Like it is

Everybody left happy but the bean counters

Arkansas quarterback Cole Kelley runs near the goal line during a game against Florida A&M on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Little Rock.

— It was supposed to be one-sided, like the first team practicing against the third team.

Florida A&M traveled more than 10 hours by bus for $750,000, after opening its season five days earlier, and they earned every penny.

The Rattlers, who played hard but were outmanned at every position, had very little success against Arkansas' defense. And it wasn't just because of the much-ballyhooed 3-4 alignment.

Early in the second half the Hogs lined up in a 5-2 and got a sack, and on the next play the defense swarmed a receiver and forced a fumble that Henre Toliver scooped up and ran in for a touchdown.

That made it 28-0, what many fans,and media thought might be the first-quarter score, or at the very least the halftime score.

On FAMU's next possession a sack by Jake Hall forced a punt and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville needed about three minutes to drive 56 yards for another touchdown.

What was needed right then was a mercy rule.

Freshman Chase Hayden carried three consecutive times to end that scoring drive, going 14, 10 and 5 yards.

And just like that it was over and never as close as the 49-7 final.

The 36,055 Hogs lovers got their money's worth.

That's not many fans in the stands, and so the stadium debate will continue to rage, although there were a number of factors as to why so few would show for the opener.

One, was the weather.

It was cloudy and looked like the bottom might fall out all day.

Two, it was on a Thursday night and Arkansas games at War Memorial Stadium are famous for tailgating, which was greatly reduced on a work night.

Three, the opponent.

In the past FAMU has been a successful program in the FCS playoffs, just not the same College Football Playoffs that Alabama has been in every year since it started.

The Rattlers struggled mightily against the Razorbacks' defense and didn't get into Hogs country until midway through the third quarter.

Their best weapon was their punter, and he was aided and abetted greatly by rolls after shanked kicks. He also had a 26-yard run on a fake punt, one of the few Rattlers' highlights.

And the Hogs were showing nothing fancy, sticking to base defense. with TCU coming up next Saturday.

The offense didn't show much either, other than the running back situation seems in pretty good hands with Hayden, Devwah Whaley and David Williams. Coach Bret Bielema's biggest problem may be keeping all three happy.

The offensive line seemed to have some work to do and surprising true freshman Ty Clary from Fayetteville started at right guard and Johnny Gibson moved from starting guard to starting tackle.

Quarterback Austin Allen played well, although he was rushed too often and the pressure helped force him to throw an interception.

Mostly the Hogs lined up and ran the ball, which is exactly what the Horned Frogs expect them to do in Fayetteville.

So the season opened after a 245-day wait after the collapse against Virginia Tech in the Belk Bowl. Maybe the offense was a little rusty, but there are a bunch of new, but mostly talented, receivers.

Now if the Razorbacks play another home-away-from-home game in Little Rock, it is in the contract to be an SEC team.

Vanderbilt seems likely, but there is thought the UA may buy that game out, and it can point the finger at the last SEC game in Little Rock, against Georgia in October of 2014, didn't sell out.

Tickets for that game were $65 in the end zone and required a $35 donation to the Razorback Foundation. A hundred bucks for any game is asking a lot from even the most loyal fan.

Sports on 09/01/2017