Arkansas vs. Auburn doesn't have the same national implications it looked like it could have had in the preseason when the two teams were ranked 18th and 6th by the Associated Press, respectively.
Nope, this is an 11 a.m. kickoff between a pair of unranked teams with losing records in conference play, both sitting at 1-2 in the SEC. But make no mistake, as far as these two programs are concerned this is a huge game.
With a loss in this one, Arkansas would fall to 2-5 overall - meaning they would have to finish 4-1 down the stretch to even make a bowl game, and that includes road trips to Ole Miss and LSU. While Auburn would just be 4-3 overall, they would need to win two of their next five with games against Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia, Idaho and Alabama.
In my opinion, Arkansas has a better team than Auburn. I've seen every Arkansas game multiple times, and I've seen Auburn play three different games, including last Thursday's game against Kentucky, which I watched three times alone. I'll add that I certainly felt Arkansas was the better team before Auburn's win in Lexington last Thursday, and that left me questioning a little more. That is due in large to my opinion that Kentucky is a much better team than most realize in Mark Stoops' third year, and Auburn beat them in their house.
Arkansas has a bigger black eye on it's resume than Auburn. The Hogs lost to MAC program Toledo in Little Rock, a team that is actually nationally ranked now at No. 22 in the nation but still is in the MAC. If not for a disastrous punt by FCS member Jacksonville State, Auburn might have lost to a lower division opponent. While Arkansas' loss was bad, Auburn's would have been on a par with Arkansas losing to the Citadel in 1992. It would have ranked as the school's all-time worst and most disappointing loss.
But I think Auburn has figured some things out with regard to personnel and is a lot better now than they were to start the season. While Sean White is a good quarterback, he doesn't fit Auburn's system. With all the complaints about where Auburn is headed under Gus Malzahn, I truly believe so much could be fixed, masked or whatever you want to call it with the simple addition of a legitimate dual threat quarterback.
What if a kid like Kyler Murray at Texas A&M had gone to Auburn? -He'd be their starting quarterback right now. I genuinely think that by next season...CLICK HERE for the rest of the story...
CLICK HERE for the full story...
Nope, this is an 11 a.m. kickoff between a pair of unranked teams with losing records in conference play, both sitting at 1-2 in the SEC. But make no mistake, as far as these two programs are concerned this is a huge game.
With a loss in this one, Arkansas would fall to 2-5 overall - meaning they would have to finish 4-1 down the stretch to even make a bowl game, and that includes road trips to Ole Miss and LSU. While Auburn would just be 4-3 overall, they would need to win two of their next five with games against Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia, Idaho and Alabama.
In my opinion, Arkansas has a better team than Auburn. I've seen every Arkansas game multiple times, and I've seen Auburn play three different games, including last Thursday's game against Kentucky, which I watched three times alone. I'll add that I certainly felt Arkansas was the better team before Auburn's win in Lexington last Thursday, and that left me questioning a little more. That is due in large to my opinion that Kentucky is a much better team than most realize in Mark Stoops' third year, and Auburn beat them in their house.
Arkansas has a bigger black eye on it's resume than Auburn. The Hogs lost to MAC program Toledo in Little Rock, a team that is actually nationally ranked now at No. 22 in the nation but still is in the MAC. If not for a disastrous punt by FCS member Jacksonville State, Auburn might have lost to a lower division opponent. While Arkansas' loss was bad, Auburn's would have been on a par with Arkansas losing to the Citadel in 1992. It would have ranked as the school's all-time worst and most disappointing loss.
But I think Auburn has figured some things out with regard to personnel and is a lot better now than they were to start the season. While Sean White is a good quarterback, he doesn't fit Auburn's system. With all the complaints about where Auburn is headed under Gus Malzahn, I truly believe so much could be fixed, masked or whatever you want to call it with the simple addition of a legitimate dual threat quarterback.
What if a kid like Kyler Murray at Texas A&M had gone to Auburn? -He'd be their starting quarterback right now. I genuinely think that by next season...CLICK HERE for the rest of the story...
CLICK HERE for the full story...
