Arkansas 28, Western Illinois 24
"For a while, the game was reminiscent of Arkansas' season-opening loss to the Citadel in 1992. That game got coach Jack Crowe fired, and although Petrino can expect a much longer leash, the honeymoon could be brief if the Razorbacks' youngsters continue to struggle."
Ole Miss 41, Memphis 24
"It was the first time Ole Miss scored 40 points against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since a 43-40 win over South Carolina on Nov. 1, 2003."
You did it again, fans.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Thank you, Utah...
... for kicking off the college football pool with an upset over Michigan! That is the way to start, and this guy called it...
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
THAT HAT IS ACTUAL SIZE.
Larry! Call the boys! LOOK!!!
See that? You know what this means?
GIANT ROBOT BEAR IS APPROACHING COMPLETION!!! Oh, just wait until he burns Opelika! The screams! Oh, the festive screams! Take a picture, Levi. WOOOO ROOOOOOOOLL TAAAAAAAAHDE!!! Robot Bear and Saban gonna take us back to the promised land! Thank god he runs on human blood and Chesterfields, what with gas being so expensive. LOVE YOU GIANT ROBOT BEAR!!!
(It’s actually the roof for a concession stand called “The Bear’s Den,” which will serve hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, and individually-wrapped bourbon-flavored cigarette ceviches-to-go. The hat will be stolen in six months, and we will bet hard American currency on this.
The Bear’s Den will serve the usual stadium fare — hamburgers, hotdogs and nachos, and will be one of several themed concession stands. Ezell’s Fish Camp, for example, will have a tin roof and look like a cabin on the lake, and Crimson Fried has a mural of past UA football teams, Evans said.
To paraphrase Troy Smith on Jamarcus Russell’s taste in jewelry: a snack stand hawking fried balls of tasty death with the name “Crimson Fried” is an incredible representation of any and all things Alabama.)
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Traditional Startoff Haiku
I can't let a week go by without dogging the Auburn Tigers. So here goes:
Here we go again,
Auburn is overrated
Mustain, mama's boy.
Here we go again,
Auburn is overrated
Mustain, mama's boy.
LR 1, nWa 0: Goodbye Real Deal on the Hill
I was so dismayed to read in Wally's column that northwest Arkansas could not support the Real Deal on the Hill basketball tournament and that it was moving to Little Rock. It was no surprise that 123 of the 141 volunteers for the tournament were from Central Arkansas, or that many teams had to fly into Little Rock and rent a van to drive to Fayetteville.
To summarize:
To summarize:
The games for Week 1
Here we go with Week 1 of the college football pool. I'm sending the games out a little earlier than usual to help anyone going out of town for the Labor Day weekend and to give everyone a little more time to make their first picks.
If there's one thing I've learned in five years of doing this pool, it's that Clemson is among the most unpredictable football programs in the country. Just when they sucker the majority into thinking they will do one thing, they pull out the wild card and do the opposite. So what better way to kick off the pool than with a game involving our favorite team... as the favorite... at a neutral site. Will Saban be the one to deliver us a bonus point? Or will it be Zook? Or Neuheisel? There are plenty of opportunities this week.
Note that the team listed last will always be the home team except in two cases like this week, Alabama-Clemson and Illinois-Missouri, where games are being played at neutral sites. Also note that all game times used are Central Time. (In the face, Eastern Time.) All correct picks are worth two points unless otherwise noted.
Could we see a lot of bonus points come into play to begin the season? It's time to find out. The games for Week 1 follow. For $800 and the prestigious Ramon Escobar Trophy, select your winners and e-mail them back to me by 5 p.m. Friday. It's on.
Utah-Michigan
2:30 p.m., Sat., ABC/ESPN2
Line: Michigan by 3
Alabama-Clemson
7 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: Clemson by 5
* Underdog worth three points in this game
Michigan State-California
7 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: California by 5
* Underdog worth three points in this game
State Farm Arch Rivalry
Illinois-Missouri
7:30 p.m., Sat., ESPN
Line: Missouri by 8
* Underdog worth three points in this game
Tennessee-UCLA
7 p.m., Mon. ESPN
Line: Tennessee by 7
* Underdog worth three points in this game
Good luck.
****#****
If there's one thing I've learned in five years of doing this pool, it's that Clemson is among the most unpredictable football programs in the country. Just when they sucker the majority into thinking they will do one thing, they pull out the wild card and do the opposite. So what better way to kick off the pool than with a game involving our favorite team... as the favorite... at a neutral site. Will Saban be the one to deliver us a bonus point? Or will it be Zook? Or Neuheisel? There are plenty of opportunities this week.
Note that the team listed last will always be the home team except in two cases like this week, Alabama-Clemson and Illinois-Missouri, where games are being played at neutral sites. Also note that all game times used are Central Time. (In the face, Eastern Time.) All correct picks are worth two points unless otherwise noted.
Could we see a lot of bonus points come into play to begin the season? It's time to find out. The games for Week 1 follow. For $800 and the prestigious Ramon Escobar Trophy, select your winners and e-mail them back to me by 5 p.m. Friday. It's on.
Utah-Michigan
2:30 p.m., Sat., ABC/ESPN2
Line: Michigan by 3
Alabama-Clemson
7 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: Clemson by 5
* Underdog worth three points in this game
Michigan State-California
7 p.m., Sat., ABC
Line: California by 5
* Underdog worth three points in this game
State Farm Arch Rivalry
Illinois-Missouri
7:30 p.m., Sat., ESPN
Line: Missouri by 8
* Underdog worth three points in this game
Tennessee-UCLA
7 p.m., Mon. ESPN
Line: Tennessee by 7
* Underdog worth three points in this game
Good luck.
****#****
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The five games are out
If you are a frequent visitor to Poolsville, you may have caught the five games over in the column on the right under The Daily Feed. Those are the five games for the week (sometimes there will be more than five listed before the official release), and when you click each game pairing a new set of news links will appear underneath. If knowing the games a little early gives you an edge in studying or visiting their message boards to see who sucks like Jeremy Peppas likes to do, then here you go.
The School of Noise asked me yesterday if the Razorbacks are going to be included in the weekly games much this season. My guess is no, unless they shock the world and don't mount a succession of losses after Week 2. The Hogs made several appearances in last year's pool, but the year before weren't in at all. But even if the Petrinobacks are terrible, I might have to make an exception for that Ole Miss game.
