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Yes, there’s a path for Hogs to get to bowl … but it’s bumpy, requires luck

No, Lynn Scarbrough of Lindy’s isn’t forecasting six wins for Arkansas but there is a bumpy path to it that would require a lot of luck and he’s right.

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While just about everybody looks at Arkansas’ schedule, the last two years and writes a 3 or 4 in the win column, there actually is a path to even a bowl game.

That’s not saying it’s easy, exactly clear-cut or needing an awful lot of fortunate bounces along the way.

“I doubt it, but I think they could,” Lynn Scarbrough of Lindy’s Football magazines hitting the news stands said Tuesday afternoon with Derek Ruscin and Zach Arns (Ruscin & Zach) on ESPN Arkansas.

It will provide hope for some while others say it’s impossible. While pre-season predictions are generally wild guesses and I avoid those at all costs, Scarbrough and I agree on this one.

There IS a path. Whether it will happen or not is anybody’s guess.

The key is the schools in Mississippi.

“Ole Miss and Mississippi State do not tremendously out-class Arkansas,” Scarbrough said.

Lane Kiffin with the Rebels and Mike Leach with the Bulldogs have a better track record than Sam Pittman but just as many questions. They are just very different questions.

Arkansas will play three SEC teams with coaches (don’t forget Eli Drinkwitz at Missouri) that have as many wins as a head coach in the league as Pittman does.

Pittman does have more years coaching in the league than the three of them combined times two.

The pressure is on mainly Kiffin and Leach. They were hired to produce instant results while Pittman sorta flew under the radar.

“He got a big advantage on this because so much prominence was given to Ole Miss and Mississippi State’s hires,” Scarbrough said. “They soaked up all the headlines.”

Scarbrough likes Arkansas’ offense … a lot.

“I really like Treylon Burks and the other young receivers,” he said. “Rakeem Boyd is excellent and was on our second team in a league that is really good this year at the running back position.”

Then there’s Feleipe Franks coming in at quarterback and he’s won more SEC games than every Arkansas quarterback combined over the last four seasons.

“It’s a great move,” Scarbrough said. “I’m excited about ya’ll’s offense. Your offense is not going to get the credit due. His record at Florida was good. He’s going to be the thing that’s going to be the difference.”

The personnel on the Hogs’ offense have gotten the headlines on potential the last year but didn’t show it on the field which is either a spectacular evaluation bust … or a coaching staff that really didn’t have a clue.

New offensive coordinator Kendal Briles is what makes the offense interesting for Lindy’s and all the pre-season guesses.

“Briles is picking up some good people,” Scarbrough said. “Arkansas’ skill people among the best in the SEC. It’s hard to find a team that’s got better skill people than what Arkansas will put on the field.”

But then there’s the other side of the ball.

“I’m not excited about the defense at all,” he said.

Nobody else is, either, but the guess is they will be better simply with a change in the leadership. New defensive coordinator Barry Odom is going to be better with today’s players.

But good enough to get this teams to six wins?

Check back with me in a couple of months. They really should be able to have at least one practice before we start making a lot of bold predictions.

Either way.

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2024 Razorbacks Football

Thu, Aug 29vs UAPB (Little Rock)W, 70-0
Sat, Sep 7@ Oklahoma StateL, 31-39 2OT
Sat, Sep 14vs UABW, 37-27
Sat, Sep 21@ AuburnW, 24-14
Sat, Sep 28vs Texas A&M (Arl)L, 21-17
Sat, Oct 5vs TennesseeW, 19-14
Sat, Oct 19vs LSUL, 34-10
Sat, Oct 26@ Mississippi StateW, 58-25
Sat, Nov 2vs Ole Miss11:00 AM
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Sat, Nov 16vs Texas11:00 AM
Sat, Nov 23vs Louisiana TechTBD
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Sat, Nov 30@ MissouriTBD
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2024 High School Rankings

Following is the Arkansas Sports Media High School Football Poll including the Overall Top 10, the top five in Classes 7A, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, plus the top three in the 8-man division, as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending August 24. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and ranking from last week's poll:
OVERALLRecordPtsPrv
1.Bryant (18)8-02521
2.Conway (6)8-02302
3.Greenwood (2)8-02103
4.Little Rock Parkview7-11714
5.Bentonville5-31416
6.Benton7-11265
7.Fayetteville6-21008
8.Pulaski Academy6-2757
9.Rogers5-3459
10.Shiloh Christian6-24010
Others receiving votes: Marion 13, Valley View 9, Joe T Robinson 8, Mountain Home 4, Cabot 3, Elkins 3.
CLASS 7A
1.Bryant (20)8-01241
2.Conway (6)8-01052
3.Bentonville5-3753
4.Fayetteville6-2455
5.Pulaski Academy6-2354
Others receiving votes: Rogers 5.
CLASS 6A
1.Greenwood (26)8-01301
2.Benton7-11022
3.Shiloh Christian6-2713
4.Marion7-1524
5.Mountain Home7-131
Others receiving votes: Little Rock Catholic 4.
CLASS 5A
1.Little Rock Parkview (23)7-11271
2.Joe T Robinson7-1902
3.Valley View (3)8-0803
4.Hot Springs Lakeside7-1484
5.Farmington7-130
Others receiving votes: Camden Fairview 4, Maumelle 4, Morrilton 3, Greenbrier 2, Harding Academy 1.
CLASS 4A
1.Elkins (19)8-01161
2.Arkadelphia (5)6-2792
3.Little Rock Mills (1)8-0703
4.Warren6-2404
5.Malvern (1)8-0315
Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 22, Southside Batesville 11, Mena 8, Bauxite 7, DeWitt 4, Highland 2.
CLASS 3A
4.Bismarck (15)8-01054
5.Fordyce (4)8-0765
Prescott (3)7-1531t
1.Osceola (2)6-149
3.Mayflower (1)8-036
Others receiving votes: Booneville (1) 31, Rivercrest 19, Mansfield 14, Charleston 4, Rison 3.
CLASS 2A
1.Carlisle (21)8-01211
2.Conway Christian (4)8-01042
3.Des Arc7-1663
4.Bigelow (1)6-2455
5.Murfreesboro6-230
Others receiving votes: Marked Tree 10, Mineral Springs 6, Junction City 5, Cross County 1, Mount Ida 1, Poyen 1
8-MAN SANCTIONED
1.Strong-Huttig (25)5-0761
2.Midland (1)7-0502
3.Cedar Ridge7-1253
Others receiving votes: Rector 5.

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ESPN ARKANSAS 99.5 IN FAYETTEVILLE, 95.3 IN THE RIVER VALLEY, 96.3 IN HOT SPRINGS, 104.3 IN HARRISON-MOUNTAIN HOME.