Most Critical Part of Razorbacks' Schedule Won't Come in Early Stages
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Last year things fell apart with Arkansas coach Sam Pittman's team before Halloween. They fired the offensive coordinator and just about everything felt like a mad scramble to get to the end of the season before a complete collapse at home against Missouri to end it.
That was two-thirds of the way through a year that was already not meeting the expectations people had in August. It was also after a stunningly horrific loss to Mississippi State on homecoming where the offense couldn't manage to avoid running into itself repeatedly.
The rest of the way had a glimmer of hope against a Florida team imploding just as badly. This year the Razorbacks may not make it that far before everything goes into a panic stage. Some folks are already looking for when basketball practices start.
There's a lot of hope being put into in the second game of the year on the road at Oklahoma State. That will set a tone for the rest of the early season that won't get any easier after a game that could be tougher than most expect against UAB in the third game.
The moment fans have either a meltdown or high expectations comes directly in the middle of the schedule depending on whether the Razorbacks are 3-3 or better at that point. LSU comes to town after the first off-week and the Hogs' faithful will either start planning for a bowl trip or turning their focus toward basketball.
Auburn, Texas A&M and Tennessee won't be easy and they all have better players deeper on the roster. The Razorbacks have talent, but whether it transfers deep into games remains to be seen.
An optimistic view of the back-end of the schedule leads to 2-4 at best. With that outlook, it means to make any bowl game the Hogs need to win four of the first six games and that's going to be a monster of a hill. Four of the six are in everybody's preseason Top 25.
The Hogs do have chances in the first four. They could be anywhere from 2-4 to 4-2. With no idea of luck or attitude, the Razorbacks are about one play away from the whole season going down in flames with the wrong injury at an inopportune time.
One way will have people predicting postseason trips and making plans. The other will make the radio shows and columns more entertaining.
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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.