With Phil Elson, Matt Jones, and Christian Johnston.
Guests: Dr. Charlie Liggett/River Valley Smile Center and Mike Irwin.
Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman on playing a talented Ole Miss team
Rebels have highly-ranked defense and high-powered offense that creates challenges on both sides of ball for Hogs on Saturday morning.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: 10-28-24
Recapping a GREAT weekend to be a Hog fan!
With Tye Richardson and Christian Johnston.
Guests: Tommy Craft, Brett Norsworthy, Clay Henry.
Takeway results from busy week around SEC, Hogs’ win
Football games often fall into a category of explanation at the conclusion of the contest. Think about it, how many times have you ever heard the game was closer than expected? Not as close as it looks. Closer than it looks. Just the blowout we expected. Oh, and who saw that coming?
These, my friends, are the five most common cliches used around the Monday morning water coolers throughout the SEC. Sure, some will say, those phrases are common in every football conference in the nation. But within the SEC, the most competitive collection of football programs, these go-to phrases are each used every weekend.
They’re not the only phrases you will see bantered about on social media by SEC fans. Some exhibit more patience. Others are downright nasty. We will look at some of these and their respective games as we go through our SEC Wrap-up for Week 9.
Three Takeaway Games
(8) LSU 23, (14) Texas A&M 38: The battle for sole possession of first place in the conference and the driver’s seat to a playoff berth unexpectedly went through Kyle Field on Saturday. It was close going into the fourth quarter, but then LSU just petered out.
X user Brandon Walker felt “LSU’s last 10-minutes might be the worst 10-minutes of football this entire season.”
Whatever happened to the Tigers and their placeholder is beyond me. The Aggies just looked better for the most part, and their perfect 5-0 conference record to set themselves atop the leader board, with no chance of them not being the favorite until they square off against Texas to close out the regular season.
(5) Texas 27, (25) Vanderbilt 24: Vandy just does not give up, and their offense insistent on turning the ball over in the second half still did not prove to be an effective deterrent from pulling another Top 5 upset this season. We all are aware successful onside kicks are a rarity in football, but try to imagine how the landscape for 2024 would have changed had the Commodores been able to pull it off and put one more touchdown into the endzone.
Texas would most likely be on the outside looking in for the playoffs, and Vandy would have catapulted themselves into the Top 15. Instead, the Longhorns are still a favorite to compete for the national championship, and the ‘Dores will be wondering “what if”, hoping they can work their way back into the rankings, which is a feat for which they often long.
Vanderbilt’s quarterback did receive some praise on the social media sphere. A user with the handle of ‘Wake Up SEC’ stated, “Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia is on the cusp of entering the Heisman Trophy race.”
(21) Missouri 0, (15) Alabama 34: This game should have been closer, truly. Missouri got whipped like your great-aunt’s overly sized lemon meringue.
It was so bad even Tennessee fans were having the fantasy of Missouri being on their schedule this season. Austin Brown stated, “Words can’t describe how robbed I feel that Tennessee doesn’t get to play Missouri this year.” Brown then went on to extend a pleasant thought about Missouri Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz.
Remaining Results for Week 9
Arkansas 58, Mississippi State 25: For a few brief moments late in the 3rd quarter, the Hogs almost looked like they were going to do what Arkansas does best: lose composure, a big lead, and possibly the game. Fortunately, quarterback Taylen Green and the Razorback backfield kept their cool and poured on more offense in the fourth. Arkansas’s defense also stepped up with key stops and forcing crucial turnovers to keep them in the top half of the conference.
With Arkansas basketball’s big exhibition win over No. 1 Kansas Friday, X user Hog Call expressed his jubilation after the football game: “It feels really weird being happy about basketball and football in the same weekend.”
Oklahoma 14, (18) Ole Miss 26: This one came out the way any informed football fan would have expected, and it took going into the second half for the Rebels to finally get the final lead and put the game away. With the win, Ole Miss keeps themselves on the fringe of hope of making the playoffs, but no one should bet on it.
