Football
PETE’S PICKS: Texas’ schedule doesn’t set them up for success against Hogs
Pete’s latest desperate attempt at catching up in the picks’ contest and he has confidence in Razorbacks in big game
Cotton. Cashmere. Wool. The 2024 Texas football schedule.
Which of these four things do not go with the others? I will give you a second to think.
Three of the four in our list are soft things. So, if your answer is “The 2024 Texas football schedule”, you are correct.
Look, I love the SEC just as much if not more than anybody. And when Oklahoma and Texas announced their defection from the Big 12 to our conference, the thought was it would be a wake-up call for all Sooner and Longhorn fans that their longtime conference powerhouses would struggle against the stiffer SEC competition.
I am definitely not the only person to notice this, and, if I were to look around, I would probably I am not the first person to discuss it. But, with it coming to making predictions and reasons why, I wanted to bring these talking points to the table.
When the 2024 SEC football schedules were released, I made a specific intent to look at OU’s and Texas’s opponents. At first glance I noticed the Longhorns had early match-ups with Michigan and their Red River foe, the Sooners. Both of these opponents have quality programs and should have been stiff competition for Texas. In fairness, at the time, few of us recognized how bad OU would be this season.
The quality of their opponents not withstanding, it was actually what I noticed upon second glance of Texas’s SEC schedule. There were no tough road games in the early parts of the season. In fact, it was the last weekend in October before Texas had a conference road game.
Not to mention, if you look closely, and if you go by last seasons’ performances, you will notice the Longhorns host all of their tough conference games at home, with three of their four road games being expected wins for most SEC teams. Vanderbilt, (as bad as I hate to say it) Arkansas, and Texas A&M. Soft.
Granted, their season-ending trip to Kyle Field to face the Aggies was not considered to be much of a contest until A&M surprised everyone this season with their much improved performances. Their first “road game” was actually meeting OU at a “neutral” site in Dallas. Softer.
For full transparency, with Mississippi State, Florida, and Kentucky being three of their four home games [softest], only Georgia presented to be much of a contest for Texas. The Bulldogs won that game somewhat easily.
I am disappointed in the SEC schedulers for rolling out the red… or perhaps orange carpet for the Longhorns. Their Big 12 rival, OU, did not receive the same fate. As a “non-fan” of Texas, I would have loved nothing more than to see them run the gauntlet in their first year in America’s best conference.
My point? When Texas comes into Razorback Stadium this Saturday, they may be understimating the fans, the team, and the coaching. They have not faced a true road test, and they will get one in Fayetteville, even if it is against a 5-4 band of hard-hitting Razorbacks.
Arkansas, 34-24
Be certain to listen to the game Saturday at 11:00 A.M. via HitThatLine.com and on the air at ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs, and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
Random Thoughts
Kids these days do not understand the hatred the rest of us have for Texas. They also do not know how to start a car by putting a key into the ignition, so we give them grace.
TRIVIA QUESTION: Who wrote and performed the song “Short Squashed Texan” in honor of the Arkansas vs Texas rivalry?
Speaking of soft, has anyone seen Chad Morris’s offense anywhere lately?
Cashmere sweaters with a singular red dot on it are all the latest rage for cheapskate Christmas gifts.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Bobby Crafford and the Pacers in (I believe) 1968.
I was raised to despise any and all things Texas Longhorns. It was an a trait I would have picked up naturally anyway; however, I want to extend my gratitude to my Dad for raising me right.
SEC Picks for Week 12
I heard Andy is so desperate to play catch-up in in our weekly HTL Pick’em contest, he decided to call a psychic, but instead he Googled the wrong spelling and called a psycho. The two will have their third date this weekend at Donald W Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
(3) Texas at Arkansas – This thought is probably wrong, but I feel Arkansas’s Taylen Green’s strengths play well against the Longhorns’ defensive weaknesses. Hogs by 10.
ULM at Auburn – Do not expect much here. Auburn is having one of their worst seasons in recent history, and even if the happen to fumble around and lose to the Warhawks, Hugh Freeze’s hot seat will just stay hot. No chance they fire him this season, plus the Tigers are fighting to close out the season with three straight wins to become bowl eligible.Auburn by 24.
Murray State at Kentucky – The Racers will roll into Lexington with high hopes of upsetting an SEC team. They will crawl back to Western Kentucky with a paycheck and their 10th loss on the season. BBN by 34.
Mercer at (10) Alabama – “Good Grief Game”: It must be homecoming in Tuscaloosa, and no doubt the Crimson Tide players, staff, and even the fans are probably ready for an easy weekend. It’s too bad the Bears cannot have the total number of all the “have Mercer” puns being made for this weekend added to their side of the scoreboard. Bama by 40.
(22) LSU at Florida – Should I pretend this might be a good game, or should I just pick how bad the result will be? A three-touchdown victory would be close for this match-up.Tigers (in the Swamp, mind you) by 24.
(23) Missouri at (21) South Carolina – The is not the GOTW, but it might end up being the most fun to watch. The Gamecocks have played a little inconsistent this season but have won enough games to find themselves ranked. The Tigers have had their weaknesses exposed and want to make as much noise as possible to close out 2024. Eli Drinkwitz believes his Missouri squad still has an outside chance of making the playoffs. To quote Turk: “Not gonna happen!” South Carolina puts and end to that dream this weekend. Gamecocks by 14.
