11:15 – Mike Irwin
12:00 – Clay Henry
1:15 – Connor O’Gara
Hogs Beat Cats! Transfers Star on D; Knox and KJ and Rocket Star on O; LSU a Mess; Pujols Does It Again! Call or text, 877-377-6963
Bud Light Next Morning Rush Podcast: Hogs win 31-24!
Tye, Tommy and Chuck on the win over Cincinnati, Pujols getting to 695, Week 1 CFB games and more!
The Gimme the Hawgs Chuck Podcast E2: Arkansas beats Cincinnati, starts 1-0
Chuck Barrett breaks down what happened in Arkansas’ 31-24 victory.
Presented by Weichert Realtors – The Griffin Company!
Hogs’ Trey Knox, KJ Jefferson, Rocket Sanders recapping win
Making the big plays when they counted and closing it out in fourth quarter with strong running game.
Hogs’ Simeon Blair and Bumper Pool after opening with win over Cincinnati
What the defensive players thought after making enough big plays to get win over Bearcats in first game of year.
Hog Reaction: Razorbacks beat #23 Cincinnati 31-24
Tommy Craft, Drew Barrett and Derek Ruscin take your text and calls following Arkansas’ 31-24 win over #23 Cincinnati.
Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman on how ‘we got what we thought’
Cincinnati tougher than a lot of fans expected, but not the Razorbacks who found way to win season opener.
LIVE BLOG: Hogs take control late for 31-24 win
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Football is finally here.
And it’s about as ideal as it gets this time of the year in Razorback Stadium on a bright, sunny 82-degree day with almost no wind.
You can watch today’s game at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN or streaming at ESPN+. Listen to the game using the black listen bar below or on the radio at 99.5 in Fayetteville, 95.3 in the River Valley, 96.3 in Hot Springs or 104.3 in Harrison-Mountain Home.
We’ll have all of big plays covered here.
The Razorbacks’ captains Jalen Catalon, quarterback KJ Jefferson, Dalton Wagner and Bumper Pool lose the toss and they will get the ball first after Cincinnati deferred.
First Quarter
Hogs defending South goal in a Razorback Stadium that is continuing to see people come inside.
Razorbacks get on the board first after a 52-yard return of a Cincinnati pass by Dwight McGlothern, who jumped the route after the Bearcats’ opening drive moved the ball on the Hogs’ defense.
1Q 6:18: Jefferson scores from 15 yards out on a scoring drive of 29 yards in just three plays as the two teams are tied in total yardage with 64, but the Hogs have 51 more on a defensive turnover. Hogs 7, Cincinnati 0
Hogs end the period with the ball and a 16-yard run by Jefferson after the Bearcats’ Ryan Coe sailed a 25-yard field goal attempt wide to the right.
Second Quarter
After a pretty boring quarter that saw Hogs safety Myles Slusher leave the game with an injury when it appeared he knocked himself out making a tackle, the only other excitement was another missed field goal by the Bearcats.
Until the last 30 seconds.
2Q :17: Raheim “Rocket” Sanders broke a 37-yard run to the 5 on a third-and-1, then Jefferson threw a little whoopee pass to tight end Trey Knox, who jumped up and made the catch with 17 seconds left. Hogs 14, Cincinnati 0
Third Quarter
It didn’t take long for things to get interesting after a lack of scoring in the first half, the third quarter had bang to the first seven minutes.
3Q 10:59: Corey Kiner capped off a 12-play, 75-yard drive to open the half with a 5-yard run and get the Bearcats on the board. Hogs 14, Cincinnati 7
3Q 8:00: Arkansas wasted little time answering , driving 75 yards in eight plays, needing just 2:59 before wide receiver Jadon Haselwood showed what all the buzz was about with him, catching a 19-yard pass on the goal line and falling into the end zone for the score. Hogs 21, Cincinnati 7
3Q 6:50: A shoot-out has broken out. The Bearcats needed just over a minute to answer and they are picking on the Hogs’ secondary, which has clearly struggled covering people. Ben Bryant completes a three-play, 71-yard drive with a 35-yard strike to Nick Mardner down the middle of the field. The Bearcats had open receivers in the first half but couldn’t manage to get the ball to them. Hogs 21, Cincinnati 14
3Q 4:44: The Razorbacks dodge a bullet after a holding penalty backed them up inside their own 5-yard line and KJ Jefferson’s fumble was recovered by the Bearcats on the 3-yard line. They went backwards and ended up having to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Coe. Hogs 21, Cincinnati 17
3Q 1:28: Hogs answer with a drive that bogs down in the red zone when Jefferson can’t hit Warren Thompson on a couple of throws setting up a 32-yard field goal by Cam Little. Hogs 24, Cincinnati 17
Fourth Quarter
4Q 9:26: After Jordan Domineck stripped Ben Bryant of the ball on a pass rush, then recovered it, the Hogs drove down the field with Jefferson completing a short pass to Knox, who made a Cincinnati defender miss and turned it into a 32-yard scoring strike down the right sideline and the Hogs have some breathing room. Hogs 31, Cincinnati 17
4Q 5:39: Cincinnati adds late touchdown on a 15-yard pass, but it’s too little too late for the Bearcats. Hogs 31, Cincinnati 24
PETE’S PICKS: Looking ahead to what could be a big year for Hogs
Football is about building character, developing a sense of teamwork, and creating lifelong bonds.
