About the only reason for hope with the Arkansas fans this week has been Ryan Silverfield having a big edge of Auburn coach Alex Golesh while they were in a smaller conference.
Things are different now for both first-year coaches. Silverfield inherited a mess with the Razorbacks and Golesh didn’t get a team ready for the SEC Championship game but they did knock off Georgia.
The Hogs were blown out of Razorback Stadium with the Bulldogs actually working on drills during pauses in the game. If nothing else, that’s just straight up embarrassing.
It’s a big part of why the Tigers are 10.5-point favorites at home in an 11:45 start on the SEC Network.
Fans can also listen to the game statewide on the Razorback Sports Network and ESPN Arkansas 93.7 and 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in Fort Smith and the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
Silverfield needs a win. Downing Vanderbilt gave everyone a little positive energy that lasted through a bye week and then got run out of the stadium last Saturday when Missouri came to town for their annual win.
Everybody has questions on both sides of the ball and even special teams. The defense has played with a little more consistency while the offense has been all over the place. Quarterback KJ Jackson has looked dazed and confused with his decision-making at times, the running game has struggled all year and the offensive line blocks only on occasion.
It’s hard to figure out a way the Hogs can go to Auburn and come away with a win but just remember really goofy things have happened in this matchup over the years, especially down there on The Plains.
Sometimes it even appears to infect the officials with some weird decisions.
That 10.5-point line may actually be about right but nobody really wants to weigh in on how that happense, Arkansas has a way of making opponents look really good this year.
Auburn 27, Arkansas 14.
No. 7 Texas at No. 18 Missouri: 11 a.m, ESPN
The Longhorns have managed to work their way back into the playoff conversation, working themselves back into the Top 10 with some wins after losing to Oklahoma but have to get a steady game from quarterback Arch Manning. His inconsistencies in the biggest games is the biggest target points for fans and even the national media now. Missouri has been fairly quietly consistent this season with fans talking about coach Eli Drinkwitz’s dumb statements more than they are talking about the Tigers. Texas is a very slight favorite at home but it may be larger than the 2.5-point spread. Texas 34, Missouri 24.
Texas A&M at No. 21 South Carolina: 2 p.m., ESPN
A month ago people would be talking about this game with the situations completely reversed. South Carolina has upset Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Florida with Shane Beamer being off the risky spot he found himself. Wins like that tend to do that. Mike Elko is fine with the Aggies but he could use a couple of additional wins. Beating the Razorbacks this year hasn’t exactly turned out to be a bragging point for anyone. South Carolina 34, Texas A&M 24.
No. 5 Alabama at No. 14 LSU: 2:30 p.m., ABC
This is clearly the game of the week that is being played in the afternoon that is unusual because it’s usually one of the most highly-viewed prime time games. That was before Lane Kiffin came to Baton Rouge so you can imagine the interest in it now. That home-field advantage is a big part of why the Tigers are 6.5-point favortes. That’s probably too large of a spread either way unless things get competely out of hand. Just in normal games these have created a contentious game just between the fans. One of these two teams may be eliminated from the playoff picture with a third loss in this game. If it’s the Tigers there will be more interesting stories. If the Crimson Tide falls, Kalen DeBoer will be on a flaming seat. Alabama 28, LSU 20.
Vanderbilt at Mississippi State: 3:15 p.m., SEC Network
The Bulldogs have been improving a little offensively every week since the true true freshman they are starting is getting more settled into the routine. As Razorbacks saw a couple of weeks ago, the Commodores aren’t very good. With the game being played in Starkville, there will be a lot of cowbells clanging like crazy. It’s even annoying to the media and players on opposing teams have noticed for years. But it will still probably be close. Mississippi State 27, Vanderbilt 21.
No. 6 Kentucky at No. 13 Tennessee: 5:15 p.m., ESPN
Does the Wildcats’ magical run through the season continue this week? A lot of the money is betting it does with the Volunteers playing at home. Tennessee is showing up a 5.5-point favorite Friday. This game has been played for decades and football has, for the most part, been heavily tilted in the Vols’ favor. Kentucky has emerged into the Top 10 in national polls, which hasn’t happened very often and they are one of the teams most talked about this year. It probably ends this week. Tennessee 30, Kentucky 24.
No. 2 Georgia at No. 10 Ole Miss: 6:30 p.m., ABC
Considering the line on the game only has Georgia a 3.5-point favorite on Friday the general public thinks this is going to be a close one. The Bulldogs have played really well at times, then had a mysterious problem against South Carolina and got beat. It’s why people nationally are starting comparisons with 2007 that was a crazy year in college football and LSU won a national title after losing to the Razorbacks the last week of the season. This game is going to come down to the fourth quarter and it’s really hard to go against Trinidad Chambliss if the game is close late. Ole Miss 31, Georgia 28.
Oklahoma at No. 24 Florida: 6:45 p.m., SEC Network
For whatever reason this year, Brent Venables can’t seem to get a productive offense. Now the defense is getting worn down and the positive feelings Sooner fans were having after a win over Texas, now there are doubters. You can pack that into a fan base that believes Oklahoma should win every game they play. As we’ve seen nearly every week this season, that probably isn’t going to happen for very many folks. Not many are expecting that to change Saturday night. Florida 24, Oklahoma 20.
