First, let's take the Bama game off the table for this conversation. Of course, for a variety of reasons, beating Alabama would be the most fervent wish of the overwhelming majority of our fans.
Beyond that, if you could pick any one game (in conference, since we really don't have any marquee games in the non-conference season) that we could win (magic wish!), who would it be?
For me, this year, it would be A&M. Why? Well, for starters, many under 40 have forgotten (if they ever knew) that we have traditionally OWNED the Aggies. We still lead the series 41-27, even after 3 straight losses. But we need to re-establish our place over the Aggies. Sure, they're a good program now and have a lot of momentum. But I will never accept that they are anything but subordinates to us in terms of football - same as they always were.
Our loss to them last year was the most bitter of the season, for me. By random chance, they entered the conference on an all-time high with a once in a generation playmaker, just when we were gut-punched by Harley-gate. And then, we dominated them for 3 quarters before blowing the game. It makes me sick for the national perception to be that their program is better than ours - and part of it is the matter-of-fact, it's-always-been-that-way attitude most seem to have. But it has most decidedly NOT been that way. If you look at the series record, Arkansas has prevailed in EVERY complete 10 game set (decade by decade; ie., the 50's, the 60's, etc.) since the 1940's - and even then, the Ags only prevailed 5-4-1. In the 1950's all the way through the 1990's (the last decade we played them every year), Arkansas won the 10 game set - sometimes, decidedly so. So this has been a steady, consistent pattern of domination for the Hogs.
We need to get back to that. We won't always win (sadly); but we WILL win more than we lose.
You can see the series history here:
Beyond that, if you could pick any one game (in conference, since we really don't have any marquee games in the non-conference season) that we could win (magic wish!), who would it be?
For me, this year, it would be A&M. Why? Well, for starters, many under 40 have forgotten (if they ever knew) that we have traditionally OWNED the Aggies. We still lead the series 41-27, even after 3 straight losses. But we need to re-establish our place over the Aggies. Sure, they're a good program now and have a lot of momentum. But I will never accept that they are anything but subordinates to us in terms of football - same as they always were.
Our loss to them last year was the most bitter of the season, for me. By random chance, they entered the conference on an all-time high with a once in a generation playmaker, just when we were gut-punched by Harley-gate. And then, we dominated them for 3 quarters before blowing the game. It makes me sick for the national perception to be that their program is better than ours - and part of it is the matter-of-fact, it's-always-been-that-way attitude most seem to have. But it has most decidedly NOT been that way. If you look at the series record, Arkansas has prevailed in EVERY complete 10 game set (decade by decade; ie., the 50's, the 60's, etc.) since the 1940's - and even then, the Ags only prevailed 5-4-1. In the 1950's all the way through the 1990's (the last decade we played them every year), Arkansas won the 10 game set - sometimes, decidedly so. So this has been a steady, consistent pattern of domination for the Hogs.
We need to get back to that. We won't always win (sadly); but we WILL win more than we lose.
You can see the series history here:
