half-dozen squads left on the schedule were ranked in the preseason, so it could be and has been much, much worse.
The next week the team comes home for a three-game stand, only its second such streak since joining the conference in 1991, and needs to take advantage of their time spent within the friendly confines of Donald W. Reynolds.
Texas A&M travels to Nam to kick off the upcoming trifecta and immediately feels the wrath of BMFP, who, I have to believe, holds some sorta ill feelings towards the Aggie program. Arkansas rolls easily – 42-10 – and improves to 5-2.
Coach Hugh Freeze and his Auburn Tigers are up next, and they don’t fare any better than A&M, falling 38-17. Already on the hot seat, this will be Freeze’s last season as coach of the War Eagles.
Mississippi St. rolls into town the following week and gets smooth run over. What a shame about Mike Leach. I miss him. He was the most innovative football mind in the business and left Earth way too soon. Hogs win 52-24, behind Big Braylen Russell 3TDs.
Thankfully, another bye week arrives to help heal the hurt and rest the weary, just in the nick of time for the home stretch.
Next stop, Baton Rouge – Death Valley, where football winning streaks go to die.
After winning three SEC games in a row at home, road games that follow multi-game home stands are usually hard on visiting teams and this game is no different, LSU wins 24-17.
Arch Manning and Taylen Green square in one for the ages, matching each other TD for TD in an explosive game that sees more than 1,000 yards of total offense combined. It takes four extra periods to determine a winner, as Arkansas rides the legs of Green to the dub, 50-48.
And finally, Missouri. This is the year we finally get one over on Eli Drinkwitz’s team, for it has been far too long since we bested these Tigers, and the waiting is over. 31-12 Hogs.
There you have it. Wow, did I really predict a 9-3 season? Bottom line, I believe in BMFP and his prolific offense, and with Green back after a full year of running the system, he should light up scoreboards like pachinko machines.
WPS!