ANDY SHUPE Northwest Arkansas Times

If the full lots filled with RVs at the Road Hog Park adjacent to Baum Stadium in south Fayetteville wasn't a sure sign the Razorbacks were opening the season Saturday, the thick stream of cars traveling north on Interstate 540 at 7 p.m. Friday was just as strong an indication.

That was the scene early Friday evening, where Hog fans Vicki and Bill Smith were celebrating a family member's 91 st birthday as the view of the high hill between Greenland and south Fayetteville was illuminated with a setting sun and floating headlights.

" We've been here since Wednesday night, " said Vicki Smith, a Razorback fan entrenched at the Road Hog Park. " When you're a Road Hog, you start tailgating by Wednesday and sometimes by Tuesday.

" We practice tailgating, that we get it right come Saturday. "

The Smiths travel to most of the Razorbacks' home and away games during the football season, and also make consistent appearances for the Baseball Hogs February through June. Their motor home, just a few years old, has a 7-foot Razorback painted on the back and the sides of the monstrous vehicle are painted red and black.

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Catch them during the right time at the right game, you may see their pet dog, a 6-year-old Bichon Frise, calling the Hogs from the RV's front window.

" The only dog in the SEC that can call the Hogs, " Bill Smith said. " She'll go up and go down. Up and down. She's been on TV at just about every SEC school. "

Up north from the Smith's on Saturday were the Jefferson and Jones families. Firmly placed as the closest group of four tents to Razorback Road and the north end of Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the two groups had a perfect view of the stadium and the newly painted, 20-yard long running Razorback logo painted at midfield.

Gary Jefferson, an avid tailgater at the spot for about nine years, tried to pay a fraternity student to save his routine spot next to the stadium in a parking lot on Friday night. The favor fell through, but the Razorback fan still managed to secure his tailgating home at 2 a.m. Saturday.

" It's right by the stadium. We see everybody, " Jefferson said. " Our friends all walk by here, even if they're not nearby. "

He's not kidding. He remembers seeing Arkansas boxer and local celebrity Jermain Taylor park a sports car right next to his tent a couple of years ago. He also remembers UA alum and PGA golfer John Daly walk by his tent along with Hootie and the Blowfish band leader, Darius Rucker.

Fellow tailgater and friend, Berr y Jones, remembers arriving back to their tents after the Kentucky football game last year to find a man crying in one of their chairs.

" He sat down in one of our chairs and kept talking to himself about how we just lost to a basketball school, " Jones said.

The Hogs lost 42-29 to the Wildcats on Sept. 22 last year.

Jones'sister-in-law, Kelly Jones, chimed in quickly with, " His wife wasn't too happy with him. "

The Jones arrived to connect with the Jeffersons at noon Saturday, a tradition that started a few years ago. Kelly Jones' cousin, in fact, married Jefferson's daughter a couple of years ago. The two families had no idea they were connected off the field.

" We had no idea until we saw each other at the wedding, " Kelly Jones said.

But talk, mostly, was all about the impending Hogs'game Saturday.

" I've been waiting five years for this to happen, " said Wade Jones, Kelly's husband. " I've gone to a couple of scrimmages and [UA quarterback ] Casey Dick looks phenomenal. I don't think fans are going to recognize him. I think he's going to exceed a lot of people's expectations. I think he'll put up 300 yards today. I really do. "

The positive thinking from fans was abundant, even if the future was unknown before the Razorbacks took the field Saturday.

What was for certain was the steady stream of traffic sure to appear after the game, heading back south on Interstate 540.