Ask every Razorback football fan what their expectations are for 2025, and you will get mixed results. The fact are very few people with any confidence this team will be successful, but, then again, that depends on how you measure success.
Some have predicted Arkansas will only win three games this season. Others have been more optimistic and have them at seven. A few have set forth a dream season with eight wins.
Again, I ask, how do you measure success? With the recent mediocrity in Fayetteville, many fans (and possibly the athletic department) will label six wins and a bowl appearance a satisfying season. Others might only settle for seven or eight. And some of us seem to think anything less than the College Football Playoffs is a complete failure and a waste of a season.
I like Arkansas coach Sam Pittman, but he is in the hot seat, at least from the outside looking in. Many feel Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek will ride out the storm with Pittman until the latter decides to retire. That may be the case, but I do admire Hunter’s loyalty to his hire. Pittman took the job when no one else wanted it. That has to count for something.
And Pittman has had his share of triumph on The Hill. The problem is the past two seasons have not fulfilled neither the hopes nor the expectation of Hog fans. In fact, the once storied program has felt like it needs an asterisk label of “has been” attached to most seasons in recent history just so we can retain a little bit of our pride.
Pittman and his staff know they have to build on the momentum regained from last season and improve their record. They will get that first step out of the way when they host the Alabama A&M Bulldogs in Fayetteville Saturday. No disrespect to our visitors, but the hope from fans is this is a cupcake game blowout. With Arkansas having question marks at many key positions, the hope is this will be more of a glorified scrimmage enabling our offense, defense, and special teams to evaluate any weaknesses and fix them before the season heats up against a non-conference powerhouse and the 8-game SEC schedule.
Word is Taylen Green has improved under Bobby Petrino’s offense for the second year. Travis Williams’s defense has been solid and consistent, and that will have to continue to offset some of the key offensive NIL transfers out we had following 2024. And, as mentioned, a few questions remain at the skill positions. How good is our backfield at not only rushing but blocking? And who will step up in the wide receiver corps to catch both the long ball and the hot routes from Green? Monte Harrison has been a name tossed about for having really stepped up and showing his athletic prowess. Is he enough?
I have no doubt we have talent on this team, and I have even wondered if Pittman and his staff have done a good job of keeping it hidden to stay low on the radar of our opponents for the early part of the season. I HOPE that is the case. If not, we might win this game but still be in for a long season.
Arkansas 54, Alabama A&M 10
Be certain to listen to the game Saturday at 3:15 P.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
For those of you who are new to my writing, I generally create opinion pieces, thus I use the words “I” and “my” in my prose. These are not academic papers I construct here. They are about Arkansas Razorbacks Football, and when I am watching, I am not thinking academically. I appreciate you reading.
TRIVIA QUESTION: In how many national championship games has Arkansas Special Teams Coordinator Scott Fountain coached?
This season could turn out to be exciting if everyone can get on the same page and care about the success of the team and the program.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Four: 1997, 2010, 2013, and 2017. There is a numerical pattern there showing he is about three years overdue. It’s time.
I am not certain what is more insufferable: a losing football season or a stranger online assuming my politics when I stated a pro-QB hangs onto the ball too long. It’s sports, guys. Let’s just enjoy it.
SEC Picks for Week 1
Andy Hodges and I compete each year for what I call the ‘HitThatLine.com Picks Cup’. And, each year, like clockwork, Andy sends a text message with some detrimental remark to try to get into my head. He seems to have forgotten recent history, and I think this season we should make it a little more interesting. I am thinking the loser’s head needs to be shaved, but I am open to other ideas. I do not want to run the risk of his hair not growing back.
UCA at Missouri – The Sugar Bears will travel up north to visit the Tigers, and one has to wonder how much smack Eli Drinkwitz will talk against their far lesser opponent. I hate to bash on the head Tiger right out of the gate in 2025, but Eli seems to draw the worst out of himself and others, myself included. Missouri by 52.
Auburn at Baylor – This could be an interesting match-up between two historically talented programs who have both been on the downside as of late, one more than the other. I am looking right at you, War Eagles. Playing in Waco may be the difference giving the Bears the advantage and the win. Baylor by 5.
PETE’S SEC GAME OF THE WEEK
(1) Texas at (3) Ohio State – Right as I was about to put my thoughts together for this game, my friend Phillip Booher gave me a call to discuss an unrelated business idea.
It was not long before he said to me, “You have to go big or go home.” And that, my friends, is what the schedulers for this game did not too many years ago.
Putting two powerful programs on the same field on opening day was a lock to kick 2025 off with a bang and to get ESPN’s Gameday crew onto campus.
A lot of the big boys are giving the ‘W’ to the Buckeyes, most likely because they are the host for this Top 5 battle. Maybe some are not sold on Arch Manning being the official starter on the road.