GAME OF THE WEEK
(7) Tennessee at (12) Georgia – It’s always tempting to just say “Bulldogs” when Georgia is one of the two teams in the pick. Unfortunately, the boys from Athens are very inconsistent this year. VERY inconsistent. The Vols, on the other hand, have played pretty solid outside of their loss to Arkansas in Fayetteville. It is safe to say the Hogs had the homefield advantage in that game which made the difference. The same will apply hear, and with Georgia’s talent, the combination gives them the edge over an ambitious Tennessee team looking for playoff seeding. Bulldogs by 11.
New Mexico State at (15) Texas A&M – If I weren’t so tired from trying to get a new business up and going, I would write how the Aggies are fighting for a playoff spot and need both other ‘T’ teams to lose to put them back atop the conference standings – or at least tied for the lead anyway. Enjoy the easy week off, A&M. Aggies by 35.
Lead strong. Live great. Love hard.
Go HOGS!!!
| Thu, Aug 29 |  | vs UAPB (Little Rock) | W, 70-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | @ Oklahoma State | L, 31-39 2OT |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | vs UAB | W, 37-27 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | @ Auburn | W, 24-14 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Texas A&M (Arl) | L, 21-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | vs Tennessee | W, 19-14 |
| Sat, Oct 19 |  | vs LSU | L, 34-10 |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | @ Mississippi State | W, 58-25 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | vs Ole Miss | L, 63-31 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Texas | 11:00 AM ABC |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | vs Louisiana Tech | 3:00 PM ESPN+/SECN+ |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | @ Missouri | 2:30 or 3:30 PM TBA |
| Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll: | ||||
| OVERALL | Record | Pts | Prv | |
| 1. | Bryant (25) | 10-0 | 268 | 1 |
| 2. | Greenwood (2) | 10-0 | 234 | 3 |
| 30 | Conway | 9-1 | 202 | 2 |
| 4. | Little Rock Parkview | 9-1 | 171 | 4 |
| 5. | Bentonville | 7-3 | 162 | 5 |
| 6. | Benton | 9-1 | 148 | 6 |
| 7. | Fayetteville | 8-2 | 111 | 7 |
| 8. | Pulaski Academy | 8-2 | 89 | 8 |
| 9. | Rogers | 7-3 | 43 | 9 |
| 10. | Joe T. Robinson | 9-1 | 22 | — |
| Others receiving votes: Valley View 8, Mountain Home 7, Cabot 6, Little Rock Catholic 6, Shiloh Christian 6, Elkins 1, Farmington 1. | ||||
| CLASS 7A | ||||
| 1. | Bryant (27) | 10-0 | 135 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway | 9-1 | 102 | 2 |
| 3. | Bentonville | 7-3 | 81 | 3 |
| 4. | Fayetteville | 8-2 | 45 | 4 |
| 5. | Pulaski Academy | 8-2 | 39 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Rogers 3. | ||||
| CLASS 6A | ||||
| 1. | Greenwood (27) | 10-0 | 135 | 1 |
| 2. | Benton | 9-1 | 108 | 2 |
| 3. | Mountain Home | 8-2 | 62 | 3 |
| 4. | Shiloh Christian | 7-3 | 49 | 4 |
| 5. | Little Rock Catholic | 9-1 | 34 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Marion 6. | ||||
| CLASS 5A | ||||
| 1. | Little Rock Parkview (27) | 9-1 | 135 | 1 |
| 2. | Joe T. Robinson | 9-1 | 106 | 2 |
| 3. | Valley View | 10-0 | 79 | 3 |
| 4. | Farmington | 9-1 | 48 | 4 |
| 5. | Hot Springs Lakeside | 8-2 | 20 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 7, Harding Academy 7, Morrilton 3. | ||||
| CLASS 4A | ||||
| 1. | Elkins (20) | 10-0 | 126 | 1 |
| 3. | Arkadelphia (5) | 8-2 | 91 | 3 |
| 2. | Little Rock Mills (1) | 10-0 | 68 | 2 |
| 4. | Warren | 8-2 | 55 | 4 |
| 5. | Dardanell (1) | 9-1 | 23 | — |
| Southside Batesville | 10-0 | 23 | — | |
| Others receiving votes: Malvern 12, Gravette 5, Highland 2. | ||||
| CLASS 3A | ||||
| 1. | Bismarck (12) | 10-0 | 105 | 1t |
| 2. | Fordyce (10) | 10-0 | 96 | 1t |
| 3. | Prescott (1) | 9-1 | 70 | 4 |
| 4. | Osceola (2) | 8-1 | 54 | 3 |
| 5. | Booneville (1) | 9-1 | 39 | 5 |
| Others receiving votes: Mansfield (1) 23, Rivercrest 10, Rison 4, Salem 4. | ||||
| CLASS 2A | ||||
| 1. | Carlisle (20) | 10-0 | 127 | 1 |
| 2. | Conway Christian (7) | 10-0 | 115 | 2 |
| 3. | Des Arc | 8-2 | 59 | 5 |
| 4. | East Poinsett Co. | 7-3 | 52 | — |
| 5. | Bigelow | 6-4 | 18 | 3 |
| Murfreesboro | 7-3 | 18 | 4 | |
| Others receiving votes: Mount Ida 6, Junction City 4, Cross County 3, Poyen 3. | ||||
| 8-MAN SANCTIONED | ||||
| 1. | Strong-Huttig (27) | 5-0 | 81 | 1 |
| 2. | Midland | 9-0 | 53 | 2 |
| 3. | Cedar Ridge | 8-1 | 25 | 3 |
| Others receiving votes: Woodlawn 3. | ||||