The School of Noise asked me yesterday if the Razorbacks are going to be included in the weekly games much this season. My guess is no, unless they shock the world and don't mount a succession of losses after Week 2. The Hogs made several appearances in last year's pool, but the year before weren't in at all. But even if the Petrinobacks are terrible, I might have to make an exception for that Ole Miss game.
Trash Talk Digest
D Romeo predicts the Hogs season:
I am going .500 at 6-6. I think the defense will be an experiment with many growing pains, but will be coached better. To me, Herring has been the issue with AR the last few years. I did not like his scheme and the defense never (rarely) stopped the opponent when needed. Nutt has always had good offenses with a solid run game, but his problem was calling the plays in such a way that the defense "needed" to make some critical stops. The offense will likely get better but I am not sure where the defense will be.
I AM drinking the Kool Aid.... only because we have a "solid" offensive line and a good D line. I have always been sold on Casey and think he will have a banner season. The true reason for my optimism is the receivers play. I think we will see much improved performance from our receivers which I believe is better coaching. Outside of Monk (and I know that is a lot) we have gotten nothing from our receiving corp since Fitz left the hill. They were not giving Casey much to throw at...... I am not drunk on the juice, but feel good mostly from player comments.
I have been impressed with the staff's comments on players collectively and as a unit. AND I was a definite cynic thinking Petrino was overrated. We will see in five days!!!!
I am going .500 at 6-6. I think the defense will be an experiment with many growing pains, but will be coached better. To me, Herring has been the issue with AR the last few years. I did not like his scheme and the defense never (rarely) stopped the opponent when needed. Nutt has always had good offenses with a solid run game, but his problem was calling the plays in such a way that the defense "needed" to make some critical stops. The offense will likely get better but I am not sure where the defense will be.
I AM drinking the Kool Aid.... only because we have a "solid" offensive line and a good D line. I have always been sold on Casey and think he will have a banner season. The true reason for my optimism is the receivers play. I think we will see much improved performance from our receivers which I believe is better coaching. Outside of Monk (and I know that is a lot) we have gotten nothing from our receiving corp since Fitz left the hill. They were not giving Casey much to throw at...... I am not drunk on the juice, but feel good mostly from player comments.
I have been impressed with the staff's comments on players collectively and as a unit. AND I was a definite cynic thinking Petrino was overrated. We will see in five days!!!!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Shameless pimping
No, Peppas, not everybody thinks Arkansas will win 7 games this season ...
Hogs Won't Go Bowling
Bonus Super Bowl prediction included.
Hogs Won't Go Bowling
Bonus Super Bowl prediction included.
So here's the question
How in the world does anyone think Arkansas will be a .500 team or better?
I hope this place isn't full of the Hogville crazies, but I've seen some legit people, okay Tom Murphy, predict seven wins in the regular season and a bowl win for Arkansas this year.
And I just don't see it.
By my count, you'll see at least 15 freshmen who will see significant playing time, if not starting, this season.
A new coach, with a new offense and a new defense, and 15 freshmen don't equal seven wins
Harry King has went with 5-7 and sticking to it. King also correctly called Arkansas's eight-win season last year.
I think five wins is probably optimistic. It really assumes that the Hogs will stay healthy for the length of the season, and even great teams don't stay healthy the entire year.
On another note, it looks like the cult of Mustain took another hit.
Derek Samson in the Sporting News wrote this, "1. Sanchez back in; Mustain fading
So it appears Southern Cal quarterback Mark Sanchez and his dislocated knee are ready to start the opener Saturday at Virginia.
And what does that mean for transfer Mitch Mustain, the most famous college quarterback holding a clipboard? Sporting News Today college football columnist Matt Hayes spent Saturday in Los Angeles, watching Southern Cal’s practice, and said Sanchez went through full-speed drills for the first time since dislocating his knee in the first week of camp. Mustain, however, is a different story. Hayes reported that Mustain has fallen to third string, with freshman Aaron Corp moving into the backup role.
Hayes said Corp took nearly all the snaps with the second-team unit.
Southern Cal offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian told Hayes that there has been no specific second-team quarterback designated yet.
But judging by Saturday’s practice, no announcement is necessary."
Also worth noting that in the high school All-American game, Mustain was benched for Jevon Snead, who is now the starting quarterback at, wait for it, ... Ole Miss.
I hope this place isn't full of the Hogville crazies, but I've seen some legit people, okay Tom Murphy, predict seven wins in the regular season and a bowl win for Arkansas this year.
And I just don't see it.
By my count, you'll see at least 15 freshmen who will see significant playing time, if not starting, this season.
A new coach, with a new offense and a new defense, and 15 freshmen don't equal seven wins
Harry King has went with 5-7 and sticking to it. King also correctly called Arkansas's eight-win season last year.
I think five wins is probably optimistic. It really assumes that the Hogs will stay healthy for the length of the season, and even great teams don't stay healthy the entire year.
On another note, it looks like the cult of Mustain took another hit.
Derek Samson in the Sporting News wrote this, "1. Sanchez back in; Mustain fading
So it appears Southern Cal quarterback Mark Sanchez and his dislocated knee are ready to start the opener Saturday at Virginia.
And what does that mean for transfer Mitch Mustain, the most famous college quarterback holding a clipboard? Sporting News Today college football columnist Matt Hayes spent Saturday in Los Angeles, watching Southern Cal’s practice, and said Sanchez went through full-speed drills for the first time since dislocating his knee in the first week of camp. Mustain, however, is a different story. Hayes reported that Mustain has fallen to third string, with freshman Aaron Corp moving into the backup role.
Hayes said Corp took nearly all the snaps with the second-team unit.
Southern Cal offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian told Hayes that there has been no specific second-team quarterback designated yet.
But judging by Saturday’s practice, no announcement is necessary."
Also worth noting that in the high school All-American game, Mustain was benched for Jevon Snead, who is now the starting quarterback at, wait for it, ... Ole Miss.
Petrino expects a lot from young Razorbacks
Petrino expects a lot from young Razorbacks
By JEREMY PEPPAS
For The Associated Press
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas enters this season with some question marks, most notably on offense.
New coach Bobby Petrino has to replace star running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones and receiver Marcus Monk, all of whom moved on to the NFL. The solution might come from the freshmen class.
"I think we'll need to get a lot (from them), I really do," Petrino said. "I'm excited about our running backs, there's going to be some young speed."
Though Arkansas has not released a depth chart for this season, Petrino singled out four freshmen at the team's recent media day — Joe Adams of Little Rock, De'Anthony Curtis of Camden, Dennis Johnson of Texarkana and Jarius Wright of Warren.
