Gameday in Fayetteville Another Sign Hogs are Back

I'm not big into hype. I realize I work in the media, folks, but that doesn't mean I buy into the constant publicity that frequently fills the content of our television and radio talk shows in this country. Not to get all Shakespearean on you this morning, but more often than not, sports hype is much ado about nothing. However, sometimes there is a reason for hype---to a certain extent, at least---and with ESPN's College Gameday program, it's always "all about" the school that is hosting the show for that particular week.

Unquestionably, College Gameday has emerged as the preeminent college football on television. Every Saturday morning during the football season, Chris Fowler (as good as any studio host working today) and analysts Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit hold court on the big college football stories and games of the day on location at a designated "school of the week." Frequently the chosen campus is home to a powerhouse amongst college football's giants, be it USC, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas, Florida, etc. But every once in a while, a darkhorse school emerges from the misty fog of the "lower" reaches of college football to host the program, and this week, for the first time ever, it's the University of Arkansas.

Bolstered mightily by all-world sophomore running back Darren McFadden, the Razorbacks are 8-1 overall, and an unblemished 5-0 in the SEC, hands-down college football's toughest conference. Arkansas is on an eight game winning streak since a season-opening loss to USC, this despite starting true freshman Mitch Mustain at quarterback for most of the season. However, that will change on Saturday against Tennessee when sophomore Casey Dick makes his first start of the year under center for Arkansas. Dick came off the bench for a struggling Mustain early on against South Carolina last weekend to lift his team to victory. The stat line was good for Dick---11 of 19 completions, 228 yards, 1 TD---with the end result (a road win in Columbia, SC) being even better. So it will be Dick again at Razorback Stadium on Saturday.

Arkansas has been clamoring for national respect all season long. Now the Hogs finally get some. Even though it's just a television show, ESPN hosting College Gameday at your school is a pretty big acknowledgement of the season you're having given the current landscape of college football. It's fun for the fans, it's great for recruiting and it adds just a little more fuel to Arkansas' fire in the great big hype machine that is today's sports media.

Given Tennessee's injuries problems at quarterback with Erik Ainge and running back with LaMarcus Coker, this is a game Arkansas should win. I realize the Hogs are 2-12 all-time against Tennessee, but this is the first time ever when Arkansas is actually the favorite going into the contest. And for good reason: Arkansas is the best team in the SEC right now. With a great offensive line, two tremendous tailbacks in McFadden and Felix Jones, an elite wide receiver in Marcus Monk, and a defense that's gotten better every week, I'll take it one step further and say that the Hogs are as hot as any team in the nation. . . .

Now just make sure, Razorbacks, when all the hype settle downs around 6 PM and the opening kickoff sails high into the air in Fayetteville, just make sure you win the game itself. That's the only way to capitalize on the accolades everyone's going to be waving in your collective faces all day long. It's one thing to start the day with people singing your praises, it's another thing entirely to end the evening with a stumble against the Vols and a complete about-face to your season.

Prediction:

Woo Pig Sooie! Arkansas gets out on Tennessee early and doesn't let the Vols breathe much after that.

Razorbacks 31 - Volunteers 17


-JAB