That is great rhetoric for recruiting, but from a fan’s perspective, we all know it is also about wins and losses.
After multiple years of seeing more of the latter, Arkansas’s faithful will gladly confirm the arrival of Sam Pittman as the Razorbacks’ coach proved wins are far more important than losses, and very few of us have ever walked away from a game stating, “Yeah, we got blown out, but that loss to Colorado State will really teach these young men how to be better leaders in their future business ventures.”
Arkansas enters the 2022 season coming off a 9 – 4 season (capped with a win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl) in Pittman’s sophomore campaign in Fayetteville.
Now, with the taste of winning back in our mouths mixed with Pittman’s returning players and wonderful job of recruiting, expectations are high to compete for much bigger goals than finishing above .500 in the SEC.
The 2022 schedule would like a word.
The new slate of opponents for Arkansas has our schedule once again ranked in the top three in the nation according to most football nerds and their computers. In fact, alongside the always tough SEC opponents we face on a yearly basis, our four non-conference foes consist of only one certified “cupcake”.
Our Week 1 opponent Cincinnati is not that baked good.
It should go without mentioning; however, if you spent 2021 focused more upon pronoun usage than football, you probably missed the Bearcats going 13 – 0 and being the first “Group of Five” team to make the College Football Playoffs.
Fortunately, two Cincy standouts, quarterback Desmond Ridder and running back Jerome Ford, are now both in the NFL, and they took some of their elite teammates with them. That said, do not rest easy when their former underclassmen teammates attempt to make their presence known in Fayetteville Saturday afternoon.
Game (and Random) Thoughts:
We mentioned the amount of talent Cincy is losing (especially on the defensive side of the ball); however, to add more hope for an opening weekend victory, Arkansas is returning double-digit starters and a majority of the offensive line.
KJ Jefferson can only possess more confidence coming into his Junior year with one full season as being the primary signal caller under his belt.
TRIVIA QUESTION: It’s been 30-years since Arkansas ran onto the field and lost their season opener 10 – 3 to one of college football’s elite. Can you name this powerhouse team who sent then head coach Jack Crowe to the back of unemployment line?
Rocket Sanders leads a very talented group of running backs this season, and with the threat of KJ’s arm, an interesting corps of wide receivers, and a veteran offensive line, our backfield may be set for big gains against a Cincinnati defense looking to find new leadership post-2021.
Hopefully Cincinnati is bringing just tea without the liquor, and if it tastes as bad as they brew it up north, then the Hogs might be able to win this easier than many predict.
Season openers are not always indicative of how the rest of the year will go. Remember, the Bearcats are a great team and under head coach Luke Fickell have developed themselves into a top-notch program. A loss for Arkansas is not a sign of despair any more than a win is going to indicate an appearance in the national championship.
I am nervous about the game this weekend. I am glad you asked.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Figured it out yet? It was juggernaut The Citadel who sent our once-hyped up “Ol’ Red” home with nothing to “Crowe” about. Rumor has it Chad Morris has a tattoo which states, “Hey, at Least I am not Jack Crowe!”
My confidence has only grown in Pittman along with coordinators Kendal Briles and Barry Odom, their staffs, and all the players. Let us show up with a lot of passion, fire, and an earning to place our early mark on the landscape of college football thus increasing the build-up surrounding Arkansas football.
Get to Fayetteville Saturday and make Donald W Reynolds Stadium as loud as possible, fans. Cincy may not know what hit them. And remember, Calling the Hogs is not just a privilege, it is your duty.
Now for the moment where I channel the sports gurus who have gone on before us…
Arkansas, 34 – 24.
