Much at Stake Between Hogs, Tigers to Make Rivalry Matter

Job statuses, improvement on bowl destination just a couple of many reasons Battle Line Rivalry should finally matter

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman shakes hands with Missouri Tigers coach Eil Drinkwitz after the game at Razorback Stadium. Arkansas won 34-17. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Throw out both teams overall records when it comes to the Battle Line Rivalry because history shows those things truly don't matter.

For much of the previous 11 meetings dating back to 2014, Arkansas has not shown the same amount of intensity with which Missouri often plays with. Combine that with the ruthless aggression Tigers' coach Eli Drinkwitz shows the Razorbacks and has not held back his emotions when beating his home state's flagship program.

Coach Sam Pittman has a chance to lead his team to a better bowl game given a victory in Columbia, Missouri this Saturday. Memorial Stadium hasn't been a kind venue to Arkansas as it is winless in six tries including an 0-5 mark when the rivalry was started in 2014.

For this border war to evolve to the next level Arkansas needs to string a couple of victories together which is something it has never done before against Missouri. It should have happened multiple times under Bret Bielema and Pittman but some sort of mental edge from the Tigers has allowed them to remain on the winning side of things.

There's pure hate between the two schools as Missouri has often outperformed Arkansas since joining the SEC in 2012 with multiple double-digit win seasons, a pair of SEC Championship game appearances and a Cotton Bowl victory over Ohio State last season. On the otherhand, the Razorbacks have been fighting to remain afloat in this new era of college football and can do so by winning its seventh game of the year this week.

Part of the resentment from the Razorbacks side is likely due to the scheduling shuffle that took place over a decade ago. The Missouri game replaced the Battle of the Golden Boot against LSU which actually meant something to Arkansas as the season finale often played a vital role to postseason play.

Arkansas fans have treated Missouri like the redheaded stepchild for the majority of the last decade and despise them because of their success. The Razorbacks feel like they have a much more storied history, an arguement that holds plenty of water.

But, in the world of results must happen now, Missouri understands it and Arkansas remains indifferent to the status quo of mediocrity. Much of the talk around Arkansas' program is Pittman's job status to which he remains adamant that he has yet to think about it.

One way to put the hot seat talk away for the offseason is by winning the game instead of being thumped by 10 or more for the second straight year.

"I’ve never one time worried about my job. I promise you, not one time," Pittman said Saturday after the victory over Louisiana Tech. "So you know I wish we’d kind of move on because it kills us in recruiting."

"So am I happy that we’re bowl eligible, yes. For everybody in the building and that staff besides me. I’ve never worried about my job. Still don’t. I’m going to be fine one way or the other. But I’m going to fight like hell for the University of Arkansas the entire time that I’m the head coach."

HOGS FEED:

• Fans thought this coach was next in line for the Arkansas job

• Hogs' offense clicks into gear after starting stuck in mud

• Razorbacks' Ball-Hawking Defense Put Trojans In Early Hole

• Winning Ugly Remains Early Recipe for Razorbacks

• Razorbacks use strong defense, timely shooting to put Trojans away

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