SEC Nation and former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow talked with the media Friday about some of the games he played against some very good Razorback teams, including an SEC Championship game.
Rutledge thinks Morris will be fine in time for Arkansas
SEC Nation’s Laura Rutledge talked with the media Friday in advance of the Razorbacks’ game with LSU on Saturday in Razorback Stadium.
Interview with LSU fanatic Matt Breland; this week’s picks
A friend of mine once told me that it is always best to know thine enemy as well as one’s self. That same friend must have thought that anyone who was as into sports as me must have grown up watching too many Troy Aikman games while never opening any book with mention of Sun Tzu.
However, in his honor, I will do my best to learn how the synapses fire within even the most loyal LSU college football crazy as the game against our beloved Razorbacks draws near.
Since Ed Orgeron’s secretary told me coach was too busy working on his enunciation skills, I decided I would have to settle for the next best thing.
Enter decades long Tiger Superfan Matt Breland who auto-bios himself with the following:
“I am a huge fan of the LSU Tigers and the New Orleans Saints. I have lived my entire life in the lovely and quaint town of Bogalusa, Louisiana. There I work as an administrative assistant at the Our Lady of Angels Hospital.”
Peter: Arkansas seems to have a knack for knocking off LSU when the Tigers are on a season high.
Granted, this season they are coming off a loss to Alabama, yet LSU is ranked in the Top 10 in both major polls while still possessing an extremely miniscule outside shot of making the playoffs (with a current ranking of No. 7).
Does this historical precedent weigh heavy in the back of your mind?
Matt: Well, LSU possessed a chance to be in the top four team playoff, but the loss to the Florida Gators ruined it.
However, if Alabama and Georgia play in the SEC Championship Game, and if Georgia can find a way to beat Alabama, there is a very good chance that LSU will play in the Sugar Bowl.
Like you mentioned before this interview, Peter, Arkansas generally tends to pull the upset on years that they have been somewhat more competitive than what they are this season.
Peter: Interesting. Aside from that, Arkansas and LSU had a tradition of playing one another on the Friday following the Thanksgiving holiday.
That season-ending game for your Tigers has been replaced with Texas A&M on the subsequent Saturday.
With Missouri now being Arkansas’s permanent Friday opponent, I am familiar with the opinions of Hogs fans upon conference rivalries, however, what is the consensus from those that cheer for the Bengal Tigers? Is Arkansas viewed as a rival?
Matt: I am not happy about LSU playing Texas A&M on the last game of the season. I’d rather see LSU play Arkansas on the Friday after Thanksgiving while winning the Golden Boot trophy to close out the regular season. Yes, Arkansas and LSU are a good rivalry.
Peter: Confident about your team, aren’t you, Matt? Next, please tell me about Ed Orgeron and how the fanbase of LSU truly feels about him and his performance as he begins to wind down his third year in Baton Rouge.
Matt: I must say coach Ed Orgeron has done a great job and is no longer in the hot seat. Before this season started I did not think LSU would have good season until they won couple of tough early games.
I personally am really impressed with the coach and his performance.
Peter: Arkansas fans have long been criticized for believing that their football program can be one of national importance even if only upon somewhat of a consistent basis.
As a member of the SEC West, what are your thoughts about the Razorbacks long-term potential in the SEC as well under Chad Morris?
Matt: It is great to have the Arkansas Razorbacks in the SEC. Since Arkansas hired Chad Morris I really thought they would have a good season under his leadership.
I was shocked to see that the Razorbacks at one point had lost six games in a row.
Peter: The future will hopefully have a better story to tell under first year coach Chad Morris. Finally, who carries the Golden Boot back to their campus this Saturday? Why and by how much?
Matt: LSU will carry the Golden Boot back to Death Valley this Saturday. The reasons are simple. Arkansas has a record of 2–7. LSU has beaten Miami, Auburn, Georgia, and Mississippi State. Those facts could stand on their own.
Also, LSU is favored to win by 13½-points, and I say LSU will win by 17 points.
Peter: I respect the confidence you possess in your team. Bonus question, Matt, was that pic of you taken in Gulf Shores, Alabama?
Matt: Yes, in Fort Morgan, Alabama, just last week.
Peter: So you vacation in blasphemy. Seriously, thank you so much for your time, Matt, my good friend.