"Curtis and Dennis Johnson I thought showed their abilities," Petrino said. "When you look at our depth at running back, you know, they will have to jump in there and go. And the great thing is, I think they have the opportunity to be special players."
Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino praised the pair as well.
"I think our freshmen are really exciting," he said. "De'Anthony Curtis the first day out there showed a great burst and really made things happen. Same thing with Dennis Johnson, and I think those guys are going to have to carry the load and make things happen."
The biggest adjustment for Johnson has been learning the plays.
"It has been hard picking up the offense," Johnson said. "We got a playbook here a foot thick. In high school, it was Dennis Johnson to the right, Dennis Johnson to the left and Dennis Johnson up the middle."
Last season, the 5-foot-7, 195-pound Johnson rushed for 1,529 yards and 20 touchdowns as Texarkana won its second consecutive state title. In his career Johnson rushed for 4,763 yards and 54 touchdowns for coach Bill Keopple, a former Arkansas assistant coach.
Johnson and Curtis aren't just getting looks at running back either; coaches have also been using them as return men.
"I thought Dennis Johnson with the young guys was real natural," Bobby Petrino said. "De'Anthony Curtis, I mean we've got some talent back there. It's just a matter of continuing to work with them."
"I returned kicks in high school," Curtis said. "Adjusting to the speed here has been the challenge, but it is still just catching the ball and running with it."
Arkansas opens its season Aug. 30 against Western Illinois. Petrino said almost any player could be back to receive the season-opening kick.
"We've been working Jarius Wright back there, Joe Adams, Dennis Johnson," Petrino said, also mentioning freshman Elton Ford. "A lot of freshman names I've been saying and that's a little scary."
It isn't just return men or running back where Petrino is looking for some help.
"At receiver, we've got to get production from some of those freshmen," Petrino said. "Joe Adams and Jarius Wright showed some real good signs, showed some real speed."
Petrino added that Adams "looked like one of the fastest guys on the field." As for Wright, Petrino said, "We were really happy with what he did. He's the speed and size you want at that position."
What excites Petrino the most is what the pair can do after the catch.
"That's one of the strengths that I really think Jarius Wright is going to have and Joe Adams is their ability to make things happen after they catch the ball," he said.
Playing time is what Wright expected when he signed with Arkansas.
"I wanted to come in and play right away," Wright said. "That was the thing. We all wanted to come in and play right away."
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
By JEREMY PEPPAS
For The Associated Press
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas enters this season with some question marks, most notably on offense.
New coach Bobby Petrino has to replace star running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones and receiver Marcus Monk, all of whom moved on to the NFL. The solution might come from the freshmen class.
"I think we'll need to get a lot (from them), I really do," Petrino said. "I'm excited about our running backs, there's going to be some young speed."
Though Arkansas has not released a depth chart for this season, Petrino singled out four freshmen at the team's recent media day — Joe Adams of Little Rock, De'Anthony Curtis of Camden, Dennis Johnson of Texarkana and Jarius Wright of Warren.
"Curtis and Dennis Johnson I thought showed their abilities," Petrino said. "When you look at our depth at running back, you know, they will have to jump in there and go. And the great thing is, I think they have the opportunity to be special players."
Offensive coordinator Paul Petrino praised the pair as well.
"I think our freshmen are really exciting," he said. "De'Anthony Curtis the first day out there showed a great burst and really made things happen. Same thing with Dennis Johnson, and I think those guys are going to have to carry the load and make things happen."
The biggest adjustment for Johnson has been learning the plays.
"It has been hard picking up the offense," Johnson said. "We got a playbook here a foot thick. In high school, it was Dennis Johnson to the right, Dennis Johnson to the left and Dennis Johnson up the middle."
Last season, the 5-foot-7, 195-pound Johnson rushed for 1,529 yards and 20 touchdowns as Texarkana won its second consecutive state title. In his career Johnson rushed for 4,763 yards and 54 touchdowns for coach Bill Keopple, a former Arkansas assistant coach.
Johnson and Curtis aren't just getting looks at running back either; coaches have also been using them as return men.
"I thought Dennis Johnson with the young guys was real natural," Bobby Petrino said. "De'Anthony Curtis, I mean we've got some talent back there. It's just a matter of continuing to work with them."
"I returned kicks in high school," Curtis said. "Adjusting to the speed here has been the challenge, but it is still just catching the ball and running with it."
Arkansas opens its season Aug. 30 against Western Illinois. Petrino said almost any player could be back to receive the season-opening kick.
"We've been working Jarius Wright back there, Joe Adams, Dennis Johnson," Petrino said, also mentioning freshman Elton Ford. "A lot of freshman names I've been saying and that's a little scary."
It isn't just return men or running back where Petrino is looking for some help.
"At receiver, we've got to get production from some of those freshmen," Petrino said. "Joe Adams and Jarius Wright showed some real good signs, showed some real speed."
Petrino added that Adams "looked like one of the fastest guys on the field." As for Wright, Petrino said, "We were really happy with what he did. He's the speed and size you want at that position."
What excites Petrino the most is what the pair can do after the catch.
"That's one of the strengths that I really think Jarius Wright is going to have and Joe Adams is their ability to make things happen after they catch the ball," he said.
Playing time is what Wright expected when he signed with Arkansas.
"I wanted to come in and play right away," Wright said. "That was the thing. We all wanted to come in and play right away."
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Trash Talk Digest
"All hog games should be in the 9-12 category. I think you should load the schedule with the powerhouse Big East this year instead of the 'going down hill' SEC. All the teams are overrated and only cater to the alumni. Case in point, Beranek has been a season ticket holder to the hogs since he moved to Yankee-ville and still doesn't go to the games. Can I get a 'GO-PIG-SUEEEEEE'? Don't let too many people touch my trophy, I don't like finger prints on it." -- Tom Van Damme
Friday, August 22, 2008
Huskers Predicted to go 13-1... Acording to EA Sports
For those of you gearing up for the college football pool and making a run at the prestigious Ramon Escobar Trophy, I thought I'd share with you the following prognostication of the University of Nebraska in 2008. I recommend using this as a tool throughout the year when/if the weekly games are posted.
