FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It’s understandable a game against Arkansas State is going to be a semi-big deal to about 20,000 Arkansas fans.
About 15,000 will be pulling for the Red Wolves with a third of them buying tickets off the secondary market.
The rest will be showing up to be there for history and half of those will be leaving before dark to get out of that section of Little Rock.
The Razorbacks aren’t really heavy into this game and it may be one that doesn’t please the coaches, players or fans. To put it simply, playing games at War Memorial is an expensive distraction from what’s important these days — making money.
The Hogs looked good for most of a 52-7 blowout win over Alabama A&M in an opener that was decided well before halftime last week.
Playing ASU in Little Rock has basically been a big yawn for most of the Hogs’ fans who will be watching the game on television if they have ESPN’s streaming package. It won’t be on regular cable or broadcast on network stations.
It’s doubtful the Red Wolves have the players to do much with Arkansas’ Taylen Green or the offense. They may just be able to do almost anything they want if they don’t self-destruct somewhere along the way.
Defensively they showed enough after the first drive last week they will be able to figure out ASU’s jitterbug quarterback. Considering Sam Pittman’s “knock hell out of him” remark earlier in the week, this might be interesting.
It will be surprising if the Hogs are really seriously challenged in the second half of this one. If it is close at halftime could raise more questions regardless of the final score.
Fans can listen to the game Saturday at 4:00 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.
Hogs by 27.
SEC Picks for Week 1
Pete Morgan is so concerned about my once-flowing blonde locks, he’s apparently lost his memory that the first week of the season is not the time to be making any sort of projection for the season.
Even Chad Morris won his two season openers, one by a whopping blowout. In other words, he won half of the games over his entire entire tenure with the Razorbacks in the first games of each season.
If nobody got hurt and you had more points, it’s a win and means absolutely nothing for 11 more games.
I agree with his decision about shortening the picks. This is almost a rent-a-week, headlined by Arkansas’ game with ASU in a game in a stadium that should have been imploded decades ago.
San Jose State at (7) Texas (Good Grief 1) – This will basically be a practice after the Longhorns didn’t play badly and Arch Manning won’t see a defense the rest of the season as good as Ohio State. Everybody seems to have forgotten that. Longhorns by 50.
Utah State at (19) Texas A&M (Good Grief 2) – Nothing is worse than Aggies on Aggies crime, and this could be a massacre. A&M by 38.
Kansas at Missouri – Things were looking up for the Jayhawks and apparently they haven’t really gotten serious about football. It’s a mystery nobody has been able to solve, but the Tigers always seem to be better than folks thought. They haven’t really been tested yet. Tigers by 6.
Austin Peay at (4) Georgia (Good Grief 3) – Talk about playing a game for a check, this one probably defines that. Bulldogs by 50.
(20) Ole Miss at Kentucky – Last year’s loss to the Wildcats may have kept the Rebels out of the playoffs and they haven’t forgotten. Lane Kiffin won’t talk about revenge much but you can be sure the fans have reminded the players enough around town this week. Rebels by 13.
ETSU at (22) Tennessee (Good Grief 4) – There really isn’t much to say here. Vols by 50.
USF at (13) Florida – It was tempting to make this a Good Grief game, but there’s still something in my mind reminding me Scott Frost was one of the hot coaches when he was there before. I’m not positive the problems with the Huskers were all his fault. Florida by 11.
SC State at (10) South Carolina (Good Grief 5) – At least the expenses won’t eat a whole lot of the check to even play this game. USC by 50.
(15) Michigan at (18) Oklahoma – This could be a much bigger game than anybody is thinking. Somehow I’m just not convinced Michigan is that good and isn’t just riding the Big Ten wave of love right now. I still want desperately to believe Oklahoma is on the verge of breaking through and this might be the warning sign for everybody. Sooners by 6.
Ball State at Auburn (Good Grief 6) – Not much to say other than the Tigers may just have found a quarterback. Tigers by 50.
Arizona State at Mississippi State – Nobody really expects much from the Bulldogs, even in Starkville. Most of their fans are just waiting on baseball season anyway. The Sun Devils are the team with all the questions surrounding them. Arizona State by 3.
LA Tech at (3) LSU (Good Grief 7) – There is literally nothing to say about this one and we may have a new record for number of Good Grief games. Tigers by 35.
Vanderbilt at Virginia Tech – Going opposite Pete on this one and he may get a little more hope from this one. Hokies by 4.
ULM at (21) Alabama (Good Grief 8) – If this one is remotely close, Kalen DeBoer may not make it to Halloween. Tide by 50.