As it turns out, my enemy is not too bad of a guy. He may be very accurate on his prediction. And I may have to concur. LSU 38–24.
However, as Martine Bercher once told me, “Root Hog or die.”
And around the remaining world comprised of SEC stadiums Saturday, these mysteries will unfold as follows:
- South Carolina at (15) Florida – Gators win early … no pun intended.
- Vanderbilt at Missouri – Can the Commodores win another one on the road? Yes, and this time by 18.
- Ole Miss at Texas A&M – This one is the hardest pick of the week, yet Ole Miss may leave College Station with a ‘W’. Rebels by 3.
- (16) Mississippi State at (1) Alabama – I started to make a snarky remark here, however, this reminds me of the incidents that happened at Ponchatoula this past weekend. Hey, people, it is just a game, and if you are that insecure about your woman being at a bar, stay home! Prayers go out to the Family, Friends, and loved ones of Robert Bowers. Tide by 30.
- (11) Kentucky at Tennessee – The Wildcats keep us mesmerized. Kentucky by 22.
- (24) Auburn at (5) Georgia – You know what, I am picking Georgia by 35 solely because Auburn does not even deserve to be ranked. Sorry Plains fans.
Go HOGS!!!
Find me on ‘Twitter’: @PeterMorganWPS
Tolefree scores 19 in Hogs’ 98-53 romp over Northwestern State
PHOTOS BY ANDY HODGES | HITTHATLINE.COM
FAYETTEVILLE — Conway native Alexis Tolefree dropped in 19 points leading Arkansas to a 98-53 season-opening win over Northwestern State on Elementary Day in Bud Walton Arena Friday.
Tolefree’s 19 paced what is believed to be a program-record seven players in double figures.
Redshirt sophomore A’Tyanna Gaulden added 16 points followed by 12 points from senior Malica Monk, 11 points each from redshirt sophomore Chelsea Dungee, sophomore Taylah Thomas and freshman Rokia Doumbia and 10 points from junior Kiara Williams.
Tolefree hit the game’s first basket with an NBA-range 3-pointer. It was one of 11 3-pointers tying an Elementary Day record for makes from distance. NSU (0-1) kept the game in range for the first five minutes but Arkansas went on a 13-5 run to end the first quarter.
Coach Mike Neighbors again used five-player lineup changes throughout the game with all 13 players seeing action. Ten of the 13 players logged double-figure minutes with only two, Monk and Dungee, seeing more than 20 minutes of playing time.
Leading by 14 after the first quarter, Arkansas stretched the lead to 20 for the first time at the 8:20 mark of the second frame. The Razorbacks dipped below that threshold for one possession but maintained a 20+ point lead for the remainder of the contest.
Notes
• Arkansas starters: Raven Northcross-Baker, Alexis Tolefree, Malica Monk, Kiara Williams, Chelsea Dungee
• Arkansas is 23-0 in home openers and 9-1 (8-0 at home) in Elementary Day games.
• Arkansas set Elementary Day records for: Points (98), Margin (45), Attendance (5,497), Field Goal Percentage (.576), 3-Pointers Made (tied, 11), Free Throws (tied, 19), and Free Throws Attempted (tied, 33).
• The Razorbacks had top-5 Elementary Day performances in Field Goals, 3-Point Field Goals Attempted, 3-Point Field Goal Percentage, Free Throw Percentage, Personal Fouls, Assists, Turnovers and Steals.
• Arkansas used a 13-5 run in the first quarter to take the lead and the game would never be close after that.
• NSU committed 30 turnovers in the loss.
Up Next
Arkansas tackles its first road game of the season traveling to UT-Arlington Wednesday, Nov. 14, for a 7 p.m. tip.
The Razorbacks return to Bud Walton Arena hosting No. 23 Arizona State Sunday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.
???? Friday Halftime Pod — featuring Brett Goode & David Bazzel
Phil & Tye are joined with former hogs Brett Goode & David Bazzel to discuss the Ark vs. LSU rivalry.
Neighbors pleased with team’s performance in season opener
Hogs coach Mike Neighbors was pleased with his team’s play in the official season opener Friday morning as they won, 98-53, on a loud Elementary Day at Bud Walton Arena.
Tolefree, Gaulden talk about big opening win Friday morning
Arkansas players Alexis Tolefree and A’Tyanna Gaulden talked with the media after the 98-53 win Friday morning over Northwestern State.
