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Five reasons Hog fans should pack Razorback Stadium on Saturday night
Things will be better Saturday in Fayetteville It seems the condition are ripe for the regular-season finale to an overall better experience, so Nate Olson has five reasons Hog fans SHOULD go to the game.
A long Arkansas football season is almost over. In fact, the final home game is set for 6:30 p.m. Saturday against the Hogs’ border rival (I use that loosely), LSU.
Throughout this historically bad season, attendance has dwindled and Razorback Stadium has been nearly half empty for many of the games.
That only proves what I have written before about Hogs’ fans being fair weather and why critics should pipe down about the attendance at War Memorial Stadium games when the on-campus stadium has a glut of empty seats.
However, I concede it isn’t easy to pay money to watch your team stink at an uncharacteristic level or arise at the crack of dawn just to get a few hours of tailgating in for early morning and afternoon games.
Things will be better Saturday in Fayetteville It seems the condition are ripe for the regular-season finale to an overall better experience, so I present to you five reasons Hog fans SHOULD go to the game.
1. Senior Night
This is the final game for a group of seniors who have been through its share of hard times. UA Coach Chad Morris commended some of them this week.
The least Hogs fan can do is bid them farewell with an electric atmosphere. It could be and should be a special night for those players regardless of what has happened this season.
2. It’s a night game
Fans have clamored for this all season and rightfully so. With Arkansas not playing at a “prime time” caliber, all of their home games have been morning or afternoon kickoffs. The 6:30 p.m. start gives fans plenty of time to enjoy tailgating and pre-game festivities.
Many have waited all seasons for this. A night game against a top-tier SEC opponent such as LSU is well worth the wait and the price of admission.
3. It’s a winnable game
I can hear some of you laughing. The spread (LSU -13.5) and the Tigers’ dominance (Winners of two of the past three games) wouldn’t indicate Arkansas has a chance. Nor would the fact that LSU is 7-2 and Arkansas is 2-7.
I get all of that, and I know the Hogs are coming off a bad loss to Vanderbilt. I am counting on a raucous crowd and renewed vigor from the team following some rest and the motivation of Senior Night.
Against probability, I see Arkansas making this game into the fourth quarter. Tell me you don’t want to be in attendance for that.
Recruiting
In spite of a horrible season and paltry attendance, Morris has landed some top-notch recruits. Imagine what might happen if the stadium was full and the Hogs upset the Tigers.
Pride
Football fans from around the country will be tuned into SEC Network for this game. Do you really want them to see thousands of empty seats? Some fans bristled at the notion that Arkansas has lost respect in the SEC.
There are programs that fill stadiums even when the home team is losing big. It happens; it just doesn’t happen in Fayetteville much.
You can change that for at least one game.
If you have tickets and aren’t using them, give them to someone who will or better yet donate them to charity.
The program has taken a hit and so has the fan base. That will continue if only 40,000 fans attend a game featuring a ranked, so-called rival on Senior Night.
