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!!!
