Predicting Future Still Early, Despite Razorbacks' Success

In weekly re-assessments of entire seasons based on latest games, Hogs need to get through September

Oklahoma State's Nick Martin (4) tackles Arkansas' Ja'Quinden Jackson (22) first half against Oklahoma State at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla. / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Let's hold off re-doing all those preseason predictions based on the outcome of Arkansas' offensive performances in two opening games. Those two games have nothing to do with the next 10.

Handicapping college football used to be fairly easy. You could look at what a team did and project it through the season. Not now. The defenses the Razorbacks have seen in the first couple of weeks were below SEC quality and stumbling around and blowing assignments.

All of that will change in a couple of weeks. Saturday's home opener at Razorback Stadium should be a fairly routine win and will probably have some mind-numbing offensive numbers, but then we start playing big boy football.

While talk shows have looked at Auburn (who stumbled and bumbled their way at home against Cal last week) and Texas A&M's opening opponent losing at home some renewed optimism. Just remember the Hogs aren't the only team to not be basing the remainder of the season on what happened in the first two games.

We've seen it before. Arkansas' 1974 season is the first example in memory that stands out.

The unranked Razorbacks opened with a 22-7 blowout of No. 5 USC in Little Rock. They turned around and got blasted by Oklahoma State at War Memorial, 26-7. After a couple of routine wins over Tulsa and TCU, they lost to Baylor and Texas, leaving the Hogs at 3-3 halfway through the season.

The Trojans didn't lose again (there was a strange tie against Cal) and wneded up hoisting the coaches' national championship. The Razorbacks finished 6-4-1 and stayed home in the postseason (there weren't as many bowl games then).

Arkansas also has to win a big game that's close in the fourth quarter. They haven't done much of that going into five seasons now. Nobody was trying to lose over in Stillwater, Okla., but it sure looked like it at times.

Don't use the line of putting that game with an asterisk that it "should" have been a win. It was a loss and figuring out how to close and hold a lead is as much a part of football as sweating. For his part, Hogs coach Sam Pittman hasn't made any excuses and he's still trying to get better every week.

Now folks are seeing a likely 4-1 record through games in September. The unusual dysfunctional offense by Auburn last Saturday is something coach Hugh Freeze has dealt with before in his coaching career.

Razorback fans should remember that well. The Hogs kicked Ole Miss sideways in Fayetteville back in 2014, then proceeded to parade their way to a New Year's Six game in the Peach Bowl. One game doesn't define a team one way or the other.

Considering Notre Dame yielded to Northern Illinois in front of Touchdown Jesus and a stunned crowd in South Bend sort of puts that faceplant by the Tigers in focus. It has nothing do do with what happens going forward.

It's also why Razorback fans can't use a loss for some way to justify success going forward. These days that looks a little risky, no matter who you are.

HOGS FEED:

• As kicking woes plague Razorbacks, alumni shine in NFL debuts

• SEC Roll Call: Hogs Help Stage Coup Against SEC

• Facts on UAB Game: Looking at Notes for Saturday's Game

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