Month: July 2022

Image Courtesy: The Clarion-Ledger

November 12
LSU
Neither offense was very successful in last season’s installment for Battle for the Golden Boot. New LSU head coach Brian Kelley has four QBs to choose from in senior Myles Brennan, tbd Jayden Daniels, tbd, and tbd. Many expect Brennan to start as this is his sixth year in the program. Receiver Kayshon Boutte may be the best player for the tigers as he was given the heralded number seven jersey number, in honor of the team’s top player from the state of Louisiana. Boutte and fellow receiver Jack Bech are the only returning starters on the offensive side while defensively the tigers return two starters at defensive end in BJ Ojulari and safety Jay Ward. Another interesting tidbit entering the Battle for the Boot this year is the transfer portal. Veteran Arkansas defensive backs Joe Foucha and Greg Brooks transferred back to their home state of Louisiana to play for the tigers for a season while relatively young LSU defensive end Landon Jackson and defensive back Dwight McGlothern made their way from Baton Rouge to Fayetteville. In his SEC Media Days press conference, Tigers coach Brian Kelley commented that he does not love players transferring to schools within the same conference let alone division but since they’re both from Louisiana, he would take Foucha and Brooks in for a season. Come November, viewers of this game should expect Arkansas to rely on the ground game similarly to last season’s meeting with the tigers and pull out a close win.
Projected Score: Arkansas 31, LSU 24

November 19
Ole Miss
The growing Arkansas-Ole Miss rivalry has had some crazy finishes over the last decade including last season’s one point win by the Rebels in Oxford last season. Ole Miss will have to replace QB Matt Corrall who’s now with the Carolina Panthers in the NFL. They added USC transfer Jaxson Dart and returning QB Luke Altmyer as potential options at signal-caller. Ole Miss lost both of their top assistants, including offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby (new Oklahoma offensive coordinator) and defensive coordinator Chris Kiffin (new Cleveland Browns assistant). It will be up to head coach Lane Kiffin to take control of the team and have another winning season in Oxford. Dart or Altmyer will be joined by TCU running back transfer Zach Evans in the backfield, a former five-star recruit. The Rebels will depend on returning receiver targets Jonathan Mingo and tight end Casey Kelley to produce with three returning starters along the offensive line. With a new defensive coordinator and more than half of the Rebels’ defense returning from last season, it is unreasonable to expect greatness from an Ole Miss defense that was better last season. That being said, expect a shootout in Fayetteville the Saturday before Thanksgiving as KJ Jefferson and Jaxson Dart battle it out. Projected Score: Arkansas 45, Ole Miss 42

November 25
at.Missouri
Missouri defeated Arkansas five consecutive times from 2016-2020. That long streak ended in 2021 with a dominant effort from then Razorbacks receiver Treylon Burks with the help of his quarterback KJ Jefferson. Missouri is losing lots of offensive production including tremendous running back Tyler Badie as they only return four starters on that side of the ball. Incoming freshman receiver Luther Burden is expected to start immediately as a true freshman. He was a highly recruited five-star recruit as a homegrown talent in the state of Missouri that will need to make it easier on new starting QB Brady Cook, who replaces experienced QB Connor Bazelak, who transferred to Indiana. Defensively, it is better for the tigers as they return seven of eleven defensive starters. For Arkansas to continue on an upward trajectory, they must win this game annually against an opponent like Missouri, who is not having as much success as they want, with their tough schedules annually. When Black Friday comes around, the game will be close for a half or three quarters because the hogs are on the road at Faurot Field but expect the Arkansas offense to be successful the entire day in Columbia, helping them pull out an end of season win. Projected Score: Arkansas 38, Missouri 21

Image Courtesy: The Clarion-Ledger

October 1
Alabama
After suffering two losses last season, Alabama has returned Heisman-winning QB Bryce Young and extremely talented pass rusher Will Anderson in addition to the number two ranked class, they have coming in. The Tide have to replace receivers Jameson Williams and John Metchie who headed off to the NFL with Georgia transfer Jermaine Burton, sophomore Ja’Corey Brooks, and junior Tyler Harrell. The defense, with Will Anderson and six other starters returning will make Alabama the scariest its been at least since 2020-2021, when they won their last national championship. Arkansas lost by just a touchdown last season to Alabama in Tuscaloosa. But, I would expect the Crimson Tide to be more prepared for the likes of Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson and the hogs talented running game. Former Alabama linebacker Drew Sanders will play his former team in this game for the first time. He and experienced linebacker Bumper Pool will have to help stop new full-time starter at running back for Alabama, Trey Sanders. Projected Score: Alabama 49, Arkansas 31

October 8
at.Mississippi State
After losing to Arkansas because of three missed field goal tries, Mississippi State will be out for revenge against the hogs. Actually, its been two seasons since the Bulldogs defeated Arkansas and talented Mississippi State QB Will Rogers thrives at home, especially with two returning starters at receiver in Austin Williams and Jaden Walley. Mississippi State returns seven defensive starters and to me, this game is an old fashioned shootout and will be up to the playmakers on both defenses to win this game. Projected Score: Arkansas 48, Mississippi State 45

October 29
Auburn
Auburn has not lost to Arkansas in a long time. However, in their 2020 meeting, Arkansas should have won the game. A backwards spike by then Auburn QB Bo Nix was recovered by former Arkansas defensive back Joe Foucha. But, the officials did not see it that way and Auburn won on a game-winning field goal. A year later and last season Bo Nix had a phenomenal performance and Arkansas took a loss at home to the tigers. Now, former Texas A&M QB Zach Calzada takes over the reigns on the Plains. Talented running back Tank Bigsy and receiver Shedrick Jackson return in addition to three other offensive starters. Auburn’s defense is underrated this year with seven returning starters headlined by pass rushers Derick Hall and Owen Pappoe. A combined performance by Arkansas’ running game and defense will have the hogs defeating Auburn for the first time in a long time. Projected Score: Arkansas 31, Auburn 21

Image Courtesy: Getty Images

September 10
South Carolina (11 AM CT, ESPN/ESPN App)
Arkansas will have to deal with former Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler at QB for the Gamecocks. Outside of that, South Carolina, who finished at 7-6 last season, returns only four starters on each side of the ball. The hogs will look to gash an entirely new defensive line for the Gamecocks and defeat South Carolina for their first conference win in 2022. Projected Score: Arkansas 28, South Carolina 17

September 24
Texas A&M (Arlington) (2:30 PM CT, TBD)
Texas A&M will be looking for revenge for the first time in ten games against Arkansas. Following a nine-game win streak in the series, Texas A&M was defeated by Arkansas for the first time since 2011. Former LSU starting QB Max Johnson is expected to replace Zach Calzada and Aggie head coach Jimbo Fisher recruited the top class in the country with multiple defensive prospects including Shemar Stewart and Walter Nolen, who are expected to be starters along Texas A&M’s defensive line in 2022. An overall extremely talented Aggie team will get back on the winning side of the Southwest Classic after a 20-10 defeat last season. Projected Score: Texas A&M 28, Arkansas 24