Lady Demons coach talked about Hogs’ depth strength after loss
Northwestern State coach Jordan Dupuy talked with the media after falling to Arkansas, 98-53, on Friday morning at Bud Walton Arena.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: Friday
John & Tommy are joined by former Razorbacks Jake Bequette & Tyler Wilson to talk Arkansas-LSU, old football memories, Week 11 football picks and more!
First game in fall ‘spring practice’ tough one against LSU
Arkansas basically had a week of fall practice last week that likely was the first one in what will likely be four weeks of workouts a little different than most teams playing out the schedule.
That’s the case with Chad Morris as the Razorbacks are 2-7 headed into the final quarter of the season with three games where they will be decided underdogs.
Historically, that’s the place where Arkansas usually does the best.
The Hogs, over the last 60 years, have pulled more than a couple of shockers when little was expected of them. We could go all the way back to 1960 when the Hogs stunned a highly-ranked Texas team in Austin, 24-23, for the first big win of the Frank Broyles period.
This situation is remarkably similar to that one.
The Longhorns started that season at No. 4 in the country and lost on the opening weekend to Nebraska at home.
Texas entered their October matchup against the Hogs with that one loss and a No. 11 ranking. They finished 7-3-1, tying No. 9 Alabama, 3-3, in the Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston.
Arkansas won the game a week after losing to Baylor in Fayetteville, 28-14. They went on to the first conference title for Broyles (and the first of three straight) in his third year with the Hogs.
But let’s keep it limited to LSU in more modern times:
• The Razorbacks were going nowhere in 2008 and stunned LSU in Little Rock.
• In 2007, Houston Nutt’s last game was in Baton Rouge against the top-ranked Tigers and the Hogs won in three overtimes.
• LSU thought it was headed to the Sugar Bowl, but took a detour in Little Rock and the Hogs ended up there after a 31-23 win.
• Bret Bielema hadn’t won a game in the SEC by the time a November matchup with the Tigers rolled around in 2014 and the Hogs won, 17-0.
• To add more shock to that, Bielema took his best team to Baton Rouge the next season and got a 31-14 win.
Considering Bielema’s SEC record during his five years, Les Miles may have been fired for being 1-2 against the Hogs in his three matchups with Bielema. Remember, Miles was gone by the time they met in 2016.
All of that’s fine and well, you say, but this Arkansas team is not as good as any of those teams.
While that is true from the record, the potential is there for an LSU team to be as down as any Tigers team seen in recent memory.
Tigers coach Ed Orgeron said before the game against Alabama last week it was THE game this year for Alabama. After LSU was curb-stomped at home by the Crimson Tide, well, ol’ Ed sounded like was the one who took the beating.
And he promptly threw his players under the bus in the view of some in the media when he said they needed to get better players. That’s shades of what he did when he was coaching Ole Miss … he ended up losing his last two teams there and his job.
What does all that mean?
The Hogs may have a shot. It’s certainly a long shot, but these days they’ll take anything they can get in a season filled with more negatives than positives.
I learned a long time ago never to pick a hunch you wouldn’t put cash money on, so I’m not ready to go there, but I think it could be close.
LSU 31, +13.5 Arkansas 29
In our little competition, we have going here, I took some unusually wild guesses at longshots on games, trying my best to get Peter Morgan back in it and stumbled to a 1-4 finish, lowering the overall season mark to 62-9.
Peter proved up to the challenge … and only picked up a game to close within five games with a 58-18 record with three weeks left in the season.
South Carolina at -6 Florida
Well, the Gators tripped and fell flat on their snouts against Missouri at home last week. Both teams are 6-3 overall and 4-3 in the league.
But Florida is at home, you say. Well, they were last week, too, and got kicked all over the field by Missouri.
However … Dan Mullen will have a full week to sort out the quarterback issues the guess here is it will be either a complete meltdown by the Gators and I’ll never pick them again or they have it figured out.
I’ll go with the latter, but not to cover the spread.
Florida 30, South Carolina 28
Vanderbilt at -16.5 Missouri
Apparently, the oddsmakers think the Tigers will be pumped and on a roll after surprising Florida last week on the road.
And apparently they didn’t see the Vandy game against Arkansas two weeks ago.