Auburn 24, Kentucky 10: Simply a bad team beating an up-and-down team with no consequences on the season. Maybe… just maybe, Tigers coach Hugh Freeze got some critics off of his tail for a week. He did not get nine-out-of-nine of them, but perhaps a few.
Check back here next week for more SEC wrap-up.
Razorbacks’ coach Sam Pittman on finally hitting on all cylinders in win
After a surprising 58-25 win over the Bulldogs, Hogs’ coach liked what he saw from players, getting back on track.
Hogs’ Taylen Green, Braylen Russell, Andreas Paaske after another explosion
Putting up nearly 700 yards in a 58-25 win over Mississippi State showed capabilities of Razorbacks’ offense on road.
Razorbacks’ defensive players after getting big win over Mississippi State
Defensive back Jaydon Johnson and defensive lineman Landon Jackson with what they saw setting tone stopping Bulldogs.
LIVE BLOG: Offense returns for Hogs; nearly 700 yards in 58-25 win over MSU
STARKVILLE, Miss. — At first blush, it’s understandable how Arkansas fans are looking past today’s game with the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
After all, State is 1-6 on the season and running out of chances fast for their first SEC win in Jeff Lebby’s first season. The Razorbacks want to erase the memory of a 34-14 loss to LSU last week that dropped them to 4-3 overall, but at 2-2 in the league they are only a game back from being in the conversation for the SEC Championship game in Atlanta in December.
The Bulldogs don’t have many chances left for a league win the rest of the year. The Hogs better not think they are the biggest and baddest thing the Dawgs have seen this year. They just played Texas, Georgia and Texas A&M the last three games. State has seen some pretty good teams.
We’ll have all the highlights and scoring plays here until the end. Scroll to the end every time to stay in order that things happened.
The Razorbacks will be decked out in their traditional white road uniform while State is in all maroon with the white stripes on the pants. Weather won’t be an issue, which hasn’t been a problem in any game this season.
Q1 13:06: Landon Jackson got the Razorbacks rolling, stripping Michael Van Buren on the second play, then a pair of runs up the middle by freshman Braylen Russell (making his first start) allowed Taylen Green to sprint in around the right side from 8 yards out and an early lead. Hogs 7, Bulldogs 0
Q1 11:45: That didn’t last long. The Bulldogs get a break on a facemask penalty and the offense came to life when Van Burn flipped a little screen to Devon Booth, who got a couple of blocks. Arkansas’ secondary couldn’t get a handle on him and he raced 54 yards down the right sideline to tie the game. Hogs 7, Bulldogs 7
Q1 8:50: Nobody appears to have a lot of interest in tackling anybody as the Razorbacks drive 66 yards in 7 plays with Russell carrying a lot of the load himself. The drive stalls and Matthew Shipley has at least get points with a 23-yard field goal. Hogs 10, Bulldogs 7
Q1 2:09: Razorbacks drive 78 yards and face a fourth-and-short, then offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino pulls out one of his old favorites. Green faked a handoff inside, then pulls up and finds tight end Luke Hasz with nobody in maroon in the same zip code and threw a 14-yard scoring pass. Hasz could have run to Tupelo he was so wide open. Razorbacks 17, Bulldogs 7
Q2 12:44: Bulldogs can’t answere when kicker Kyle Ferrie (from Searcy) missed a 42-yard field goal, leaving the Hogs with a cushion.
Q2 10:50: Razorbacks hitting on all cylinders now (plus Mississippi State is playing absolutely terrible) as Green throws one of his best passes of the season on a hitch route, hitting a diving Jordan Anthony in the end zone for a 27-yard scoring strike. The Hogs drove 76 yards in five plays as Green is getting hot. Hogs 24, Bulldogs 7
Q2 4:27: Razorbacks’ domination becomes clear when Mississippi State has four tries from Arkansas 2 and the defense keeps them out of the end zone. Part of that may have been Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby’s first-year inexperience or the talent differential may be just that great. For whatever reason, though, the Hogs hang on to their lead with no further damage done.