Be certain to listen to the game Saturday at 2:30 P.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 1
Rumor had it after last season’s closer than normal HitThatLine.com Chase for the Cup, Andy Hodges and I would hang up our prophetic hats and enjoy a retirement from the elite accuracy of our weekly SEC picks.
Guess what?
That mongering was completely false. However, for clarity and for the sake of not lulling you, the faithful reader to sleep, I will keep the wording minimal. Also, stick around for a new addition to the weekly pick piece brought to you by the mind of gambling enigma Eric Soller.
Vanderbilt over Hawaii (with or without the apostrophe) in Week 0, Tennessee defeating Ball State in Knoxville, and Missouri defeating Louisiana Tech were all completed by press time for me, so those I will omit.
Sam Houston at (6) Texas A&M: The Aggies have an early trip to the bakery. Aggies by 40.
(11) Oregon at (3) Georgia – GAME OF THE WEEK: The Bulldogs have to feel slighted by the No 3 preseason ranking, and Oregon always seems to come into each season overhyped. Georgia by 17.
(23) Cincinnati at (19) Arkansas: It feels good to mingle with all these Top 25 ranked teams, doesn’t it, Harry? Let’s plug in the jukebox and have it on stand-by, but the hope is we turn the damn thing on around 5:30. Arkansas by 10.
Troy at (21) Old Miss: I almost like Lane Kiffin again… maybe. Rebels by 30.
(7) Utah at Florida: I cannot believe I am about to do this. Gators by 11.
Miami of Ohio at (20) Kentucky: Off the field issues have led to a “wonder what is going to happen” situation at Kentucky. The blue still have no issues this weekend despite opening weekend blahs early. Wildcats by 21.
Mercer at Auburn: The Tigers had better win this game or head coach Bryan Harsin’s War Eagle will be looking more like 1992 Arkansas’s Jack Crowe. Tigers by 25.
Elon at Vanderbilt: Do the Commodores have the confidence to start the season 2 -0? Vandy by 20.
Utah State at (1) Alabama: Plan on finding a backup game to watch at 6:30. Tide by 37.
Memphis at Mississippi State: This is actually one of the most intriguing games of the day. Bulldogs by 18.
Georgia State at South Carolina: Shane Beamer is building something in Columbia. Gamecocks by 21.
Florida State at LSU: This would have been a huge match-up just a few seasons ago. Now? Not so much. LSU is looking to start a new chapter and a turnaround. Tigers by 7.
Now, get the edge of your seat warm because it is time to introduce our new section …
Soller Opposites
Gambling for some people is simply stopping by your local casino, putting about $40 into a slot machine, and then leaving with a free fountain drink and some minor regret.
For sports betting expert Eric Soller, it is more of a craft and passioned honed with years of study, trial and error, and enough Mountain Dew Energy drinks to make Granny curse slow drivers in the passing lane.
Sink or swim, Soller is going to offer his thoughts on one high profile game per week. Your duty is to decide if you want to follow his guidance by choosing the same pick or follow his luck by picking the complete “Soller Opposite”.
Good luck, and a little disclaimer: We do not endorse nor reimburse for Mr. Soller’s picks. Proceed at your own risk.
(5) Notre Dame at (2) Ohio State – OSU returns Heisman favorite CJ Stroud who will be looking to make his early case to the voters but may need some feeling out time with his new receiving corps. They could choose to control the clock with their running game early and may settle for some first half field goals keeping the score low. Saracen’s line opened with the Buckeyes a 17 point favorite but has fallen to -16, making it a 3-score affair. Expect a low scoring first half, Stroud will find his rhythm with the new receivers, and Ohio State will pull ahead until a last-minute trash TD pulls the Irish back into the game. OHIO STATE 37, ND 21. If you can find it or buy it, take the Domers +17.
Back to Cincinnati at Arkansas; check in during the game for all the highlights updates from Saturday’s contest.
I would like to have a cupcake this weekend, but I would actually love some sopapilla cheesecake if anyone happens to be in the neighborhood Saturday.
Find me on ‘Twitter’: @PeterMorganWPS
Go HOGS!!!
ANDY’S PICKS: Don’t be shocked at a game closer than expected
Season openers can be funny things to handicap or predict.
There’s almost no evidence to really justify anything other than reputation and seeing how many starters one team has coming back and a whole lot of other stuff that may — or may not — even matter.
It was Lou Holtz after a surprising No. 3 finish in 1977 with an Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma in the spring of 1978 that told us in the media “last year has nothing to do with this year.”
Over the years I’ve found that to be a pretty accurate statement.
