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ANDY’S PICKS: Does LSU create chaos? Oh, yeah, Hogs will win

Ed Orgeron is able to do what he does best — coach with no pressure so Rebels may be in trouble.

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Photo by Ted McClenning | HitThatLine.com

We’ll just knock this out right quick: Arkansas will beat UAPB by however much Sam Pittman wants.

This is the most lopsided matchup at War Memorial Stadium since the Razorbacks hosted Wichita State in 1970 a couple of weeks after they lost most of their team in a tragic plane crash.

That one was 62-0 and Frank Broyles didn’t start some of the stars on that No 9 team who were dealing with some nagging injuries. The game may have been a sell-out but a lot of people stayed home and listened to Bud Campbell on the radio.

Bless their hearts, but the Golden Lions aren’t having a lot of success in the SWAC this year and this is a game with some historical footnotes attached, but not a lot of questions about what’s going to happen.

The only question about this is how many starters Pittman is willing to risk and for how long.

Or, at least, that SHOULD be the only question.

As much as Pittman has tried valiantly to make this sound like UAPB is actually a team that can be competitive, it’s a higher probability the bus gets lost getting to the stadium.

He will probably try to be as gentle as possible.

Hogs 63, UAPB 7


Pete Morgan is probably leading the contest by a few games. There won’t be any signs of desperation trying to catch up before Halloween … well, maybe a gamble here or there, but nothing too desperate.

Besides, he apparently doesn’t own a watch or can’t tell time and there is the increasing possibility he forgot there was a game this week.

LSU at Ole Miss -7.5: There is no question this is the best game of the week in the SEC. Ed Orgeron is out at the end of the year unless he somehow performs a miracle of epic proportions and gets re-hired (which is seriously doubtful). This one is going to come down to whether the Rebels can execute or the Tigers somehow find some life. Ole Miss doesn’t have a defense, so why not take a little gamble here. LSU 45, Ole Miss 34

Mississippi State -20.5 at Vanderbilt: Exactly how Mike Leach’s team plays in this one could say a lot about how their mindset is heading into final half of the season. The guess is they are playing better and will not have a problem here. Mississippi State 35, Vandy 14

Tennessee at Alabama -25: When you’re old enough you can remember when this was a huge game every year the third Saturday in October. The Crimson Tide may still smoke cigars after this but that’s more for personal pleasure than celebration because the last time this was close was in 2009. Lane Kiffin was coaching the Vols and they would have won if Alabama had not blocked two field goals. Alabama 45, Tennessee 21

South Carolina at Texas A&M -19.5: The Aggies have sorted things out while Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks are still trying to find out what can be sorted out. This may be whatever A&M wants it to be and Jimbo Fisher may yank his quarterback early to avoid having to go to a freshman. Texas A&M 35, South Carolina 10

See, nothing desperate, but maybe a calculated risk.

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2024 Razorbacks Football

Thu, Aug 29vs UAPB (Little Rock)W, 70-0
Sat, Sep 7@ Oklahoma StateL, 31-39 2OT
Sat, Sep 14vs UABW, 37-27
Sat, Sep 21@ AuburnW, 24-14
Sat, Sep 28vs Texas A&M (Arl)L, 21-17
Sat, Oct 5vs TennesseeW, 19-14
Sat, Oct 19vs LSUL, 34-10
Sat, Oct 26@ Mississippi StateW, 58-25
Sat, Nov 2vs Ole Miss11:00 AM
ESPN
Sat, Nov 16vs Texas11:00 AM
Sat, Nov 23vs Louisiana TechTBD
ESPN+/SECN+
Sat, Nov 30@ MissouriTBD
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2024 High School Rankings

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:
OVERALLRecordPtsPrv
1.Bryant (18)8-02521
2.Conway (6)8-02302
3.Greenwood (2)8-02103
4.Little Rock Parkview7-11714
5.Bentonville5-31416
6.Benton7-11265
7.Fayetteville6-21008
8.Pulaski Academy6-2757
9.Rogers5-3459
10.Shiloh Christian6-24010
Others receiving votes: Marion 13, Valley View 9, Joe T Robinson 8, Mountain Home 4, Cabot 3, Elkins 3.
CLASS 7A
1.Bryant (20)8-01241
2.Conway (6)8-01052
3.Bentonville5-3753
4.Fayetteville6-2455
5.Pulaski Academy6-2354
Others receiving votes: Rogers 5.
CLASS 6A
1.Greenwood (26)8-01301
2.Benton7-11022
3.Shiloh Christian6-2713
4.Marion7-1524
5.Mountain Home7-131
Others receiving votes: Little Rock Catholic 4.
CLASS 5A
1.Little Rock Parkview (23)7-11271
2.Joe T Robinson7-1902
3.Valley View (3)8-0803
4.Hot Springs Lakeside7-1484
5.Farmington7-130
Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 4, Maumelle 4, Morrilton 3, Greenbrier 2, Harding Academy 1.
CLASS 4A
1.Elkins (19)8-01161
2.Arkadelphia (5)6-2792
3.Little Rock Mills (1)8-0703
4.Warren6-2404
5.Malvern (1)8-0315
Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 22, Southside Batesville 11, Mena 8, Bauxite 7, DeWitt 4, Highland 2.
CLASS 3A
4.Bismarck (15)8-01054
5.Fordyce (4)8-0765
Prescott (3)7-1531t
1.Osceola (2)6-149
3.Mayflower (1)8-036
Others receiving votes: Booneville (1) 31, Rivercrest 19, Mansfield 14, Charleston 4, Rison 3.
CLASS 2A
1.Carlisle (21)8-01211
2.Conway Christian (4)8-01042
3.Des Arc7-1663
4.Bigelow (1)6-2455
5.Murfreesboro6-230
Others receiving votes: Marked Tree 10, Mineral Springs 6, Junction City 5, Cross County 1, Mount Ida 1, Poyen 1
8-MAN SANCTIONED
1.Strong-Huttig (25)5-0761
2.Midland (1)7-0502
3.Cedar Ridge7-1253
Others receiving votes: Rector 5.

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ESPN ARKANSAS 99.5 IN FAYETTEVILLE, 95.3 IN THE RIVER VALLEY, 96.3 IN HOT SPRINGS, 104.3 IN HARRISON-MOUNTAIN HOME.