WholeHogSports
Times’ Staff Votes
Posted on Sunday, July 20, 2008
URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/67308/
TERRY WOOD
1. Alabama — It’s Arkansas’ first SEC game and historically when the Razorbacks beat Bama they go on to at least a good season. If Arkansas loses, it’s already behind the eight ball in SEC play.
2. Texas — It’s the Hogs ’ only nonconference game of national import. The Longhorns have always been Arkansas’ measuring stick. When Arkansas beats Texas, it gains national respect.
3. Ole Miss — Being from Eastern Arkansas and having many relatives in Mississippi, this has been a big game to me since the series resumed in 1981. I still vividly remember Billy Ray Smith Jr. and Ron Faurot chasing Ole Miss QB John Forcade around all night in that 1981 game at Jackson, Miss., and Danny Walters’ key interception return for a TD to lock up the victory. However, with former head Hog Houston Nutt now at the helm in Oxford, Miss., it has become a huge game for all Hog fans. It would be embarrassing for Arkansas to lose this one.
4. South Carolina — When the Hogs win this game, they usually go to a bowl. When they don’t, it’s usually home for the holidays.
5. Kentucky — Here is another winnable SEC game for the Hogs, but it’s on the road.
6. Mississippi State — Bulldogs should be stronger this season, but this remains a winnable game for Hogs even on the road.
7. Tulsa — Although Tulsa is tough behind Gus Malzahn’s high-powered offense, Arkansas should have more depth and more talent, particularly on defense. This would be another embarrassing game to lose because of Malzahn’s ties to the state, particularly Northwest Arkansas.
8. Florida — No doubt this is a marquee game and would be a fantastic victory to get. But I think the Gators will have too much offense for the Hogs to handle this season, making this game a probable loss and not as important as other more winnable games in my mind.
9. LSU — With a short week of practice and the game being so late in the season, anything is possible, but again this is a probable loss, making other games more important to the Razorbacks’ season.
10. Auburn — Tommy Tuberville’s Tigers are the Razorbacks’ strongest road opponent. While Arkansas has had good fortune on the plains during Nutt’s era as coach, it is a new day at Arkansas. Plus, considering Petrino’s 2003 in-season dalliance with an Auburn booster and its former SID, you know Tuberville wants a little payback. This looks like another sure loss to me.
11. Louisiana Monroe — Should be a sure win, but Monroe did upset Bama last year.
12. Western Illinois — A sure victory to hail the start of the Petrino era of Razorback football.
1. Ole Miss — Always big for Eastern Arkansas, now huge for all of Arkansas with Houston Nutt moved from Fayetteville to Oxford.
2. Texas — Force of Southwest Conference habit.
3. Alabama — Greeting St. Nick in Petrino’s SEC opener.
4. Florida — Tebow comes to town.
5. LSU — Should be bigger but not if beating national champion Tigers in Baton Rouge couldn’t halt last December’s moving vans.
6. Tulsa — Should be smaller but Arkansas’ blood pressure will rise above SEC standards among those either praising or berating Gus Malzahn.
7. Auburn — Petrino vs. Tuberville will stoke some stories.
8. South Carolina — Petrino vs. Spurrier will get some attention, too.
9. Kentucky — Overlooked by fans but a game that could decide if this Arkansas’ season finishes above. 500.
10. Mississippi State — Deserves better but probably is about 10 or lower on Arkansas fans’ scale.
11. Western Illinois — Also deserves better as it opens an era.
12. Louisiana-Monroe — Listed 12 th out of 12 but those numbers don’t add up with Nick Saban. JOE WEST
1. Texas — It’s Texas. Enough said.
2. Ole Miss — Just as when he arrived at Arkansas, Houston Nutt has the good fortune to take over a team with strong talent already in place, especially in the trenches. Fayetteville will be worked into a frenzy for this one.
3. Alabama — Two of the nation’s most scrutinized coaches meet in Fayetteville for the SEC opener. It’s key to start on a good note.
4. Mississippi State — This game is important because it’s one of Arkansas’ more winnable SEC West games. Losing this one would be bad news for the Hogs.
5. South Carolina — Folks are expecting big things from Spurrier and Co. this season, but I think this is a very winnable conference game for Arkansas, even on the road.
6. Kentucky — Another winnable conference game on the road. Almost a mustwin for the Hogs.
7. Tulsa — The Gus Malzahn connection gives this matchup some zing. We could see both teams combine for over 100 points.
8. Auburn — Petrino and Tuberville have a history, and Arkansas usually plays well at Auburn.
9. LSU — The national champs will be seeking some payback in the Rock. It’s likely they’ll get it.
10. Florida — The main reason I have this game ranked so low is that think it’s probably going to be an Arkansas loss. And it’s against an SEC East team.
11. Louisiana Monroe — The Warhawks return many key players from the team that upset Alabama last year. Other than that, nothing special about this one.
