1. Blown out but… - NIKKI
The Florida game was, without a doubt, a blowout and yes, I was whining for it to be over by the middle of the third quarter, but the players kept fighting and that was really nice to see. They didn’t let a 28-point loss feel like an embarrassment, and that’s tough to do.
Florida was obviously the more talented team but I’m still left with a sense that when the two teams face off in 2023 (if that’s still on), it’ll be a much, much more competitive game. The offense scored the most points yet this season and they’ve shown a general trend of improved competence, even if they’re not very consistent.
2. Critical Stretch - HUTCH
With the Florida game behind them now, the Razorbacks are entering a critical stretch of the 2020 season. Sitting at 3-4, they need to beat LSU this week and Missouri next week to get to .500 (they aren’t beating Alabama, let’s be real) in Sam Pittman’s first season.
A 5-5 record against a 10-game, all-SEC schedule would be incredibly impressive considering Arkansas entered the season on an 18-game SEC losing streak. Plus, Georgia and Florida were the additional opponents. In a normal year, the Razorbacks would likely be looking at a possible 8-4 season with a loss at Notre Dame and three non-conference victories.
If it can beat both of the Tigers, then Arkansas will also have its first winning streak since beating Ole Miss and Coastal Carolina in back-to-back weeks in 2017. It hasn’t won consecutive SEC games since 2015.
Pittman has already changed the trajectory of the program regardless of how the next three games turn out. If he can somehow accomplish everything discussed above, though, not only should he be considered for National Coach of the Year, but Arkansas would be fully entrenched in the top half of the SEC.
3. SEC Opening Lines - NIKKI
I know Hutch already hit yall with the killer stat from this weekend’s Vegas lines release. The Hogs are the favorite versus LSU. It’s the first time the Hogs are favored in an SEC game since being a 1-point favorite vs. Vandy in 2018.
I had a bad weekend despite only having three games to bet on. Kentucky is dead to me. I got the over on Arkansas/Florida and Ole Miss on the spread but I lost $72 this week, putting me at +$688 for the season. I’m new at this but I’m assuming people who are really good at this average more than $100 a week in winnings.
This weekend’s opening lines:
Florida (-31) at Vanderbilt
LSU at Arkansas (-3)
Ole Miss at Texas A&M (-12)
Kentucky at Alabama (-30)
Tennessee at Auburn (-10)
Mississippi State at Georgia (-24)
Missouri (-4) at South Carolina
4. Oh the difference a year makes - HUTCH
No, you aren’t dreaming. Arkansas is actually favored against LSU this week, according to the lines in Las Vegas.
When the new schedule was released, I figured the Razorbacks would be an underdog in every game they played this season, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if you told me they ended up being favored in at least one game.
Now if you told me it was LSU? I would have called you crazy. This is the same school that was favored by 41.5 points against Arkansas just last season.
Obviously it’s a completely different team with so much turnover with players and coaches at LSU, but it’s still a dramatic swing from plus-41.5 to minus-2.5. In fact, according to Fred Dykes (@FDsportsPicks) on Twitter, Arkansas is the first team to be favored a year after being an underdog of at least 40 points against the same team. I have no idea if that’s accurate, but I’d be shocked if there were other examples of that happening.
5. Mike Woods Recognition Post - NIKKI
The Texas native broke 1,000 career receiving yards on Saturday against Florida and is just 10 yards away from passing his 2019 season total. His catch and run of 82 yards obviously helped him get there a bit faster. Woods doesn’t get as much credit as he probably should. The guy was about to go to SMU but took a gamble on himself that he could play at this level. I don’t know where he’d rank on the depth chart at Florida or Alabama but Arkansas is lucky to have him, especially when someone like Trey Knox, who was supposed to be having a breakout season, doesn’t show up. He’s only had one drop credited to him so far this season after seven in 2019 and his YAC has gone from 2.5 to 6.8. I could see Woods getting drafted after two more seasons on the Hill.
ass ESPN was showing us the back of Trask for 5 minutes straight.
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