ANDY’S PICKS: Can Razorbacks finally break five-game losing streak?
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The doomsday scenario I painted back in the summer for Arkansas’ schedule has arrived.
When I wrote for Sports Illustrated the biggest game that might determine a bowl game for the Razorbacks was the Memphis game that may have been more accurate than I thought. In my view if they lost that game it could cause a big slide.
That’s exactly what has happened.
Now they get ready to play an Auburn team that hasn’t won an SEC game, either. They have had three games where they had legitimate shots to win, but have managed to screw it up every time.
Some might be put off to officials’ calls, but that seldom in the absolute deciding factor. You have a lot of other plays that didn’t help them to even be in that position.
While the Hogs took advantage of the whopping loss to Notre Dame and fired Sam Pittman, Auburn can’t seem to figure out what to do with Hugh Freeze. The odds aren’t great that he’s going to be able to survive much short of a strong run here at the end of the season.
It could be as early as Sunday if they lose to Arkansas.
This game has a interesting matchup where each team’s strength will be on the field at the same time as well as each team’s weakness.
Simply put, that means the Hogs’ offense will face the Tigers’ defense and it’s a pretty good one. They didn’t get run over by Georgia until they simply ran out of gas in the fourth quarter because they had better depth on offense than Auburn had on defense.
A lot of Razorback fans and media like to point at the final score and have hope, but Texas A&M was clearly going to be able to answer every challenge the Hogs threw at them.
The bottom line analysis on this one could simply go either way. I can make an argument for either team to win, but this one the home field might be the difference and hope the rain doesn’t get too bad.
Give the Hogs their first SEC win, but remember Mississippi State had a league win in a year they were 1-7, but that was over Arkansas in Fayetteville. Hogs 42, Auburn 35
Around the rest of the league, Pete was uncommonly quiet just wishing me good luck. As a former Lumberjack, we like winning so I hope he misses his upset special.
SEC Picks
(8) Ole Miss at (13) Oklahoma – The Sooners are a good team, but the Rebels are much better. The only thing they’ve got to resolve is the defense tends to lose focus at times for whatever reason and games end up being much closer than they should be. Or even, like against Georgia, result in a loss. Lane Kiffin just doesn’t want that game to cost them a second one. Rebels by 6.
(4) Alabama at South Carolina – In a normal year, this would be a Good Grief game. This is anything but a normal year. The SEC has turned into a junior varsity NFL league and almost every game seems to be coming down to the last possession. Crimson Tide by 12.
(15) Missouri at (10) Vanderbilt – It’s about time for the Commodores to have a stumble. They really haven’t done that much this year while the Tigers have been impressive at times. The win over Auburn didn’t come easy, but then I didn’t really think it ever would be. Something says stay with them this week. Mizzou by 4.
(22) Texas at Mississippi State – The Longhorns seem to play up to or down to the level of nearly every team they’ve played this year. Beating Oklahoma showed what they are good at doing. The Bulldogs just can’t seem to find a way to win a game. Yes, they’ve improved, but they haven’t figured out how to finish an SEC game against the hardest part of their schedule. Longhorns by 7.
(3) Texas A&M at (20) LSU – Somehow, Pete thinks this is going to be an upset and I wouldn’t be completely shocked if that happened. I’ve listened to some incredible LSU upsets for 60 years. Nobody saw them coming then and hardly anybody would see it coming Saturday night, but something just keeps nagging at me this might be a very special year for A&M. A&M by 3.
(17) Tennessee at Kentucky – This should be a comfortable win for Josh Heupel, who needs a big performance. It’s tempting to predict a blowout here, but the Wildcats seem to keep coming up with a way to at least keep hope alive for their fans. They are due to run out of gas needing a top off to finish the season. Vols by 13.
PETE’S PICK: Nine out of 10 apparently not a 100 percent chance for this week
Nine times out of 10, I might have some creative opening line for an article.
Nine times out of 10, I might pick Arkansas to win games against far superior opponents, even though I know I should not. I cannot help it; I am simply a homer at times. Not to mention, a guy at Alma got a little radical with me over my picking the Hogs to lose to, of all teams, Auburn.
Nine times out of 10, I am infatuated with an Arkansas head coaching search. I will run Google searches 15 to 20 times a day. This time must be the one out of 10. I am pretty certain we already have our guy (or gal, I am not here to pick sides) on campus.
Nine times out of 10, I would say, “Let’s not hire Chad Morris.” Unfortunately, we have already experienced the singular “yes.” I will admit, I was trying my best to be optimistic when we hired Morris away from SMU. I had a bad feeling when he got confused on which car to hop into at the airport, but I tried to stay enthusiastic.
Nine times out of 10, I think Arkansas should run the ball against Auburn. I know, I know… The Tigers have a far better rushing defense than they do passing, however, it is going to be raining … a lot, and I fear cheap interceptions.
Nine times out of 10, I think we need to run a blitz package with the linebackers. The ball is going to be wet, and Auburn is already dead last in the SEC in passing yards. They focus on the rush. I think we can stop them and eliminate them from having big plays.