Oh, the Tigers will win, but they won’t cover the spread (not that it matters for our contest here, which is the disclaimer Peter might use if he invokes Florida voting rules at the end).
Missouri 38, Vanderbilt 31
Ole Miss at -13 Texas A&M
The Rebels are free and clear of NCAA issues and go to Texas A&M, which is reeling after Mississippi State tap-danced on them in Starkville last week.
Ole Miss has a high-flying offense and a defense that can’t stop anybody but Arkansas’ second team.
While the Aggies are, well, the Aggies so anything could happen, but I’ll go with A&M having this game at Kyle Field.
Texas A&M 49, Ole Miss 41
Mississippi State at -24 Alabama
CBS has tried its best to paint this as an actual matchup. The fact they have this as the marquee game goes to the power of the Crimson Tide in drawing viewers.
Here’s the analysis: Alabama wins … big
Alabama 49, Mississippi State 13
-5.5 Kentucky at Tennessee
While there is somewhat of a feeling here that the Wildcats could be having a letdown after finding out last week how far they are from being at the top of the SEC East.
I would actually consider an upset here if the Vols weren’t so predictably bad. I mean, they are bad unless the other team just ups and takes the week off like Auburn did last month.
The difference is Kentucky has a running game to lean on … the Tigers don’t.
Kentucky 24, Tennessee 13
Auburn at -14 Georgia
With Gus Malzahn being told this week he’ll be back on The Plains next year, there isn’t a lot of pressure and who knows how that plays out.
The Bulldogs, however, are still vying for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Auburn’s simply trying to avoid playing a bowl game in Birmingham this year.
But they have a gimme next week against Liberty so they should have seven wins in the bag and that’ll get them out of Birmingham for the bowl game.
Georgia 35, Auburn 21
Hogs set to open regular season against Texas at Fort Bliss
Who: Texas
What: ESPN Armed Forces Classic
When: Friday – Nov. 9, 2018 – 6 pm (CT)/5 pm (MT)
Where: Fort Bliss Military Base – El Paso, Texas
How (to follow):
• TV: ESPN (Dave Fleming, Jay Williams, Seth Greenberg)
• Radio: Razorback/IMG Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Matt Zimmerman)
• Satellite Radio: Arkansas Broadcast (XM 389) | National Broadcast (XM & Sirius 80)
• ESPN Radio Network (Kevin Winter, Bob Valvano)
• Live Stats: http://ArmedForces.Statbroadcast.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas opens the 2018-19 season this Friday (Nov. 9) against one of its oldest rivals, Texas, when the Razorbacks and Longhorns square off on a national stage at the ESPN Armed Forces Classic.
The game will be played on Fort Bliss military base in El Paso, Texas, and tip-off is set for 6 p.m.
The Arkansas-Texas basketball rivalry dates back to the Razorbacks’ first season of basketball (1923-24).
Even though the two programs have only played eight times since the 1990-91 season, this will be the 155th all-time meeting in the series. Texas A&M (157 meetings) is the only team Arkansas has played more.
The Razorbacks own an 87-67 advantage in the series. Also, Arkansas is 14-3 versus Texas in games played on neutral courts, including five straight wins — all of which were played in the state of Texas. Arkansas additionally owns the longest win streak in the series — 12 games from February 1955 to December 30, 1959.
The last time they met, Arkansas claimed a 77-74 victory in the Lone Star Shootout played in Houston’s Toyota Center on Dec. 17, 2016. Daryl Macon, who was 14-of-14 at the free throw line, led the Razorbacks with 23 points.
Overall, Arkansas made 29-of-31 free throws, including 18-of-19 in the second half, while Texas was just 19-of-32 at the charity stripe. Arkansas also had a 30-4 advantage in bench scoring.
This will be the 96th season of basketball for the Razorbacks. Arkansas is 77-18 all-time in season openers, has 23 straight season openers and has opened the season in the win column in 45 of the last 47 seasons.
Arkansas will be opening the season on a neutral court for just the 11th time and first time since 2004-05. The Razorbacks are 9-1 when opening the season on a neutral court.
The lone loss was against UMass, 104-80, in Springfield, Mass., to open the 1994-95 season in the Tip-off Classic.
The Razorbacks, coming off a national championship and eventual national runner-up, were No. 1 in the polls and the Minutemen were No. 3. That setback to UMass was also the last time Arkansas lost a season opener.
