Razorbacks Fans' Feeling of Deja Vu Simply Case of Mistaken Identity

Regional opening opponent not common foe many may think it is

Arkansas Razorbacks' outfielder Peyton Holt after his big homer launched comeback against Mississippi State on May 12. / Crave Whitlow-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – If it feels like Arkansas somehow finds a way to end up playing Southeast Missouri State every season, then your feelings are wrong. 

However, that doesn't mean you are alone. In a Mandela Effect of sorts, a lot of Razorbacks fans have the same image in their heads. After all, the teams have played in the regular season the past three years and also in the postseason not only this year, but also in 2022 in Stillwater, right?

Actually, no. They didn't play this season. That was Missouri State.

The Hogs and Redhawks did play a single mid-week game early in the season last year which Arkansas won 12-2 in seven innings. As for the 2022 regional at Oklahoma State, that was neither. 

The Cowboys, with their brash collection of home run bombers went through a pair of epic battles with Missouri State, not SeMo, to set up a three-game series with Arkansas that may have been one of the most watchable roller coaster ride of regional battles in NCAA history.

Fans remember that series because of the craziness that started on Day 2 and just kept going. Missouri State set the stage by being down 7-1 going into the 8th and scoring two in that inning and five in the ninth to steal an 8-7 win. 

Meanwhile, the Hogs found themselves down 10-5 to the Cowboys, a deficit that seemed destined to expand, before the Razorbacks went on a tear, scoring 15 runs in the final three innings to advance to the regional final 20-12. 

The next day, in a five-hour marathon, the Bears threatened to run-rule OSU after jumping out 12-0. Then the Cowboys went on a 17-2 run. It was 17-15 after seven in a game that could have gone either way, but Oklahoma State sent a message to Arkansas fans the last two innings, running away with a 29-15 win. A few hours later, the Hogs forced extra innings after tying the Cowboys 10-10, but couldn't clench the championship that Saturday night because OSU rattled off four runs in the 10th. 

The final game was more mundane as Arkansas closed the series with a 7-3 win. There were 124 runs scored after Day 1, none of which were put up by Southeast Missouri State. That was just fans' imagination.

If all goes well in Game 1 Friday, perhaps they will again have to imagine SeMo scoring a run against the Hogs in the regional.The Redhawks' lone Power Five win came against Missouri back in February, and it could hardly be argued the Tigers were behaving as a Power Five program back then.

The regional opener between Arkansas and Southeast Missouri State will air at 2 p.m. on ESPN+. Kansas State and Louisiana Tech will close out Day 1 at 7 p.m., also on ESPN+.

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