Nine times out of 10, Arkansas’s defense gives up a big play. In fact, we are one of the worst in the nation in giving up major yards on solo plays. Oddly enough, by the same ratio, Auburn’s offense is one of the worst in the country in their “big play count”. .
Nine times out of 10, Hugh Freeze finds a job that is suited for him and in which he will find success. Apparently, the Plains is not one of those places. Have you seen the guy lately? He is stressed to the max. He looks awful. And I would by hypocritical to judge, but he looks like he needs a one or 10 doses of Celexa STAT.
Nine times out of 10, I would feel sorry for somebody like that, especially Freeze himself, but I have no pity for him after what he stated after the game last year.
Auburn is due for a win and some good calls to go their way. Arkansas is playing far better since Petrino took the reins. I think if these two teams had met up earlier in the season, the Tigers would have won hands down. I now feel Auburn is going to lose yet another game at the hand of the Razorbacks.
Arkansas 34, Auburn 17
Be certain to lis10 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.
Random Thoughts
Things have gotten so bad in Auburn that Auburn’s Hugh Freeze has marked his Facebook profile as “Safe from the board of trustees.”
TRIVIA QUESTION: Arkansas used to have a trend where if they would beat Auburn, they would also beat them the next season. The Hogs have a chance to do that this Saturday. Who was coach of the Razorbacks the last time they beat the Tigers back-to-back?
Shout out to two fantastic Razorbacks fans, Katie and Kam Lafferty. If you ever attend a Hogs’ softball game and forget your beer hat for wear when the bases are loaded, these two lovely ladies might be able to come to your rescue! I am hopeful they enjoy the football game this weekend.
TRIVIA ANSWER: The same man who will be calling the shots from the sideline Saturday, Bobby Petrino, was coaching the Hogs when they defeated Auburn in 2011 and 2012.
Let’s get that first SEC win this weekend, boys!
If you see my wife out and about ask her how it feels to be the first-time grandmother. She loves it, but I think she’d also enjoy having some sleep, but that’s an entirely different story.
Go HOGS!!!
Razorbacks’ freshmen lead scoring parade in big win over Cincinnati
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Razorbacks beat the Cincinnati Bearcats 89-61 in an exhibition contest Friday night at Bud Walton Arena.
The game, played under the banner of the CareSource Invitational – Fayetteville, Supporting Mental Health, marked Arkansas’ first tune-up of the season and served as much more than just a preseason showcase.
Arkansas jumped out to a commanding 48-28 lead at halftime, powered by a sharp 53.1 percent shooting performance in the first half while holding Cincinnati to just 27.8 percent from the floor.
The Razorbacks extended their advantage with a 23-10 run to start the second half and never let the Bearcats close the gap.
Five Razorback players reached double figures. Freshman Meleek Thomas scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while fellow freshman Darius Acuff Jr. contributed 17.
Sophomore Trevon Brazile added 15 points, Karter Knox had 13, and Billy Richmond III finished with 10.
Cincinnati managed only one player in double figures as Halvine Dzellat finished with 10 points. Meanwhile, Arkansas threw down 11 dunks — one-third of its made field goals — including four by Brazile and three by Richmond.
The first half told the story. Arkansas closed the half with an 11-0 spurt to take a 39-22 lead after an early run of four straight baskets forced a Cincinnati timeout while the Bearcats went 1-of-7 from the field.
The Razorbacks maintained consistent efficiency, shooting 53.3 percent in the second half while Cincinnati hit just 28.9 percent.
Arkansas’ starting lineup featured Acuff Jr., D.J. Wagner, Knox, Brazile and Nick Pringle. The depth chart showed promise, as the bench contributed key support and helped keep the tempo elevated.
The CareSource Invitational went beyond basketball, pairing the game with a mental-health awareness initiative. The non-profit CareSource and its mission to normalize mental-health conversations and promote overall well-being for children and teens were front and center.
For Arkansas, the event offered both competitive preparation and community engagement. The Razorbacks improved their all-time exhibition record to 75-11 and extended their home exhibition winning streak to 39 games.
With the regular season looming, Arkansas’ performance provided tangible signs of progress: strong defensive effort, efficient shooting, and balanced scoring across experience levels.
The freshmen showed they can contribute immediately, and the team’s cohesion appears ahead of schedule.
Arkansas’ next outing will come in another charity exhibition against Memphis in the Hoops for St. Jude Tip Off Classic. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. on ESPNU, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Arkansas’ victory is an encouraging early indicator — not a guarantee of future outcomes, but a foundation.
The remainder of the exhibition campaign and then the season opener will reveal if this performance represents a season-long identity or simply a strong first chapter.
PETE’S SEC PICKS: Taking big upset pick but not in his ‘Game of the Week’ in SEC
Do you hear the chimes of the classic waltz creeping up behind you? That is the melodic tunes of the coaching carousel of college football already in full speed.
And the SEC has already added more than their fair share to the ride at just past the midway point of the 2025 season.
It has gotten so bad that both Kentucky’s Mark Stoops and Auburn’s Hugh Freeze have marked their Facebook profiles as “Safe from the board of trustees.”