Q2 1:54: Bulldogs finally put together another long drive and miss another video review of a possible touchdown made worse when the receiver threw the ball into the stands thinking he’d scored. Ferrie kicks a 36-yard field goal to slow the bleeding. Hogs 24, Bulldogs 10
Q2 :16: Razorbacks build a three-score lead going into halftime as they drive 75 yards in eight plays and Green throws a 1-yard pass to Andreas Paaske. Hogs 31, Bulldogs 10
Q3 11:23: Now the object for the Razorbacks is to shorten the game and come home. They take the second-half kickoff and march 62 in eight plays yards before having to settle for a 32-yard field goal from Shipley. Hogs 34, Bulldogs 10
Q3 6:51: Where has Paaske been all this time. He catches his second touchdown pass of the game and it’s turned into a blowout and there’s still most of the second half to play. Hogs 41, Bulldogs 10
Q3 4:40: I’m sure both coaches didn’t tell the defenses to take it easy, but it’s hard to prove they didn’t. State gets a 31-yard scoring pass to Kevin Coleman that was confirmed on a review (apparently his heel didn’t touch at the 7) and it’s officially a track meet with one of the runners limping a little. Hogs 41, Bulldogs 17
Q3 3:57: Green pass intercepted by Nic Mitchell and the Bulldogs get a 4-yard run from Van Buren followed by a 2-point conversion pass from to Kelly Akharaiyi and they are only two scores down. Will Petrino keep Green throwing the ball? Hogs 41, Bulldogs 25
Q4 14:04: Razorbacks manage an answer, eating the clock and getting points. They drive 64 yards in 10 plays before having to settle for a 29-yard field goal by Shipley to push the lead back to three scores. Hogs 44, Bulldogs 25
Q4 5:51: Razorbacks get a fumble inches from a touchdown, then Braylen Russell pops a 78-yard run that barely gets to the Red Zone at the other end. Green finishes the drive with a 15-yard pass into a tight window to Luke Hasz to make it a bigger spread. Hogs 51, Bulldogs 25
Q4 4:50: State’s Van Buren throws a quick interception to Xavian Sorey and the Hogs, with Malachi Singleton at quarterback, waste little time against a Mississippi State defense that’s simply not very good. Rashod Dubinion runs it in from the 3 and now everybody is just trying to get to end. Hogs 58, Bulldogs 25
Arkansas, now 5-3 on the season (3-2 SEC) will host Ole Miss next week at 11:45 a.m. on SEC Network.
PETE’S PICKS: Can Razorbacks have fairly easy time against Bulldogs?
When I get asked what my favorite non-Razorback venue is, I immediately think about the impact of crowd atmosphere over size and appearance. For example, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford is cool to a fan who appreciates an old-fashioned stadium, but even in highly competitive games, it simply is not that loud.
For the rest of the places I have visited, it is a toss-up. I will confess Oklahoma State has a beautiful football stadium, but I have never had the pleasure of seeing Mike Gundy coach a game there.
Now, if the question were to be what is the most annoying sports venue, without a doubt it would be Davis Wade Stadium, also from the state of Mississippi, and home of their “State” Bulldogs.
It’s not the good people. It’s not the structure. It’s those damn cowbells. Nobody outside of someone wearing two-shades too dark maroon has a fever for the only artificial noisemaker allowed into an SEC stadium, nor does anyone else want to hear them.
They are absolutely atrocious, and, especially at my advanced age, the almost incessant pulsation of thousands of clappers smacking rapidly into their respective bows is enough in unison is enough to make your ears bleed.
It’s like a gym full of 3rd graders all at once being instructed to tell you about their summer vacation. It’s like walking through a huge dog pound while carrying a cat in your hands. It’s like being locked into a room and being forced to watch episode after episode of “The View”.
Good for Mississippi State getting the lone exception from the SEC so they could carry on a long tradition while providing a home field advantage. Way to go, State, for having a memory of a cow wandering onto your field and being able to honor it until this day. And congrats for getting to do something that you all cherish in your hearts. Truly, I mean all of these things.
I also mean it when I say Arkansas will have the Bulldogs outmatched come Saturday. The Hogs have more speed on the offensive side of the ball, especially with some key injuries for the Bulldogs in the backfield.