Whatever their reasoning, as long as one team does not make a lot of early blunders, this should be a shootout throughout the entirety. One loss will not destroy the season for either team, but it will make a sounding statement for the winner and possibly lessen the fear from other teams for the loser.
The difference will come down to a special teams play at some point, possibly early in the second half. Ohio State will make the most of the home crowd and Lee Corso’s mojo. Buckeyes by 3.
Syracuse at (24) Tennessee – Vols coach Josh Heupel and new quarterback Joey Aguilar might have a mild test navigating the post-Nico Iamaleava era in the first half against the Orange. Confidence is they will work out the early kinks, and pull away at halftime. Tennessee fans should be grateful they have a recent tradition of opening the season against a softer opponent. Vols by 24.
Mississippi State at Southern Miss – Flip a coin on this one. The Bulldogs return in 2025 hoping to build a better resume than their two-win season in 2024. None of those wins were in the SEC. Starting on the road versus the Golden Eagles would normally not seem like such a scary idea; however, the bell ringers in Starkville are probably not taking anything for granted. State will get to the halfway count of their win total from last year. MSU by 14.
Toledo at Kentucky – My guess is this will be a low-scoring ballgame, and it will not be the most enticing game on the slate to watch this weekend. That said, it could be fun to tune in for the fourth quarter as it should come down to the wire. Wildcats by 7.
Marshall at (5) Georgia – The boys from Marshall may be a Thundering Herd, but they will not much more than a peep in Sanford Stadium. Bulldogs by 48.
(8) Alabama at Florida State – What happened to the Seminoles in 2024 after the success they had in 2023. Was the annihilation given to them by Georgia in the Orange Bowl simply a confidence breaker, or did they simply have a mass exodus with graduates and transfers? Regardless, they will need to play nearly perfectly to beat an Alabama program that is no longer at its peak. An upset is possible, but it will not happen. Tide by 18.
Alabama A&M at Arkansas – If the Razorbacks want to make a bowl game this season, a win over the Bulldogs is a must. Hogs by 44.
Illinois State at (18) Oklahoma – Two words to describe OU football: “Over” and “Ranked”… but at least they are the latter. Sooners by 24.
UTSA at (19) Texas A&M – I have had a soft spot in my heart since Jeff Traylor took the helm in San Antonio. They have even found some recent success under his tutelage despite a lackluster 2024. The Aggies may be too strong of an opening week opponent to begin another winning streak like they had in 2021 and 2022. I guess I should say something about the SEC team in this contest.
“Good Grief Game”
LIU at (15) Florida – For those of you who may not recall or are simply unfamiliar, legendary storyteller Andy Hodges was once asked to predict the outcome of No. 1 Alabama versus some school likened to Podunk U, and Andy’s first response was, “Good grief.” So, in a nod to him, each week I try to designate a “We are here to collect a paycheck game as the “Good Grief Game”. In this season’s opener, when I saw LIU was playing at Florida, my first thought was, “Who is LIU?” I generally pride myself on knowing the abbreviations for most football playing colleges and universities, but, as of press time, with a few guesses under my belt, I still am uncertain who LIU truly is. Lee Iacocca University has been the leader out of the clubhouse for me, and the shark mascot would add up since he was such a shrewd businessman. Regardless, they will get their big check, and Florida will get their rent-a-win. Gators by 62.
Charleston Southern at Vanderbilt – Nice little season opener for the Commodores who have showed some promise in the early part of each season as of late. Vandy by 28.
(9) LSU at (4) Clemson – I have already seen one mention to where LSU fans will be calling for Brian Kelly’s head if they drop the season opener to the orange-clad Tigers near the East Coast. The fans in Death Valley are hard to please…. both sets of them. Clemson will have the advantage playing at home, so we will probably know the reaction of the fans to Kelly. And, as I wrote this, I suddenly felt a change in my heart. We will not know the LSU fans’ reactions to a loss. They pull off the win on the road. LSU by 8.
Georgia State at (21) Ole Miss – Well, the Rebels better win this game. That’s the take. Ole Miss by 32.
Virginia Tech at (13) South Carolina – South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer looks to avoid a poor showing in Week 1 this season after his past two season openers have shown a horrible loss to North Carolina and a squeaker win against Old Dominion. Bret Bielema’s best buddy is looking to lead his Gamecocks into the College Football Playoffs in 2025. I do not see that happening, but they will beat his dad Frank’s school where the elder served as head coach for 29-years and is currently a special assistant to the athletic director. Shane grew up close to the Hokies campus and will no doubt have his emotions on his sleeve for this game. Gamecocks by 10.
That is it for now. You all enjoy the major opening weekend, and hold your family close. Even if this season does not pan out on the football field, make it a fun ride with them. I want to tell mine how much I love them and appreciate their support.
Go HOGS!!!
