All Hogs

Razorbacks Might be Second Best in SEC West ... But It’s Early

As usual, fans over-react early in season but we'll all know soon

Andy Hodges

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As usual, a lot of people tend to handicap the entire season after two games.

That's making a decision without evidence. All we have right now are some examples of how good Arkansas might be.

In addition, everyone is thinking Alabama may be coming back to the field because Texas played them close.

All of it is blatant over-reaction and that's not just Razorback fans, who are still the most bi-polar in all of college athletics. Even the national people are making predictions and hoping to be right.

They may be right. Making any sort of projection for the Hogs right now, though, is hope more than anything else.

Everyone thinks now Texas A&M, who was supposed to be the second-best team in the SEC West behind the Crimson Tide, is going to fold up the tent after being upset at home by Appalachian State.

After just two weeks, pump the brakes. There are some guesses, but wait a few weeks before thinking the entire fate of the season is decided before the middle of September.

Saturday's game against Missouri State is one from this angle that's not going to please the coaches, players or fans.

Oh, the Hogs will win. There's no line on the game at SISportsBook.com because the Bears are an FCS team.

The coaches have apparently trying to make sure they have the players' attention.

"This is not an off week," said defensive lineman Isaiah Nichols. "This is not a week to where we can just relax like 'Hey, we're going to go out there and win the game,' because they're coming to play.

"Any time teams at their levels are playing teams at our level, we're going to get their best. We have to prepare for that and give them our best."

Bumper Pool-South Carolina
Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Bumper Pool runs downfield after picking up an onsides kick and nearly scoring against South Carolina on Sept. 10, 2022, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. (Ted McClenning / allHOGS Images)

But the players know exactly who they are facing and they watch film. Missouri State has scholarship players, too, but there's a reason they play at a school that's not in the SEC.

Former Hogs' coach Bobby Petrino can still put together a passing game that's probably going to test whatever defensive coordinator Barry Odom can put together in the secondary.

No matter how much Petrino schemes, though, he simply doesn't have the players to win the game unless the Hogs help them out a little and just have a complete lack of interest in the game.

Next week's game against Texas A&M, though, is going to be the test of a Hogs' offense that has fans drooling over the best running attack in years.

The Aggies don't have an offense, but they have as many good athletes on defense as just about anybody not named Alabama, who comes to Fayetteville the next week.

Don't be too quick to make bold predictions now. There's not enough information available, just some points to start the story.

Check back around Halloween and we'll have a better idea.

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HOGS FEED:

WHAT OFFENSIVE LINEMAN BRADY LATHAM, RUNNING BACK AJ GREEN SAID AFTER TUESDAY'S PRACTICE

COMPLETE PRESS CONFERENCE WITH ISAIAH NICHOLS AND CHRIS PAUL

FANS NEED TO WORRY MORE ABOUT BOBBY PETRINO'S TEAM INSTEAD OF WHAT HAPPENED A DECADE AGO

FAYETTEVILLE BULLDOGS MOVE UP IN LATEST STATE HIGH SCHOOL POLL

THREE GUEST SPEAKERS PUTTING LITTLE ROCK TOUCHDOWN CLUB ON MAP

SEC ROUND-UP: FINEBAUM TEARS INTO FISHER, AGGIES AFTER EMBARASSING LOSS

SEC SHORTS HILARIOUSLY SENDS BAMA, A&M, NOTRE DAME, NEBRASKA TO ER

DREW SANDERS HAS ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS ABOUT LINEBACKERS FOR HOGS

HOW HIRING SAM PITTMAN MADE BIG IMPACT WITH TWO TEAMS

RAZORBACKS MAKE HUGE JUMP IN AP POLL, BUT HOW FAR? WHO ELSE MOVED UP OR DOWN?

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW HEADING INTO SOUTH CAROLINA; TIME TO GET PAST PETRINO'S AWKWARD EXIT

PITTMAN TOLD JEFFERSON IT WAS HIS LAST SHOT, HOW JEFFERSON RESPONDED

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Published
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.