Billy Napier was fired from Florida AFTER a win. Granted, I have heard it was due to not meeting season expectations and his offense playing stagnant against Mississippi State, putting up only 23 points to the Bulldogs’ 21.
Plus, this week is a bye week for them. But how do you get let go after a win? That’s one small step better than getting fired on your day off.
Who will be the next to go? Nine times out ten I would bet Hugh Freeze. The dude is tired. He looks stressed. But he is due one good game this season, or at least one game-changing, controversial call from the SEC officials.
Let’s figure it out together. Oh, and, Andy, good luck this week.
SEC Picks for Week 9
PETE’S SEC GAME OF THE WEEK
(8) Ole Miss at (13) Oklahoma – Immediately out of the gates for Saturday morning will be my GOTW. Not only does it have the best Morgan Scale Score of Competition (MSSOC), but it also has the most intrigue from a neutral fan perspective.
The Rebels suffered their first loss of the season last week at the hands of Georgia in Athens. And, honestly, if that game had been played in Oxford, the end result may have been reversed.
OU did not have any issues with South Carolina last week, but they did not exactly dominate the game either. I guess that is subjective, and I could probably easily be prove wrong, given they did put up a 19-point victory on the road.
Even though the game is Norman, I think Ole Miss is the better coached team. Also, I feel they even picked up some momentum in their game against Georgia last week, despite it being a loss. It showed them they can play with anyone in the nation. Rebels by a close 10.
Auburn at Arkansas – I will cover this one in my weekly write-up, but expect Hugh Freeze to have some signs in his yard pretty soon .
(4) Alabama at South Carolina – I did not list a “Good Grief Game” this, week because the parity in the SEC is just too good, and all games this week look like good conference match-ups.
That said, Bama is still too tough for the Gamecocks, even if the game is at home. Tide by 21.
(15) Missouri at (10) Vanderbilt – Hold onto your betting slips, folks. This one will be a good one. It may even deserve my GOTW” nod based upon the potential to go down to the wire. I do feel it will be sloppier than Ole Miss and Oklahoma,
It is also a “flip the coin” type game. But, before I do, my thoughts are Vandy is the real-deal this season, but I think they are lacking a few fundamentals, and their emotional high will eventually have to come crashing down at some point.
The Tigers are good again this year, but not as good as they have been in recent history. And outside of a close loss to Alabama, Missouri has not done anything impressive on the scoreboard.
Vanderbilt has the better quarterback in Diego Pavia, and his energy seems to spark his fellow Commodores. I do not think the Tigers can contain him for four quarters. Vandy by 3.
(22) Texas at Mississippi State – The Longhorns needed WD-40 to squeak out a win against lowly Kentucky last week. The Bulldogs have started playing like we have all thought they would be coming into the season. So much so, soothsayers are already predicting MSU will be beaten by another SEC cellar dweller in Arkansas. Texas will play better this week. If not, they may never hear the end of it on social media. Horns by 14.
(3) Texas A&M at (20) LSU – This would have been a phenomenal match-up had the Tigers not lost two out of their last three games to two teams they historically beat. It is a tough schedule for almost every team in the SEC, though, and LSU is up against an undefeated Aggies team.
A&M is powerful this season, and that’s no faking… Oh, too soon, Mike Elko? But playing in Death Valley at night? That is a daunting task. And I think Arkansas exposes some weaknesses in the Aggies defense. I do not know if LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly is smart enough to figure out a way to exploit those inefficiencies, but if he is, I smell an upset brewing. Tigers with an “UPSET ALERT” by 1.
(17) Tennessee at Kentucky – Tennessee is coming off a loss but hoping to make the playoffs. Kentucky is coming off a close defeat to Texas, but I think that three-point margin speaks more for how overrated the Longhorns are as opposed to the possibility of the Wildcats being a higher performing team than their 2-4 record. I have been mistaken before, but I see less than a 10% chance of Kentucky pulling an upset. Vols by 23.
Please check out all the write-ups for Arkansas’s game this weekend against Auburn, right here on HitThatLine.com. Enjoy the SEC, folks. It is the greatest conference in the nation.
Go HOGS!!!
Bet Saracen’s Neal Atkinson on odds for exhibition plus action for Arkansas-Auburn on Saturday
Bet Saracen’s Neal Atkinson on odds for exhibition plus action for Arkansas-Auburn on Saturday
Fox Sports’ Aaron Torres on what he expects in Razorbacks’ exhibition
With new players what he’s seeing with team and a take on the Arkansas-Auburn game on Saturday with both teams looking for first SEC win.
ESPN 106.7’s Jacob Goins on Hugh Freeze’s status if Razorbacks in Saturday
Auburn might pull the plug by Sunday if Hogs can get first SEC win of season, but the water is hot and getting deeper.
Bud Light Morning Rush Podcast: 10-24-25
We question Tye’s morals and planning tendencies as Arkansas and Auburn question who may or may not be the next head football coach.
Guests: Jacob Goins!
Where Hogville’s Dudley Dawson is hoping Vitello lands in major leagues
Not hard to figure where longtime St. Louis Cardinals fan predicts former Tennessee coach will go in precedent-setting career, starting with Giants.
