From the Bench

LSU Stands in Way of Magical Scenario for Razorback Football

Robert Shields

Any scenario that you want to dream about starts with a victory at Death Valley against No.1 LSU. The task will be Herculean. LSU beat Oregon and West Virginia early in the season on the road and Alabama late at Tuscaloosa. Rightfully so, they are the undisputed No. 1 gathering all the first place votes, which seldom happens.

But Arkansas’ dream season continues for another week and into what will be the biggest regular season game since the 1969 Big Shootout with No. 1 Texas. The 1998 game against Tennessee was big, but not this big. The Hogs had a series of games in 1977 through 1980 with Texas with both teams being in the top 10. In 1977 in Fayetteville, the No. 9 Hogs lost to No. 2 Texas. In 1978 in Austin, the No. 3 Hogs lost to No. 8 Texas. In 1979 in Little Rock, the No. 10 Hogs beat No. 2 Texas. In 1980 in Austin, the No. 6 Hogs lost to No. 10 Texas.

This will be No. 3 Arkansas versus No. 1 LSU. This does not happen very often for the UA. Make sure your children watch it with you because it is history for our state.

This season as the Razorbacks won, the pretenders fell by the wayside. Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State in double overtime. Oregon missed a field at the end of its game against USC and had its hopes dashed. And lastly, Robert Griffin III (#RG3 to the hipsters, he deserves the Heisman) beat Oklahoma with eight seconds remaining to crush the Sooner’s hopes of another national title. The previous week, it was Boise State and Stanford.

LSU’s defense will be as good as Alabama, which will make the Razorback offense sputter some. But, there is a reason that the Hogs have won the last three out of four with the Tigers. LSU’s defensive strength is its secondary as exhibited in the key interception at the goal line against Alabama. For whatever the reason, the excellent secondary has at times had matchup problems with the Razorback receiving corps. We will see if that continues on Friday.

Arkansas will have to have a running attack to control the game, and the Razorback rushing attack keeps looking better every week as the offensive line has grown into its role. The change to Jason Peacock at left tackle made a difference.

When LSU has beaten the Hogs of late in 2006 and 2009, it was with special teams play with long touchdown returns. The Hogs cannot allow a bust in the special teams or give up an easy six in that phase of the game and have any hope of winning on the road in Louisiana.

I can’t do justice what this game means to the Razorback Program. It’s the biggest stage for the Hogs to ever be on and it’s what all fans have been hoping and waiting for. Regardless of the outcome, you need to be thankful this Thanksgiving to reach this point where your team still matters. Your team is in the conversation. Your team is relevant even if it’s just for one more week. It doesn’t happen very often.

The most bizarre scenario to me is if Arkansas beats LSU, and the Associated Press votes Arkansas No. 1. Many years ago, the AP got out of the BCS because it did not want a say in crowning the BCS national championship. The SEC sends Alabama to the SEC championship game based on its tiebreaker rules. Alabama beats Georgia. The BCS pits Alabama against LSU. Arkansas goes to the Sugar Bowl and plays a conference champion such as Virginia Tech. The AP leaves Arkansas No. 1. LSU beats Alabama again. The Hogs beat Virginia Tech. The AP is not going to rank an LSU team that lost at home to Arkansas above the Hogs. BCS gives crystal ball to LSU. AP gives it to Hogs. A crazy scenario that I freely admit is way out there, but how the last two weeks have played out, I can’t rule anything out.

So remember, there is a chance Arkansas could claim the national championship even if it does not get the BCS version.

In many ways, the SEC championship is irrelevant and actually having to go to the SEC championship game is full of risks. The team from the West that goes has to play an emerging Georgia team that has a very good quarterback and has won nine games in a row. It is very possible that Georgia wins and ruins the West representative’s hopes of planning for a national title as the other two SEC teams watch and probably pull for Georgia.

If Alabama goes to the SEC championship game and loses to Georgia, you could have an LSU and Arkansas rematch in the BCS title game. This is the year more than any -- especially if the Hogs win at LSU -- that a playoff format is needed.

If you’re going to stick with bowl games, the BCS does not need to exist. Alabama, LSU, and Arkansas all need to go to separate bowls and play conference champions from other regions of the country and see who emerges.

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The Golf Course Experience

As Arkansas kept its hopes alive beating a decent Mississippi State team in Little Rock, the tailgating was hot as usual. One of the more fun moments on the golf course came when a group of revelers tried to hit a piñata blindfolded. It provided many laughs if you were drunk.

The new thing on the golf course (which I don’t know if it’s a good idea) is bringing your dog. I saw puppies in wagons. Little dogs dressed as Santa. A massive mastiff wearing a large man’s T-shirt.

The reserved scholarship tailgating west of the creek needs to be moved off Markham if that group continues to arrive two hours before the game. They are not as worthy as the group that arrives before 5 a.m. to get their spots on the golf course.


Robert Shields is the bestselling author of “Scarlet Fever: A Razorback House Divided” and “The Economics of Sex” and has written the weekly “From the Bench” sports column for the last 14 years. His upcoming novel, “Daphne and Her No. 2 Ticonderoga,” will be part one in “The Mysterious Girls’ Secret Bathroom Society” series. He can be reached at fromthebench@yahoo.com.


You can follow me on Twitter @rsfromthebench

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