ESPN’s Latest Numbers Brain-Teaser Doesn't Favor Razorbacks

These deep-dive analytics can be taken multiple way and really don't mean anything when games start

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The researchers are starting even earlier this year.

With college baseball's season nowhere near a finish, the football nerds are firing up their spreadsheets and calculators once again.

The latest is the updated SP+ thing by ESPN projecting teams for college football taking into account the give-and-take of the transfer portal.

It is all based on numbers, which don't necessarily factor in a whole myriad of other things.

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson looks at the backups during the spring game at the indoor workout facility in Fayetteville near the end of spring practice in April. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Images)

And it's not the final preseason rankings. We do still have that whole media daze waste of time thing that actually could be entertaining this year with the latest ravings of the madman in College Station.

These latest numbers projections weren't exactly expecting a whole lot from Arkansas.

The Razorbacks did land at No. 26 overall, which on the surface isn't exactly horrible. Like real life, the Hogs' biggest problem is that is only good enough for No. 10 in the SEC.

Really, you can go look for yourself.

Somehow the numbers say that Sam Pittman's team has the 10th best team in the entire league based purely on returning production, recent recruiting and recent history.

They are sixth in the West, only ahead of LSU.

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jefferson and coach Sam Pittman share a lighthearted moment during practice in Tampa for the Outback Bowl last December. (Arkansas Communications)

In a game of numbers, you can interpret them to justify just about any result you are trying to achieve. That's called analysis.

Some sports analyze things to no end. It's like talking to baseball people, who spend most of their time discussing them.

In football, though, they usually mean nothing.

It comes down to wins and losses, which really is the only numbers that matter.

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