On defense, the Razorbacks seem to have a far better scheme, more energy, and more hope for a successful season. Who will have the advantage on special teams is a toss-up.
Remember, even though the Hogs played poorly in a loss to LSU last weekend, they are still just two games away from being bowl eligible. Our boys still have a goal they can accomplish which tips the motivation and enthusiasm edges well into our favor.
Mississippi State enters the game 1-6, with their lone win being against Eastern Kentucky in Week 1; however, do not expect a “gimme” game for Arkansas. The Bulldogs had two ten-point losses recently to a defensively strong Texas A&M team and Top 5 power Georgia. If they stay in the game long enough, bells will be ringing, and the Hogs could leave Starkville Saturday with a loss.
Hopefully, the Razorbacks come out firing on all cylinders, and the dull sound of cowbells should dissipate early, maybe even by halftime. If you are not familiar, that is me being very optimistic.
Arkansas, 34 – 17
Random Thoughts
How ’bout those basketball Hogs over Kansas?
Greenwood, Arkansas has a junior high basketball arena which does not seat many people, but it is loud. For one moment, when I was reffing a very intense game in the small venue, outside of Bud Walton Arena, it may have been the loudest crowd noise I have ever experienced in my life.
TRIVIA QUESTION: Usually, I structure these questions around Arkansas facts and history. Today will be a little different. Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby is the brother-in-law to what major college coordinator?
If you travel to Starkville, take some form of ear protection. I recommend the ones strong enough to drown out your wife (or your husband, I am not here to pick sides) on moving day.
If Arkansas pulls off the win in Starkville, it is not a done deal we will have a bowl game, but just for fun, where do you think we will be headed?
TRIVIA ANSWER: Lebby is married to the sister of former Arkansas and current TCU Offensive Coordinator Kendal Briles.
We all love our kids. We all love each other’s kids. That said, if you are going to bring your child’s electronic device to a game to keep them occupied, please also bring some form of headphones for them to wear. It may seem like a small deal to you, but fans trying to enjoy a great ballgame featuring their favorite players are not enthusiastic about spending their money to listen to “Cocomelon” blasting in their ears.
Be certain to listen to the game Saturday at 11:45 A.M. via HitThatLine.com and on the air at ESPN Arkansas 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs, and 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
SEC Picks for Week 9
Just the other day I heard a Florida fan say, “We have a really tough schedule this year.” Hey, my man, it’s the SEC; we ALL have tough schedules every year.
It reminded me of something Andy Hodges said to me the other day: “Hey, these are SEC picks. If you want to win a trophy, try the Sun Belt Conference.”
Oklahoma at (18) Ole Miss – I received a few less than friendly comments from some of OU’s faithful after my saying they were not ready for the SEC in our “Sunday SEC Wrap-up”. Some of said hostility came from family on the wrong side of our state’s western border. They will be uninviting me from the reunion this week as the Sooners may get rolled into a .500 season record and another step towards not even making a bowl when they head to Oxford this week. Rebels by 20.
Arkansas at Mississippi State – On paper, this is an easy win for the Razorbacks. On the field in Starkville, there will not be a “show up and win”. Execution by Bobby Petrino’s offense and created chaos in the backfield by Travis Williams’s defense will be what Sam Pittman orders for an SEC road victory. Hogs by 15.
(21) Missouri at (15) Alabama – I do not know if it is a due to the Tigers having a couple of closer-than-they-should-have-been victories, if Eli Drinkwitz just rubs people the wrong way, or if the rumblings of him bailing for Florida could have some truth to them, but the pollsters just do not seem to like Missouri very much as of late. They did have a Week 6 loss to a Texas A&M team many of us underestimate, but even back-to-back victories have seen the Tigers slide down in the rankings both weeks.
Bama, having lost two already by mid-season, probably has their boosters meeting to discuss how much it will take to steal Nick Saban back from “ESPN Gameday”. No doubt the Tide fans are buying the whole “Give new head coach Kalen Deboer time to get his system in” excuse. Deboer was handed a gift, and Alabama fans have become (easily to understand) spoiled and impatient. They win this one, though. Crimson Tide by 10.