By Bob Hamar
By Bob Hamar
GateHouse News Service
Posted Aug 22, 2008 @ 12:28 AM
GRAND ISLAND —
What started out as an excuse to legitimize a 30-something paying $8 for a video game rental has grown into a bit of a personal tradition for yours truly.Since 2004, I've rented the latest version of Electronic Arts Sports' NCAA football video game every August and published the results of Nebraska's simulated season. A couple of times the cyber-season has been very close to correctly predicting the final record for the Cornhuskers, while last year's projection wasn't even close.
In EA's defense, who expected a team ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press preseason poll to finish 5-7?
We won't spoil the ending of this year's simulation prediction, but let's just say that the NCAA Football 2009 programmers are either huge Cornhusker fans or they're very bullish on first-year head coach Bo Pelini's ability to turn things around in Lincoln.
All games were simulated by the Xbox 360. No resets or altering of the player ratings were allowed.
The season
Nebraska 41, Western Michigan 17 -- Trailing 17-10 at halftime, Nebraska scored 31 unanswered points in the second half to pull away from upset-minded Western Michigan in the season opener for both teams at Lincoln. The Cornhuskers gave Bo Pelini his first win as a head coach -- he was 1-0 as an interim head coach at Nebraska in 2003 -- in typical Pelini fashion, shutting the Broncos out in the second half.
The Huskers were limited to just 139 yards on the ground, but senior quarterback Joe Ganz had a solid day, completing 21-of-26 pass attempts for 238 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. Grand Island native Tyler Wortman had a monster game in his first career start with a team-high 14 tackles, including seven tackles for loss with three sacks.
Nebraska 70, San Jose St. 3 -- Nebraska's offense built a 17-0 first-quarter lead and then tacked on 29 points in the fourth quarter in a rout of visiting San Jose State. The Huskers finished with 547 yards of total offense, including 276 yards passing and 271 yards rushing.
Grand Island's own Todd Peterson had six receptions for 77 yards for Nebraska (2-0) while Joe Ganz hit 15-of-25 pass attempts for 162 yards and two TDs.
Nebraska 44, New Mexico St. 20 -- Joe Ganz completed 28-of-38 pass attempts for 330 yards and five TDs with no interceptions as Nebraska improved to 3-0 at home and rolled into its bye week with a lopsided victory over New Mexico State.
Husker I-back Marlon Lucky just missed a 100-yard day, rushing 14 times for 97 yards, while Ganz rushed 14 times for 53 yards and a TD. NU senior wide receiver Todd Peterson had 10 receptions for 77 yards and three TDs.
Nebraska 34, Virginia Tech 31 (OT) -- Alex Henery's 39-yard field goal in overtime was the difference as Nebraska passed its first significant test of the season with a victory over No. 20-ranked and previously unbeaten Virginia Tech at Lincoln. Henery also booted a 34-yard field goal with nine seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime tied at 31-31.
The Huskers (4-0) led 28-14 heading into the fourth quarter only to watch the Hokies score 17 unanswered points. Nebraska got a huge boost from a pair of defensive scores as safety Rickey Thenarse had a 35-yard interception return for a TD and cornerback Anthony Blue -- apparently fully recovered from offseason knee surgery -- returned an interception 28 yards for a TD.
Nebraska 34, Missouri 26 -- Nebraska continued its remarkable revival, upsetting No. 3-ranked Missouri in the Big 12 Conference opener to improve to 5-0 on the season at Memorial Stadium.
Joe Ganz was again solid for the Huskers, completing 20-of-24 pass attempts for 200 yards and a TD with one interception. Marlon Lucky recorded his first 100-yard game of the season, rushing 16 times for 101 yards and a TD. NU's defense kept Heisman Trophy candidate Chase Daniel of Missouri in check as he was 19-of-31 passing for 233 yards and two TDs.
Nebraska 31, Texas Tech 27 -- In a marquee matchup of two Big 12 unbeatens, No. 18-ranked Nebraska pulled off yet another upset by beating No. 7 Texas Tech. The Huskers (6-0, 2-0 Big 12) led 28-14 after three quarters and survived a furious fourth-quarter rally by the Red Raiders at Lubbock, Texas.
Tech quarterback Graham Harrell was 27-of-42 passing for 425 yards and four TDs, but it wasn't enough as Nebraska intercepted him three times. The Blackshirts recorded six sacks and held the Red Raiders to 48 yards rushing. Backup QB Patrick Witt came in for an injured Joe Ganz to pass for 309 yards and a TD, but was intercepted three times. Marlon Lucky had 134 yards and two TDs.
Nebraska 38, Iowa St. 10 -- No. 11-ranked Nebraska broke open a tight 10-7 game at halftime by outscoring Iowa State 28-3 in the second half at Ames, Iowa, to improve to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in Big 12 play.
Quarterback Joe Ganz, injured early in the previous week's win at Texas Tech, returned to complete 24-of-33 pass attempts for 210 yards and four TDs with two interceptions. Tyler Wortman's six tackles led a stingy Nebraska defense. Iowa State managed just 214 total yards, 111 yards coming through the air.
Nebraska 37, Baylor 3 -- No. 7-ranked Nebraska improved to 6-0 at home on the season with a lopsided win over Baylor, holding the Bears to just 140 yards of total offense. Converted running back Cody Glenn had his best day on defense, recording a team-leading eight tackles with four tackles for loss and a sack.
Todd Peterson had 10 receptions for 110 yards and a TD for the Huskers. Nebraska's Joe Ganz was 26-of-40 passing for 336 yards and three TDs and also rushed 11 times for 83 yards.
Oklahoma 42, Nebraska 31 -- It wasn't quite Game of the Century material, but top-ranked Oklahoma won a shootout over No. 5 Nebraska to knock the Huskers from the ranks of the unbeaten at Norman, Okla. The Sooners trailed 28-21 heading into the final quarter, but used three TD passes from Sam Bradford in the final period to pull away.
Bradford finished 19-of-23 passing for 246 yards and five TDs for Oklahoma. Joe Ganz countered with a 22-of-32 passing day for 273 yards and three TDs with one interception for Nebraska (8-1, 4-1).
Nebraska 24, Kansas 21 -- No. 11-ranked Nebraska bounced back from its first loss of the season with a narrow victory over No. 13 Kansas in a key Big 12 North Division matchup at Lincoln.
Once again Joe Ganz was a double-threat for the Huskers (9-1, 5-1 Big 12), passing for 210 yards and two TDs and rushing for a team-best 97 yards and a score. Middle linebacker Phillip Dillard and defensive end Zach Potter each had seven tackles to lead Nebraska's defense.
