Different Motivation Could Drive Oklahoma State Against Hogs

While Razorbacks looking for victory over ranked team, Cowboys would love to win for credibility

Oklahoma State Cowboys coach Mike Gundy on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Boone Pickens Stadium. / William Purnell-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas will just be looking for a win over a ranked team Saturday. Oklahoma State will probably be trying to make a statement it should be a conference game.

The Razorbacks and Cowboys will resume a rivalry Saturday that ended in 1980 primarily because OSU couldn't win enough games to really make it frequently competitive. It did give the Hogs a leg up on getting to a bowl game and some early confidence on several occasions.

Many of the Cowboys' faithful believe they should have been included when Texas and Oklahoma jumped out of the Big 12 to the SEC starting this year. Oklahoma State has always been treated like the little brother, but now are the model of stability and consistency in that state.

Mike Gundy has been there 20 years while the Sooners are on their third coach in that time. Arkansas is on a fifth, not counting interim ones for a couple of games a year.

Yes, Oklahoma State has been a better football program than the Hogs for the last several seasons. No need to throw out the excuse of strength of conference because that's a tired argument used to justify a weak position.

The Hogs are riding high over a 70-0 win over an Arkansas-Pine Bluff trsm that might simply be the worst team in the FCS. Meanwhile, the Cowboys beat the defending FCS national champion South Dakota State, 44-20, last week.

With the game being on ABC, which brings more potential viewers than any of the ESPN signals, OSU knows this is a chance to make a statement. There currently aren't any rumors about the Cowboys changing leagues, but that's a big part why they want to make a huge statement in this game.

A win over an SEC team not named Vanderbilt would do that. For whatever it's worth, the Cowboys fans know it and so do the coaches, players, even the band.

Nobody's talking about it because they don't do that much over in Stillwater. Rest assured, though, it's one of the aspects of this game.

When Oklahoma left the state and the Bedlam series behind, a lot of OSU folks felt like it was a slap in the face. The Sooners were probably just looking at finances, but OSU took it personally.

Arkansas hasn't been in that fight. The Hogs are already in the SEC, but now they have to go into a hostile environment on a Saturday morning game that has been promoted a couple of hours away like it's a playoff game for them.

The Razorbacks, on the other hand, are just looking to win games. They have momentum now with offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino getting his offense to put up nearly 700 yards in what essentially was a scrimmage last week in Little Rock.

Now they have an opportunity to do something, too. Beating a ranked team on the road would propel enthusiasm that has been lacking a bit in this off-season.

Doing it in a front of hostile crowd always makes that even better. Somebody will be respected Saturday afternoon for what happens in this game.

Maybe for different reasons, but the bottom line is the same for the Razorbacks and Cowboys. They just desperately want a big win, which is what this will be for one team.

HOGS FEED:

• Hasz looking to have healthy second season with Razorbacks

• Scouting report indicates game against Oklahoma State will be closer than expected

• Hogs' speedy wide receivers come alive in Petrino's offense

• Subscribe and follow us on YouTube
• Follow HogsSI on X and Facebook