Malzahn could still be in picture for Razorbacks

Chaos reigns supreme in the world of college football.

And Tuesday night we find out just how chaotic it is as we close in on the Final Four of college football with the playoff committee rankings.

Auburn has thrown a gigantic monkey wrench into what was humming along nicely.

Beating Alabama 26-14 just two weeks after drubbing Georgia 40-17 a couple of weeks ago.

And now, with an official opening at head coach, many Arkansas fans have started to tear up their tickets they had purchased to get on the Gus Bus of Malzahn coming to Fayetteville.

They might want to hold up on that. And don’t take that as any sort of prediction that Malzahn will be the next coach, but this is going so crazy, who knows?

There was a report shortly after Auburn beat Alabama at AL.com that outgoing athletics director Jay Jacobs was trying to deflect talk of Malzahn going to Arkansas.

“Gus and I, we haven’t spoken about a new contract,” Jacobs said. “We spoke about his future here and he’s very happy here and I expect him to be here for quite some time. … Gus and I will talk about (a new contract), but the way Gus is, he doesn’t like to talk about things until everything is over.

“He’ll be completely focused on playing Georgia again. When Gus is ready to talk about it, we’ll talk about it. He knows; I’ve already mentioned it to him. He said he’s perfectly happy here at Auburn and wants to stay here. We’ll see how things go, it’s a competitive business we’re in and in order to stay in this business you got to be competitive. So we’ll just see how it all unfolds.”

To summarize that standard adminstrative doubletalk: Jacobs doesn’t know how it’s all going to come out.

There’s still a week to go before anything will be done. I know, you were hoping for a press conference Monday or Tuesday to announce a coach, but it would be completely surprising to see that happen.

If, in fact, Malzahn and Memphis coach Mike Norvell are the top two candidates, they each still have a game to play.

The Tigers will play Georgia in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday in Atlanta while Memphis plays Central Florida (who’s coach, Scott Frost, is a prime target of Nebraska and Florida).

No coach is going to make a move before those conference championship games.

Central Florida doesn’t have a shot at the playoff. Auburn has an outside shot … a longshot, based on precedent of what the committee does picking the final four teams.

No two-loss team has made it to the playoff. Auburn has two losses, but they’ve got to beat the Bulldogs, who will be the third big-time opponent in a month of do-or-die games for Malzahn.

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There are many that think Malzahn wouldn’t leave Auburn now that he won the Iron Bowl and beat Alabama for the second time in five years. They feel Auburn will offer him a contract extension and a raise and some folks feel completely confident that will keep him on The Plains for a while longer.

And they may be right.

But don’t be surprised if they aren’t. Gus has always marched to the beat of a different drummer. Don’t forget in 1999 he left Shiloh for much larger Benton and stayed about two weeks before going back to Springdale.

Applying your logic and assuming Malzahn uses the same logic might not be reality.

Making the playoff MIGHT be the deal-breaker, but that’s not guaranteed, even if Auburn beats Georgia on Saturday.

In fact, if the Tigers do win the game, it will be surprising here if they get into the playoff. I would think they’ll take Alabama over a two-loss Auburn team, regardless of the head-to-head outcome.

They did it last year with Ohio State over Penn State, remember. The Nittany Lions were a two-loss conference champion, yet the committee took a one-loss Ohio State team that LOST to Penn State in the regular season.

That’s precisely why I’m saying if you want Malzahn, don’t give up hope yet.

They still have to beat Georgia and may not have their best running back (Kerryon Johnson injured a shoulder in the fourth quarter).

When they beat the Bulldogs a few weeks ago, it was on The Plains. This one will be in Georgia’s back yard in Atlanta, although Auburn is almost as close, but the guess is this is going to be a pro-Georgia crowd.

If Auburn loses, Malzahn is available immediately.

If the Tigers win, then we all have to wait until 11 a.m. Sunday to find out about the playoff picture and I’m not sure they get in even with a win.

Of course, this is going to be a case of what-if’s and what-about’s are going to be flying all across the world of college football.

But for those that want Norvell, he’s not available any sooner.

Now, if Julie Cromer Peoples has someone already lined up that’s not Malzahn or Norvell, we’ll know this week, but if there’s no announcement, I think one of those two will be the primary targets.

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Get ready for a wild ride this week.