Nebraska 24, Kansas St. 14 -- No. 9-ranked Nebraska used a pair of field goals from Alex Henery and Joe Ganz's 15-yard TD pass to tight end Hunter Teafatiller to overcome a 14-10 halftime deficit and beat Kansas State at Manhattan, Kan. The Wildcats came into the contest with a 3-7 record.
Nebraska's defense's defense sacked Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman six times and limited him to 155 yards passing. Tyler Wortman paced the Blackshirts with eight tackles, including four for loss, and a sack.
Nebraska 27, Colorado 7 -- No. 7-ranked Nebraska put the finishes touches on its Big 12 revenge tour with a 27-7 victory over Colorado on Senior Day at Memorial Stadium, breaking open the contest with 17 straight points in the fourth quarter.
Marlon Lucky led Nebraska's ground attack with 103 yards rushing on 16 attempts, while teammate Nate Swift had nine receptions for 103 yards. Defensive ends Zach Potter and Barry Turner combined for 12 tackles for loss, including five sacks for Nebraska (11-1, 7-1 Big 12).
Nebraska 27, Oklahoma 24 -- Nebraska's improbable turnaround continued as the No. 5 Cornhuskers upset top-ranked and previously unbeaten Oklahoma 27-24 in the Big 12 championship game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. NU survived 17 unanswered points by the Sooners after taking a 27-7 lead with 9:52 left in the third quarter.
Joe Ganz was 17-of-27 passing for 241 yards with two TDs and three interceptions for Nebraska (12-1). Defensively, Phillip Dillard had seven tackles, including four for loss as the Huskers avenged their previous loss to Oklahoma.
Nebraska 45, Clemson 28 -- The dramatic transformation from a 5-7 record in 2007 to the second-ranked team in the nation concluded for Nebraska as the No. 3 Huskers defeated No. 11 Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl at Glendale, Ariz.
Marlon Lucky made his final game as a Husker his best of the year as he rushed for 187 yards and four TDs. Joe Ganz passed for 244 yards and a TD -- an 84-yarder to Menelik Holt in the first quarter -- for the Huskers (13-1).
Final analysis
Admittedly, the EA Sports simulation of Nebraska's 2008 season was a little surprisingly. Even the most optimistic fans probably aren't counting on the Huskers winning a BCS bowl game and only finishing behind national champion Southern California in the final polls.
A somewhat more "scientific" sampling where the 2008 season was simulated 10 times produced slightly more believable results as the Huskers finished anywhere from 7-6 to 10-3. Nebraska's average was slightly above 8.5 victories per season.
In our original simulated season, Bo Pelini was selected as the Big 12 Coach of the Year -- he'll be Coach of the Galaxy if he actually goes 13-1 -- and was offered a four-year contract extension at Nebraska. Interestingly, he was also offered the head coaching job at Michigan as apparently the Rich Rodriguez era went south in a hurry?
Certainly, it all seems a little far-fetched here in the dog days of August. Then again, what do you expect for eight bucks?
The college football pool primer
Welcome to the college football pool. I'll be sending out the first five games of the season on Wednesday morning of next week. There are 109 people signed up as of now, and even though I initially said I was limiting the pool to 100 people this year, I may allow a few more to enter.
Before we jump into it, here are some basic rules to know. Read this, people. It might just help you win $800, and you might want to save it for future reference.
Every year, at least one person spends the first week picking with the point spread. Don't let that be you! Please note that the games are picked straight up without regard to the spread. The Vegas line is provided with each game for information purposes and to indicate the amount of points available per game.
Essentially, the standings are based on your win-loss record, but each correct pick is assigned a certain point value based on the line for the game. The following is a breakdown of points available per game:
Games with a point spread of 1 to 4:
All correct picks worth two points each
Games with a point spread of 5 to 8:
If you pick the favorite and it wins, you get two points
If you pick the underdog and it wins, you get three points
Games with a point spread of 9 to 12:
If you pick the favorite and it wins, you get two points
If you pick the underdog and it wins, you get four points
If it sounds complicated, it's not at all, and most games will be in the first category with spreads of 1 to 4 anyway. It all comes down to picking who you think will win the game, but picking an underdog can be worth a little more sometimes.
For an example of how points influence the standings, the top five finishers last year had the following total points and records following the annual SEC victory over Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game:
153 (74-35) Beth Shields
149 (73-36) Mike Beranek
149 (73-36) Will Slaney
149 (73-36) Robert Neighbors
146 (72-37) Maura Beranek
The Vegas lines are frozen at the time the games for the week are distributed by e-mail. Point values will not change if the spread changes later in the week.
Once you have turned in your picks for the week, no changes can be made. Once you hit send, if you change your mind on a game, just hope for the best.
If you haven't gotten the games in your inbox by noon on Thursday, send me an e-mail to let me know because it probably means there is an e-mail problem somewhere. Then go to Poolsville where you can find the games posted each week. If e-mail is still a problem, post your picks there.
Picks should be turned in by 5 p.m. Friday. However, I will take them up until the first game kicks off if for some reason you need extra time. The 5 p.m. Friday deadline is to help you and me. You are pressing your luck by turning in your picks later. I always confirm I have gotten your picks with a reply e-mail if they are sent before 5 p.m. Friday.
In the twice-a-year case that there is a good Thursday night game, you will get the games a day early on Wednesday morning and they'll be due at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
I will not accept picks turned in after a game starts. The time stamp in my inbox must be prior to that deadline. Do not give me any excuse about your e-mail not sending them or whatever because I'm not tryin' to hear that. All picks must be turned in at one time in one e-mail.
If you are going on vacation some week or will not have access to e-mail, let me know in advance and we can try to work out an early schedule where you'll get some possible games for the week to pick.
In case of a tie at the end of the season, the protocal for a tiebreaker is total points, followed by record, followed by bowl points, followed by bowl record. If there is still a tie after that, the money will be split. The all-star game tiebreaker will no longer be used.
If you want to pay online and haven't already specified that, let me know and eventually I'll get around to sending you an invoice with directions on how to pay.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. Thanks for entering.
Good luck.
****#****
Before we jump into it, here are some basic rules to know. Read this, people. It might just help you win $800, and you might want to save it for future reference.
Every year, at least one person spends the first week picking with the point spread. Don't let that be you! Please note that the games are picked straight up without regard to the spread. The Vegas line is provided with each game for information purposes and to indicate the amount of points available per game.