(5) Texas at (25) Vanderbilt – Who do we see ranked into the Top 25? It isn’t. Could it be?… It is! The ‘Dores cracked into the polls for the first time since former head coach James Franklin had them there in 2013. Give current head coach Clark Lea mad props. No one thought he could do it, but here we are. In fact, when Texas Head Coach Steve Sarkasian stated Vanderbilt does “a heck of a job of having a good plan coming into games,” it was more than just typical coach speak for “We are about to blow them out”. Sarkasian actually meant it. The Longhorns will not make the same mistakes as Bama did in their loss to Vandy. Texas by 14.
GAME OF THE WEEK
(8) LSU at (14) Texas A&M – If you are a casual fan, you may not be aware of this, but these two teams are the only ones who are undefeated in SEC play this season. They are also neither one in the national Top 5 rankings, which actually houses two other SEC members.
The Aggies have a stifling defense which will square off with LSU’s vaunted offense. A&M fans are hoping the pundits are right in giving the Aggies a little higher than a 51-percent chance of beating the Tigers. This 2-percent favor is only due to A&M having the advantage of playing at home in Kyle Field. Whoever wins this game will of course be in the driver’s seat to win the conference and lock up a playoff bid. Nothing is a given, however, and the possibility exists these two teams may see each other for the SEC Championship in Atlanta. LSU gets the jump onto those championship hopes. Tigers by 10.
Auburn at Kentucky – “Good Grief Game”: This is actually an intriguing match-up, and the only reason it received the AH GGG honor this week is due to it being the SEC game with the least amount of interest. Hugh Freeze has his Tigers at 0-4 in the conference, while a promising Kentucky program has (as Tye Richardson would say) a “single as a Pringle conference W. So, the potential for the game to be a close back-and-forth contest exists, and who would not want to watch that instead of the battle for the undisputed SEC Conference lead? Wildcats by 7.
A shout-out to an out-of-state reader named Phillip from the Springfield, Missouri. Also, AH and SM, thank you for your support as well. I love you both!
Go HOGS!!!
Hogs led by Wagner, Fland racing past Kansas in exhibition opener
FAYETTEVILLE — For the second year in a row, Arkansas hosted the preseason No. 1 team in the nation in a charity exhibition.
For the second year in a row, the 16th-ranked Razorbacks thrilled a sold-out Bud Walton Arena with an 85-69 victory over Kansas.
The game, sponsored by CareSource, will benefit Arkansas Children’s Hospitals and Fore The Kids Foundation, a partner of Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City with its proceeds.
CareSource is sponsoring a series of charity exhibition matchups that benefit adolescent and young adult mental health and suicide prevention initiatives, including Jay’s Light and other mental health organizations.
Other games in the series this year include Ohio State at Cincinnati on Oct. 18 and Dayton hosting Xavier on Oct. 20.
Arkansas was led by guards D.J. Wagner and Boogie Fland, who scored 24 and 22 points, respectively. Fland also had six of the team’s 12 steals and five assists. Zvonimir Ivisic added 18 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
Kansas got 26 points from Dajuan Harris Jr., on 11-of-17 shooting from the field including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Rakease Passmore was the only other Jayhawk in double figures with 11 points.
Razorbacks coach John Calipari against Kansas | Andy Hodges-HitThatLine.com
NOTES:
• The game format was four, 10-minute quarters.
• Kansas scored first, but D.J. Wagner answered with a 3-pointer and Arkansas held the lead the remainder of the game.
• Arkansas scored at least 20 points in each of the four quarters and Kansas was held below 20 in all four quarters.
• Arkansas is 74-10 all-time in exhibition games, including a 65-9 mark at home. The Razorbacks have won 38 straight home exhibition contests.
• The last time the Razorbacks and Jayhawks met, Arkansas earned a trip to the 2023 Sweet 16 with a 72-71 win over top-seeded Kansas at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.
• While the game does not count towards the teams’ records, Arkansas has won each of the last three times it has faced Kansas and four of the last five.
• Up next, Arkansas will play another charity exhibition. The Razorbacks will travel to Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena to face TCU on Friday (Nov. 1). Tipoff is set for 7 pm.
Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
