All Hogs

Razorbacks Better Hope This Year Has No Effect on Next Season

Pittman's team having to face pair of teams in final four of College Football Playoff this season

Andy Hodges

Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian lifts the trophy after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian lifts the trophy after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas fans hoping former coach Lou Holtz' phrase from nearly 50 years ago doesn't still hold true. At least for next sesaon because right now the football schedule is formidable-looking.

After an 11-1 season in 1977, the Razorbacks were picked No. 1 the following summer for the next sesaon in a lot of places. Sports Illustrated had them on the cover of their preview magazine back when that was a big deal.

"Last year has nothing to do with this year," Holtz told us at media day on a very hot Razorback Stadium artificial surface field. It means, simply, teams in the Hogs' position couldn't assume things would be the same.

In the world of college football, though, change comes slowly. If you lapsed into a coma in the mid-1960's and woke up today to see the last four teams standing in the College Football Playoff team, you'd think nothing in the world had changed. Seeing Ohio State, Notre Dame, Penn State and those Texas Longhorns still there.

Looking at the Hogs' football schedule next year, it's a downer for fans to see the Fighting Irish coming to town for a game in September and a mid-November trip to Austin on there. The last time Arkansas played there late in the season, things didn't go so well in 1970, a 42-7 loss. That was supposed to be Big Shootout II and it ended the sesaon after an opening loss to Jim Plunkett and Stanford in Little Rock.

It was so depressing, Frank Broyles talked his way out of a third straight trip to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The bowl games didn't mean nearly as much then as they do these days.

Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian and Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman before their game in Fayetteville
Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian and Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman interact prior to the game at Razorback Stadium. / Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Razorbacks' coach Sam Pittman's problem is figuring out how to take a team that will have more questions than answers through spring practice and the early season. Again. It's been that way the last couple of years.

It could be a more daunting task than it appears right now. If the Longhorns beat the Buckeyes and the Fighting Irish could get past the Nittany Lions, they could be playing both teams in the national championship game. That will make the summer projections even more interesting.

If it goes the other way we'll all have to listen to Big Ten chest-beating instead of all-SEC bragging. That's not even taking into account what ripples all of that causes as the biggest two conferences continue their attempt to take control all of big-time college sports.

Right now, the Hogs have just two wins that should assumed wins right now (Alabama A&M and Arkansas State). Road trips to Ole Miss and Memphis offer zero guarantees about anything and then Notre Dame comes to town for the first matchup ever with the Irish.

Pittman may not look ahead, but the fans certainly do. Nobody really knows even what players will still be at what team, projecting anyting now is a little ridiculous. Counting on Notre Dame and Texas, though, to lose even half the key players to the portal Arkansas has in the past month is daydreaming at best.

Right now, though, all anyone can really do is hope Lou Holtz wasn't right about today's world looking into his crystal ball back in 1978.

HOGS FEED:

• Calipari, staff hoping Bud Walton crowds help Razorbacks

• Rebels will bring typical Beard team mentality to Bud Walton

• Calipari chose bigger lesson over closer game with Tennessee

• Razorbacks sign former ACC wide receiver from transfer portal

• Razorbacks earn lowest Perfect Game ranking since 2021

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Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.

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