Essentially, the standings are based on your win-loss record, but each correct pick is assigned a certain point value based on the line for the game. The following is a breakdown of points available per game:
Games with a point spread of 1 to 4:
All correct picks worth two points each
Games with a point spread of 5 to 8:
If you pick the favorite and it wins, you get two points
If you pick the underdog and it wins, you get three points
Games with a point spread of 9 to 12:
If you pick the favorite and it wins, you get two points
If you pick the underdog and it wins, you get four points
If it sounds complicated, it's not at all, and most games will be in the first category with spreads of 1 to 4 anyway. It all comes down to picking who you think will win the game, but picking an underdog can be worth a little more sometimes.
For an example of how points influence the standings, the top five finishers last year had the following total points and records following the annual SEC victory over Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game:
153 (74-35) Beth Shields
149 (73-36) Mike Beranek
149 (73-36) Will Slaney
149 (73-36) Robert Neighbors
146 (72-37) Maura Beranek
The Vegas lines are frozen at the time the games for the week are distributed by e-mail. Point values will not change if the spread changes later in the week.
Once you have turned in your picks for the week, no changes can be made. Once you hit send, if you change your mind on a game, just hope for the best.
If you haven't gotten the games in your inbox by noon on Thursday, send me an e-mail to let me know because it probably means there is an e-mail problem somewhere. Then go to Poolsville where you can find the games posted each week. If e-mail is still a problem, post your picks there.
Picks should be turned in by 5 p.m. Friday. However, I will take them up until the first game kicks off if for some reason you need extra time. The 5 p.m. Friday deadline is to help you and me. You are pressing your luck by turning in your picks later. I always confirm I have gotten your picks with a reply e-mail if they are sent before 5 p.m. Friday.
In the twice-a-year case that there is a good Thursday night game, you will get the games a day early on Wednesday morning and they'll be due at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
I will not accept picks turned in after a game starts. The time stamp in my inbox must be prior to that deadline. Do not give me any excuse about your e-mail not sending them or whatever because I'm not tryin' to hear that. All picks must be turned in at one time in one e-mail.
If you are going on vacation some week or will not have access to e-mail, let me know in advance and we can try to work out an early schedule where you'll get some possible games for the week to pick.
In case of a tie at the end of the season, the protocal for a tiebreaker is total points, followed by record, followed by bowl points, followed by bowl record. If there is still a tie after that, the money will be split. The all-star game tiebreaker will no longer be used.
If you want to pay online and haven't already specified that, let me know and eventually I'll get around to sending you an invoice with directions on how to pay.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. Thanks for entering.
Good luck.
****#****
About the War Memorial contract...
I watched a KARK news report last night on the University of Arkansas' contract extension with War Memorial Stadium, and everyone seems to be rejoicing that the UA has agreed to continue playing football games in Little Rock.
That's the wrong angle. Completely.
The primary question should be, why only two years extended. If anything, that should worry every fan who wants games to continue at War Memorial. Only a two-year extension? Why not longer?
Get ready because that's going to be the end of it under new AD Jeff Long and all the other people up there who aren't from Arkansas and have no concept of the culture of Razorback football.
That's the wrong angle. Completely.
The primary question should be, why only two years extended. If anything, that should worry every fan who wants games to continue at War Memorial. Only a two-year extension? Why not longer?
Get ready because that's going to be the end of it under new AD Jeff Long and all the other people up there who aren't from Arkansas and have no concept of the culture of Razorback football.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Arkansas' Luigs returns as nation's top center
By JEREMY PEPPAS
For The Associated Press
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- For Jonathan Luigs, blocking at Arkansas has always been pretty easy. In former coach Houston Nutt's run-based scheme, the assignment was, "knock down the person in front of me," Luigs said with a laugh.
It worked.
Luigs, a senior from Little Rock, was named the country's top center last season when he was awarded the Rimington Trophy. He finished last season with 55 knockdown blocks and was named to eight All-American teams as Arkansas racked up 5,850 yards of total offense.
That was last season. Things have changed.
This year, Luigs has a new offensive scheme, a new head coach in Bobby Petrino and a new position coach in Mike Summers.
"It was kind of tough at first," Luigs said. "Getting used to the new terminology, getting used to coach Summers. Making that transition, it has been rough."
But Luigs' presence has been a steady one for the coaches.
"I would much rather come into a new situation where we have experience on the offensive front," Petrino said. "They (the offensive line) give the quarterback an opportunity to have some time and space to throw the ball."
Summers, who spent last season coaching the offensive line for the Atlanta Falcons, agreed. "He has really been a blessing to me," Summers said of Luigs. "He has studied and learned the offense really well. Because of that, he can communicate that to the rest of the players."
That communication is key in Arkansas' new passing attack.
"The center sets the protection and basically controls the direction that the protection goes to," Summers said. "We have 18 different protections and the reason that we do is that we don't allow the defense to take us out of our passing game."
While Luigs, guard Mitch Petrus, and tackle Jose Valdez are all returning starters, Summers has still spent his time in Fayetteville teaching.
"There has been quite a bit of learning," Summers said of his new players. "Not only from a scheme standpoint, but a technical standpoint. Each of our protections require different techniques."
Luigs, one of two players on the cover of this year's Arkansas media guide, and quarterback Casey Dick were the two offensive players named to be captains this season.
Both Petrino and Summers praised Luigs' leadership.
"I think throughout the summer (Luigs) did a nice job," Petrino said, while Summers added, "He's a guy who we are very happy to have."
That hasn't always been the case.
Luigs came to Arkansas as a lightly regarded prospect who had split his time between tackle and center at Pulaski Academy.
Oddly enough, Luigs played in high school against LSU center Brett Helms, who went to Stuttgart in the Arkansas Delta.
It was Helms that Arkansas coveted, not Luigs, who wasn't even considered the best player on his high school team. Instead that was linebacker Matt Stoltz, who signed with LSU, and then later transferred to Arkansas.
"It was kind of strange," Luigs said. "To have both me and Brett, from Arkansas, and at the same time. I mean we played against each other. I guess that really says something about the work ethic we both have. To be where we are now."
Besides, Luigs wasn't even being considered as a center by Arkansas coaches when he first arrived in Fayetteville. Instead, the player now considered college football's best at that position was recruited as a guard. During his redshirt season, Luigs was the scout team center and started at guard as a freshman.
It wasn't until his sophomore season that Luigs made the permanent move to center. Luigs briefly considered declaring for the NFL draft last season, but decided to return to Fayetteville. He has now started every game of his college career at Arkansas and is attempting to become the first to repeat as a Rimington Trophy winner.
© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
For The Associated Press
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- For Jonathan Luigs, blocking at Arkansas has always been pretty easy. In former coach Houston Nutt's run-based scheme, the assignment was, "knock down the person in front of me," Luigs said with a laugh.
It worked.
Luigs, a senior from Little Rock, was named the country's top center last season when he was awarded the Rimington Trophy. He finished last season with 55 knockdown blocks and was named to eight All-American teams as Arkansas racked up 5,850 yards of total offense.
That was last season. Things have changed.
This year, Luigs has a new offensive scheme, a new head coach in Bobby Petrino and a new position coach in Mike Summers.
"It was kind of tough at first," Luigs said. "Getting used to the new terminology, getting used to coach Summers. Making that transition, it has been rough."
But Luigs' presence has been a steady one for the coaches.
"I would much rather come into a new situation where we have experience on the offensive front," Petrino said. "They (the offensive line) give the quarterback an opportunity to have some time and space to throw the ball."
Summers, who spent last season coaching the offensive line for the Atlanta Falcons, agreed. "He has really been a blessing to me," Summers said of Luigs. "He has studied and learned the offense really well. Because of that, he can communicate that to the rest of the players."
That communication is key in Arkansas' new passing attack.
"The center sets the protection and basically controls the direction that the protection goes to," Summers said. "We have 18 different protections and the reason that we do is that we don't allow the defense to take us out of our passing game."
While Luigs, guard Mitch Petrus, and tackle Jose Valdez are all returning starters, Summers has still spent his time in Fayetteville teaching.
"There has been quite a bit of learning," Summers said of his new players. "Not only from a scheme standpoint, but a technical standpoint. Each of our protections require different techniques."
Luigs, one of two players on the cover of this year's Arkansas media guide, and quarterback Casey Dick were the two offensive players named to be captains this season.
Both Petrino and Summers praised Luigs' leadership.
"I think throughout the summer (Luigs) did a nice job," Petrino said, while Summers added, "He's a guy who we are very happy to have."
That hasn't always been the case.
Luigs came to Arkansas as a lightly regarded prospect who had split his time between tackle and center at Pulaski Academy.
Oddly enough, Luigs played in high school against LSU center Brett Helms, who went to Stuttgart in the Arkansas Delta.
It was Helms that Arkansas coveted, not Luigs, who wasn't even considered the best player on his high school team. Instead that was linebacker Matt Stoltz, who signed with LSU, and then later transferred to Arkansas.
"It was kind of strange," Luigs said. "To have both me and Brett, from Arkansas, and at the same time. I mean we played against each other. I guess that really says something about the work ethic we both have. To be where we are now."
Besides, Luigs wasn't even being considered as a center by Arkansas coaches when he first arrived in Fayetteville. Instead, the player now considered college football's best at that position was recruited as a guard. During his redshirt season, Luigs was the scout team center and started at guard as a freshman.
It wasn't until his sophomore season that Luigs made the permanent move to center. Luigs briefly considered declaring for the NFL draft last season, but decided to return to Fayetteville. He has now started every game of his college career at Arkansas and is attempting to become the first to repeat as a Rimington Trophy winner.
© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
My suggestion for the Cal band this year
And of course they would have to have some students on the field playing the role of Weng Weng...
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Archives from 2007
King's Things:
News & Views from Around the Tournament
Switch it... Taking the lead after the first weekend is Aubie Jones, who has Florida winning it all and Pitt in the Final Four. In other words, the pool is still wide open... I'll put the whisk up against any invention... The problem with picking Memphis to go very far is that they still have John Calipari as head coach... I will never understand why they stopped fielding a men's basketball team at the University of Arkansas five years ago... Am I the only one who likes the hell out of some soy sauce?... Special thanks to my upset specials Oral Roberts and Long Beach State for coming through for me this year... In my day, the kids didn't sit around all day staring overseas through the computer... To me, the NCAA tournament did not officially start until I heard Tim Brando say "the iron unkind" on Saturday... 24, Kobe? I don't think so... I have no idea who the following names in the standings belong to: arkie-boy, UgandaChimichanga, shaznbudd, unclenay, Shuuto, Nostrahogmas. If you know who any of these people are, have them send me an e-mail to let me know what name they entered under... Wow, some no name from the world of golf sinks a putt and they expect me to watch the Masters for that?... The guy at North Carolina with the mask needs to give Mankind his gimmick back... There's "Bassin' Mexico," then there's all the other shows I'd like to be named as lifetime host... Until next time, let's go back to Bristol.
Ramon's Escoblog
If I were ever on the phone with Derrick Coleman and Jay-Z, I wouldn't know the difference... Is there anything better for breakfast than pancakes?...I still say Chunky A was funny... I'm still trying to figure out why four-square was so popular in eighth grade... I don't know what European country this Adam Morrison character came from, but I wish David Stern would send him back... My three favorite words of summer are "Here's So Taguchi" as said be Dan McGlaughlin... I like LeBron, but to me he's more of a sixth man... The tropical fruit Tums experiment should be ended... So what Cena put the F-U on Big Show. Call me when he's got him in the Hennig-plex... If you're talking about Fritos, you better be talking about the large size bag... You never hear about Portugal... In my day, March Madness meant following the Razorbacks in the NCAA tournament. Then they fired Nolan... Every game in the Final Four should start with whatever the guy from Iron Chef is saying as competition commences in Kitchen Stadium... Who is still ordering transcripts of television shows? I mean, who are these people?... 50 Cent can reconcile with The Game, but if his feud was with Frank he'd still be writing raps about him... Until next time, let's go back to Bristol.
-
The Beekeeper's NCAA haiku:
Heath's next gig
Dancing With the Stars
First to go
News & Views from Around the Tournament
Switch it... Taking the lead after the first weekend is Aubie Jones, who has Florida winning it all and Pitt in the Final Four. In other words, the pool is still wide open... I'll put the whisk up against any invention... The problem with picking Memphis to go very far is that they still have John Calipari as head coach... I will never understand why they stopped fielding a men's basketball team at the University of Arkansas five years ago... Am I the only one who likes the hell out of some soy sauce?... Special thanks to my upset specials Oral Roberts and Long Beach State for coming through for me this year... In my day, the kids didn't sit around all day staring overseas through the computer... To me, the NCAA tournament did not officially start until I heard Tim Brando say "the iron unkind" on Saturday... 24, Kobe? I don't think so... I have no idea who the following names in the standings belong to: arkie-boy, UgandaChimichanga, shaznbudd, unclenay, Shuuto, Nostrahogmas. If you know who any of these people are, have them send me an e-mail to let me know what name they entered under... Wow, some no name from the world of golf sinks a putt and they expect me to watch the Masters for that?... The guy at North Carolina with the mask needs to give Mankind his gimmick back... There's "Bassin' Mexico," then there's all the other shows I'd like to be named as lifetime host... Until next time, let's go back to Bristol.