12. Western Illinois — The only real significance to this game is that it’s Petrino’s debut as Arkansas’ head coach.
BRANDON MARCELLO 1. Alabama — Forget Texas, Arkansas ’ biggest game of the year is its first SEC game of the season. The home team has won the last four games of this series and the Hogs need a 1-0 record in the SEC to gain momentum to a winning season.
2. Florida — Arkansas ’ attempt to dethrone Florida’s prince, Tim Tebow, is also its second SEC game of the year. It helps that the game is at home for the Hogs, who will need a minor miracle to stop the high-powered Gators. 3. Texas — If Texas was a conference game, it would be No. 1, but the non-conference factor weighs heavily on the decision to knock it to this spot. As the third game of the year, an upset of Texas on the road would propel Bobby Petrino into the ESPN limelight — quite different from the shadow they’ve followed the new ball coach with since his departure from Atlanta.
4. Ole Miss — Houston Nutt’s back and this time it’s personal. Crank up your Photoshop, people, the movie poster ideas for this one on Oct. 25 are endless.
5. Auburn — Petrino showed interest in Tommy Tuberville’s job in 2003 but later backed out after the reports went public. Don’t you think these two want to beat each other ?
6. Tulsa — Hey, look, it’s the Gus Bus ! Keep your defensive mind at ease because the offenses will be on show at Razorback Stadium. Can Gus Malzahn best one of the best minds in college football ?
7. LSU — The Golden Boot sits at the Broyles Athletic Center and the Hogs want to keep it that way as they attempt to peak with a winning record in this regular season finale.
8. South Carolina — Two former NFL head coaches go head-to-head as Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier tries to have his first stellar season in the Golf Course State. 9. Mississippi State — Late-season games are always important and the victor of this game seems to be growing closer and closer to a coin flip than it has in the last nine years. 10. Kentucky — Arkansas’ first legitimate shot at a road win comes Oct. 18 in Lexington, Ky.
11. Louisiana-Monroe — Got a few bucks ? It’s a renta-win ! Well, wait, maybe not. Just ask Alabama. 12. Western Illinois — Right now, this is Petrino’s most important game because it’s his first with a Razorback adorning his ball cap. Fans will probably still pack the stadium for this otherwise mediocre seasonopener.
DAVID SHOWERS
1. Ole Miss — Nutt’s homecoming piques fans ’ interest to a level surpassing any other game on the schedule.
2. Texas — Long standing rival still evokes fan base’s scorn. A win in Austin can put season on winning trajectory.
3. Florida — Tim Tebow becomes first Heisman Trophy winner to play at Razorback Stadium since fellow Gator Danny Wuerffel came to Fayetteville in 1996.
4. Auburn — Former 7 A-West Conference studs Kodi Burns and Lee Ziemba underscore this match-up.
5. LSU — Defending BCS champs out for revenge and Boot when rivalry reconvenes at War Memorial Stadium.
6. Alabama — Match-up between former NFL coaches that probably should’ve never left the collegiate ranks.
7. South Carolina — Ol ’ Ball Coach measures offensive acumen against Bobby Petrino’s highly touted offensive mind.
8. Kentucky — Wildcats have frustrated Arkansas in the past. A win at Lexington will go a long way toward making Arkansas bowl eligible.
9. Mississippi State — Might be Bulldogs’ best chance to beat Arkansas in Sylvester Croom era. Arkansas has nine-game win streak against Mississippi State.
10. Tulsa — New regime at Arkansas takes away from intrigue of Gus Malzahn’s return.
11. Louisiana Monroe — Warhawks provide early-season tune-up for Texas game.
12. Western Illinois — Put Arkansas State on the schedule already. HEATH ALLEN 1. Alabama — Two former NFL coaches clash in Hogs ’ most important game of season. 2. Texas — Horns vs. Hogs always big. Fans get to see how Petrino handles Arkansas’ most epic rivalry.
3. LSU — In this scribes ’ opinion, Hogs’ biggest SEC rivalry. One-size boot doesn’t fit all against defending national champs.
4. Auburn — Tuberville goes toe-to-toe with Petrino, who allegedly conspired to snatch his job at Auburn. Plus, it’s a key conference tilt against a talented squad.
5. Tulsa — Hogs face Gus Malzahn’s high-octane Golden Hurricane at home. A loss to a talented Tulsa would not be well-received by the Razorback Nation.
6. Ole Miss — Houston Nutt is a Rebel with a cause but without as much talent as the Hogs. Game looks to be bigger than it really is.
7. Mississippi State — Always a must-win game for Hogs with ‘ Bama, LSU and Auburn as yearly foes.
8. South Carolina — Petrino vs. Spurrier will make for interesting debate as two astute offensive minds collide.
9. Florida — Arkansas fans will wish McFadden was back for this one to show Tebow who really was college football’s best player last year.
10. Kentucky — As tough as Arkansas’ murderers’ row schedule is, Kentucky on the road becomes a game the Hogs must win.
11. Western Illinois — Cupcakes are always a good snack early in the fall.
12. Louisiana-Monroe — Hogs’ will likely put more than 21 points on the board for this one, something Saban’s Tide failed to do in an embarrassing 21-13 loss last year. NATE ALLEN