Hogs should win easily, but San Jose State does have players

If you have ever woken up early enough on even one college football Saturday morning you are familiar with the phrase “not so fast, my friends.”

This tiny piece of Lee Corso’s lexicon has clichéd its way into our sports-driven hearts.

Avoid them like the plague they say, however, I have no fear of platitudes.

San Jose State rolls into Fayetteville to face our beloved Razorbacks. The Spartans approach the contest with optimism and a great quarterback. Outside of that, no one assigns them much more than miniscule odds for pulling off the upset.

If you do not believe me, check the voice of the voiceless: Twitter. Phrases tossed about by both pro and anti-Hogs fans include (but are not limited to) “cupcake,” “SEC schedule filler,” and “is it homecoming already?”

Therefore, I say to you, not so fast, my friends.

Our guests from Silicon Valley are talented, well-coached, and carry with them a top-notch quarterback … wait, who am I kidding?

Granted, while those descriptions may ring true, unless Arkansas coach Chad Morris has a great unemployment plan, the Razorbacks need not fear the Spartans.

Here are the main focuses Arkansas needs to accomplish to walk away victorious from the luscious grass of Frank Broyles Field… all given that layman’s touch of course:

• Play with confidence. My last observation calling for a lack of trepidation will be for naught if the home team in search of its new identity does not reflect the air of accomplishment they have built in the short 2–1 season, especially since the movement of Nick Starkel to QB1.

Confidence does not equate to arrogance, which leads me to my next point…

• They have to be on the same page.

Simply summarized, stay focused and remain aware the athletes lined up on the other side of the ball have a mission to prove themselves against an SEC opponent, and, in their minds, a program still recovering from a motorcycle crash provides them a consumable victim.

• The best defense is a good offense. Protect the offensive backfield with both pass protection and run blocking.

This team now has talent at several key positions, yet to enable their flairs to shine (and to swiftly pass by the bouncer outside of Club Dub) the offensive line must continue to improve on their focal points.

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• Defense wins championships. Improve our tackling. Make no mistake, the Spartans really do have a tremendous asset in fifth-year senior Josh Love.

If the Hogs defense has not even mildly improved on their tackling, those in attendance may be in for a long evening within the confines of Razorback Stadium.

Those at home may bail on the broadcast in favor of “Aladdin” being shown at the three-dollar movie theater. [Spoiler alert: the protagonist is the diamond in the rough and “magic carpet ride” is not a euphemism.]

• Play from start to finish.

We saw it versus Colorado State — the lull in the second and third quarters. We might be able to handle San Jose State with a mid-game lull, yet why risk it?

Go out there and dominate for sixty-minutes … unless there is overtime, then rule the crisp Northwest Arkansas atmosphere for a little longer.

• Remember, it doesn’t get any better than this.

This is their college years, and they can never get these times back. Go out, have fun, play loose, and complete the next step in accomplishing your goals.

So, there you have it, sports fans … okay, even I have grown weary of … well, you know.

Arkansas 44 – 17.

As most of you are aware, Andy Hodges and I continue our season-long quest for bragging rights and the championship cup.

My adversary sits cockily behind his big oaken desk, his polished wingtip Oxfords propped up, and his over-confident grin ever so angled in a constant display of nonchalance.

Three weeks in, and he has me bested with a one-game lead. I wonder if he’s willing to bet his 1981 Suzanne Somers poster the tide does not change this week?

Southern Miss at (2) Alabama — The only thing that seems weird to me is the constant ‘2’s I have placed in front of Alabama this season. Tide by 42.

(4) LSU at Vanderbilt — I am curious if hosting LSU will bring more fans into the Commodore stands or if the place will be more barren than Simon and Garfunkel Reunion Concert. LSU by 34.

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Tennessee at (9) Florida — Remember when this game consistently held national implications? Now we are just wondering how we all could have been so wrong about the Vols. Gators by 21.

(23) Cal at Ole Miss [UPSET ALERT] — Here is where I make my best pick ‘em move… or mistake. What did Andy pick? I think the Rebels pull it off at home by 4.

(8) Auburn at (17) Texas A&M — Who is not glad the Aggies have a big name opponent the weekend before we meet them in Jerry World? And, yes, I get sick of hearing it called that, too. Auburn is just too good to be defeated this early, but it will be close. Tigers by 7.

Kentucky at Mississippi State — I am almost at a loss on which team to pick here. Kentucky is not the horrific team we have known in the past — you know, the years when they are not on our schedule — and the Bulldogs are not as good as I had thought they would be. The latter is at home though, and that gives them just enough edge to win by 11.

South Carolina at Missouri — Kelly Bryant plays like the Tiger faithful hoped he would. Mizzou by 14.

San Jose State at Arkansas – See above (if you can grin and bear it). Hogs by 27.

(7) Notre Dame at (3) Georgia [GAME OF THE WEEK] – It is finally here, the week where we get relief from hearing how great the independent Notre Dame is. Shut them up Bulldogs. Georgia by 10.

Let the good times roll. Whoops, I did it again, didn’t I?

Go HOGS!!!