Ramon's Escoblog
If I were ever on the phone with Derrick Coleman and Jay-Z, I wouldn't know the difference... Is there anything better for breakfast than pancakes?...I still say Chunky A was funny... I'm still trying to figure out why four-square was so popular in eighth grade... I don't know what European country this Adam Morrison character came from, but I wish David Stern would send him back... My three favorite words of summer are "Here's So Taguchi" as said be Dan McGlaughlin... I like LeBron, but to me he's more of a sixth man... The tropical fruit Tums experiment should be ended... So what Cena put the F-U on Big Show. Call me when he's got him in the Hennig-plex... If you're talking about Fritos, you better be talking about the large size bag... You never hear about Portugal... In my day, March Madness meant following the Razorbacks in the NCAA tournament. Then they fired Nolan... Every game in the Final Four should start with whatever the guy from Iron Chef is saying as competition commences in Kitchen Stadium... Who is still ordering transcripts of television shows? I mean, who are these people?... 50 Cent can reconcile with The Game, but if his feud was with Frank he'd still be writing raps about him... Until next time, let's go back to Bristol.
-
The Beekeeper's NCAA haiku:
Heath's next gig
Dancing With the Stars
First to go
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Release of the pigeons at Auburn
Some Auburn fans have quibbled that the release of the pigeons prior to each game is not one of college football's great traditions. But I say it's one of the best. What happens is they release the pigeons an hour or so before game time from neighboring Opelika, and the pigeons then fly to Jordan-Hare Field and do a circle around the stands, sometimes purposefully leaving their droppings on the visiting fans. Or so they've been trained to do...
Friday, August 15, 2008
Let's get the party started — Arkansas season predictions
Arkansas — 2-10, 0-8 in the SEC
Aug. 30 Western Illinois Fayetteville
WIN — Arkansas opens season with big win
Sept. 06 Louisiana-Monroe Little Rock
WIN — Arkansas struggles at first but pulls away for win
Sept. 13 Texas at Austin, Texas ABC
LOSS — Hogs hit the road and get spanked by Texas
Sept. 20 Alabama * Fayetteville
LOSS — Hogs get 'Bama at home and lose as the defense can't stop the Tide
Oct. 04 Florida * Fayetteville
LOSS — Tebow doesn't play in second half as Gators roll to a blowout win
Oct. 11 Auburn * at Auburn, Ala.
LOSS — Casey Dick lost for the season due to injury. Arkansas lucky to leave the loveliest village on the plain alive.
Oct. 18 Kentucky * at Lexington, Ky.
LOSS — With Nathan Dick starting on the road, Arkansas loses its one winnable SEC game.
Oct. 25 Ole Miss * Fayetteville
LOSS — With emotions riding high, Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy ends Nathan Dick's game early and the redshirt is burnt on Tyler Wilson. With true freshmen starting at QB, receiver and running back, Houston Nutt doesn't call off the Rebs and Arkansas is humiliated at home when Nutt goes into the crowd and leads the Ole Miss band.
Nov. 01 Tulsa (Homecoming) Fayetteville
LOSS — With true freshmen Tyler Wilson and Jim Youngblood alternating possessions, Arkansas gets beat by bowl-bound Tulsa as its Arkansas natives take it up a notch to get the win.
Nov. 08 South Carolina * at Columbia, S.C.
LOSS — Spurrier saves his season with a big win at home.
Nov. 22 Mississippi State * at Starkville, Miss.
LOSS — Croom gets the better of Petrino's mostly true freshmen. Arkansas fans stop in Oxford and throw eggs at Nutt's house.
Nov. 28 LSU * Little Rock CBS
LOSS — The nation wonders why this game is on TV, then they realize they don't care because they get a chance to see LSU play.
Note: Arkansas fans will consistently blame Nutt all season for leaving the "cupboard bare" for the team's sorry state.
Aug. 30 Western Illinois Fayetteville
WIN — Arkansas opens season with big win
Sept. 06 Louisiana-Monroe Little Rock
WIN — Arkansas struggles at first but pulls away for win
Sept. 13 Texas at Austin, Texas ABC
LOSS — Hogs hit the road and get spanked by Texas
Sept. 20 Alabama * Fayetteville
LOSS — Hogs get 'Bama at home and lose as the defense can't stop the Tide
Oct. 04 Florida * Fayetteville
LOSS — Tebow doesn't play in second half as Gators roll to a blowout win
Oct. 11 Auburn * at Auburn, Ala.
LOSS — Casey Dick lost for the season due to injury. Arkansas lucky to leave the loveliest village on the plain alive.
Oct. 18 Kentucky * at Lexington, Ky.
LOSS — With Nathan Dick starting on the road, Arkansas loses its one winnable SEC game.
Oct. 25 Ole Miss * Fayetteville
LOSS — With emotions riding high, Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy ends Nathan Dick's game early and the redshirt is burnt on Tyler Wilson. With true freshmen starting at QB, receiver and running back, Houston Nutt doesn't call off the Rebs and Arkansas is humiliated at home when Nutt goes into the crowd and leads the Ole Miss band.
Nov. 01 Tulsa (Homecoming) Fayetteville
LOSS — With true freshmen Tyler Wilson and Jim Youngblood alternating possessions, Arkansas gets beat by bowl-bound Tulsa as its Arkansas natives take it up a notch to get the win.
Nov. 08 South Carolina * at Columbia, S.C.
LOSS — Spurrier saves his season with a big win at home.
Nov. 22 Mississippi State * at Starkville, Miss.
LOSS — Croom gets the better of Petrino's mostly true freshmen. Arkansas fans stop in Oxford and throw eggs at Nutt's house.
Nov. 28 LSU * Little Rock CBS
LOSS — The nation wonders why this game is on TV, then they realize they don't care because they get a chance to see LSU play.
Note: Arkansas fans will consistently blame Nutt all season for leaving the "cupboard bare" for the team's sorry state.
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