Arkansas fans think they got better while Cincinnati went to the College Football Playoff, graduated a bunch of guys, then got worse. That’s what many folks think.
Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman has been trying to tell anyone interested in listening the Bearcats are a pretty good team. They have a winning record against Power 5 teams under coach Luke Fickell and they were the only team to beat Notre Dame last year … in South Bend, no less.
Hog fans want it both ways. They want last year to matter for them and not for Cincinnati.
Which is why this game could be a lot more competitive than many in Hogs Nation really expect or want.
Then again it could be a complete blowout.
That’s the problem with season openers. Nobody really knows one way or the other.
There will be some folks on sports radio Monday that claim they knew what was going to happen whichever way things go. Those folks should go take a nap. Sometimes you get lucky and if there’s no record what you said, well, we’re all undefeated, untied and unscored upon when Monday rolls around.
The Hogs come in a 6.5-point favorite, mostly because the game is at Razorback Stadium and nobody is chancing a ton of money that line is completely out of line.
But a blowout will be surprising. The Hogs have an edge in talent, but an awful lot of question marks in key areas, mostly on defense.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t answers, but they aren’t glaring solutions to the defensive front and several positions in the secondary. In some of the fall camp practices we’ve seen the cornerbacks can’t cover a double-movefrom a wide receiver.
If the Bearcats just line up and try to go straight at them the Hogs will look good. But don’t expect that. Fickell is not an idiot and Cincinnati has scholarship players, too.
It will be a game a lot of people won’t really like, but it will be a win.
Which is the most important thing in the season opener.
Arkansas 31, Cincinnati 28
It is time for our HitThatLine.com picks contest with Peter Morgan, who stumbled his way to a win last year, mainly because somehow I took some chances to blow it open and faceplanted. Thanks LSU, Auburn and Mississippi State.
So here we go again as the fifth year of HitThatLine.com is coming strong with the picks … and guessing.
Sam Houston State at 6 Texas A&M (NL): The Aggies are over-rated. That may be wishful thinking as much as actual evidence, but they did get ahead of the whole NIL thing and have some talent on the roster. We won’t know much more after this game or until they host Miami the week before playing the Hogs in AT&T Stadium. Texas A&M 56, Sam Houston State 6
11 Oregon at 3 Georgia (-16.5): Maybe the best game of the day and how the Bulldogs are a double-digit favorite over a team that is No. 11 in the country is somewhat interesting and probably based on heavy betting by Bulldogs’ fans still celebrating a national championship last year. Unless the Ducks are better than anybody knows, Georgia will have a routine win. Georgia 35, Oregon 24
Troy at 21 Ole Miss (40.5): While Troy has been a problem for some folks at times in the past, this isn’t one of those times. The Rebels should have a romp and we might find out more about who’s going to be the quarterback this year. Ole Miss 52, Troy 10
7 Utah (2.5) at Florida: The obituaries about the Gators have been written since Dan Mullen got fired. Nobody believes the Gators are any good, but a hunch tells me they aren’t Chad Morris-type bad … maybe not even Bret Bielema-bad. Most of this hunch is based on the opinion Billy Napier is better than anybody thinks. Florida 27, Utah 24
Miami, Ohio at 20 Kentucky (-15): The Wildcats are actually developing enough interest that the basketball coach took an unsolicited shot at the football coach to remind everyone UK is a basketball school. First of all, John Calipari even mentioning that is a boost to Mark Stoops’ football team. Now he has to back it up. Kentucky 31, Miami, Ohio, 21
Mercer at Auburn (NL): Good grief, not even Bryan Harsin could manage to mess this game up. Of course it is Auburn and we are talking about Harsin so just about anything is possible, I guess. Auburn 48, Mercer 10
Elon at Vanderbilt: Well, this could … oh, never mind. Nobody really cares. Vanderbilt 3, Elon 2
Utah State at 1 Alabama (-41.5): Alabama at least scheduled an opening game against a team that was fairly decent last year, but the theme of this is that has absolutely nothing to do with this year. Alabama 54, Utah State 6
Memphis at Mississippi State (-16.5): If you don’t think Mike Leach hasn’t been laying in wait for this game after what happened in Memphis last year you haven’t been paying attention. The Tigers will get buried if the Bulldogs get up because they don’t have enough offense against a defense that’s going to be a lot better than anybody thinks. Mississippi State 41, Memphis 10
Georgia State at South Carolina (-12.5): The Gamecocks might be looking ahead to playing the Hogs next weekend in Fayertteville, but should still have enough to handle this game fairly easily. South Carolina 28, Georgia State 14
