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Can Arkansas Miracle At Kentucky Derby Inspire Pittman, Razorbacks?

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Can Arkansas Miracle At Kentucky Derby Inspire Pittman, Razorbacks?


FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman could use a little luck in 2024. He went out and signed Bobby Petrino as his offensive coordinator which deflected a little bit of heat off his seat for the time being.

Pittman attended the 150th Kentucky Derby Saturday to support his friends Dan and Scott Hamby, owners ofrace winner Mystik Dan. The horse wasn’t one of the favorites to win entering Saturday with 18-1 odds. However, the winner forged his way to victory by a nose over Sierra Leone. 

Mystik Dan’s jockey was little known Brian Hernandez. While Pittman isn’t considered an unknown commodity amongst the coaching profession, he has shown the ability to win at a moderate level. His first 26 games as Razorbacks coach, Arkansas strung together a 15-11 record overall and 7-11 mark in SEC play.

A promising start was short-lived once KJ Jefferson fumbled on a ‘Superman leap’ as the team swagger and confidence popped like a balloon. Since that game, the Razorbacks are 8-14 with only three conference wins. 

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Brushing shoulders of greatness in Louisville might just be the rub Pittman needs to return Arkansas to its winning ways in 2024. Like Derby winner, Mystik Dan, he essentially came from nowhere to become the champion.

Arkansas will need to pull off a win or two in surprise fashion if the team plans on making a bowl game. During the 2021 season, the Razorbacks witnessed a lot of breaks go its way throughout the fall. Circumstances are a bit different but similar for a turnaround. 

Petrino will have to break in a brand new quarterback. A passer that many around the program is considered an underrated talent. That’s yet to be seen but with a rigorous Southeastern Conference to play, Taylen Green will have ample opportunity to prove doubters wrong.

Second-year defensive coordinator Travis Williams will hope to build off an up-and-down 2023 season. Linebacker play will be a huge question mark as the group pads prior college experience to a youthful room. The middle of Arkansas’ defense will be pressured early on especially as the team travels to Oklahoma State in week two.

Maybe Pittman has identified what he needs to makeup for lost time over 19 months. No one is asking for a championship this year or any year for that matter. But, seeing success by other Arkansas residents is bound to bleed over into football season. Bowl eligibility shouldn’t be out of the question yet as the Razorbacks preseason win total is set at 5.5 by Fan Duel.

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HOGS FEED:

• Razorbacks offense finish with whimper after homer against Kentucky

• Razorbacks bats finally hit big milestone in SEC play

• Table set for huge recruiting class in 2026 but can Pittman afford the bill when it comes?

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Report: Boise State transfer receiver Chris Marshall signs with Arkansas football | Whole Hog Sports

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Report: Boise State transfer receiver Chris Marshall signs with Arkansas football | Whole Hog Sports





Report: Boise State transfer receiver Chris Marshall signs with Arkansas football | Whole Hog Sports







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Arkansas wide receiver transfer Ja’Kayden Ferguson commits to Kentucky

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Arkansas wide receiver transfer Ja’Kayden Ferguson commits to Kentucky


Kentucky had a need at wide receiver entering the only transfer portal window of the offseason. The Wildcats addressed the position again on Day 10. UK has added a second transfer to the room. This is a familiar name to those who follow recruiting.

Arkansas transfer Ja’Kayden Ferguson committed to the Wildcats after his visit to Lexington over the weekend. The wide receiver was a former UK commit who flipped to the Hogs during the 2025 recruiting cycle. Now Ferguson has flipped back to the Big Blue.

Ja’Kayden Ferguson was a three-star recruit out of Metro Houston who picked Kentucky following a June official visit ahead of the 2024 season. However, Ferguson decided to open up his recruitment five months later and flipped to Arkansas. The 6-foot-2 receiver appeared in six games for the Razorbacks as a true freshman and burned his redshirt. Ferguson played just 20 offensive snaps.

The SEC transfer becomes the eighth current full-time scholarship player in Kentucky’s current wide receivers room. Some more additions are expected.

Kentucky transfer commits

Player Position High School Former School Year
Olaus Alinen G/T (6-6, 322) Windson (Conn.) The Loomis Chaffee School Alabama Redshirt Junior
Jesse Anderson S (6-0, 180) Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons Pittsburgh Redshirt Junior
Max Anderson iOL (6-5, 311) Frisco (Texas) High Tennessee Redshirt Sophomore
Elijah “Bo” Barnes LB (6-1, 244) Dallas (Texas) Skyline Texas Redshirt Freshman
Jovantae Barnes RB (6-0, 211) Las Vegas (Nev.) Desert Pines Oklahoma Redshirt Senior
Ahmad Breaux iDL (6-3, 278) Ruston (La.) High LSU Junior
Jordan Castell S (6-2, 213) Winter Garden (Fla.) West Orange Florida Senior
Xavier Daisy WR (6-3, 210) Norcross (Ga.) Greater Atlanta Christian School UAB Junior
Ja’Kayden Ferguson WR (6-2, 187) Missouri City (Texas) Thurgood Marshall Arkansas Sophomore
Aaron Gates Nickel (6-0, 198) Jacksonville (Fla.) Trinity Christian Florida Redshirt Junior
Jamarrion Harkless iDL (6-3, 315) Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass Purdue Redshirt Junior
Lance Heard T (6-6, 330) Monroe (La.) Neville LSU | Tennessee Senior
Mark Manfred III CB (6-1, 175) Marietta (Ga.) Sprayberry Missouri Redshirt Freshman
Kenny Minchey QB (6-2, 208) Hendersonville (Tenn.) Pope John Paul II Notre Dame Redshirt Junior
Antonio O’Berry EDGE (6-6, 240) Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne Tiffin (D-II) | Gardner-Webb 6th-Year Senior
Coleton Price iOL (6-3, 318) Bowie (Texas) High Baylor Redshirt Senior
Spencer Radnoti LS (6-3, 230) Canton (Ga.) Cherokee Georgia State Redshirt Sophomore
Cyrus Reyes S (6-1, 200) Taylor (Texas) High Mississippi State Junior
Hasaan Sykes CB (6-0, 185) Tuckert (Ga.) High Western Carolina Junior
Tavion Wallace LB (6-1, 239) Baxley (Ga.) Appling County Arkansas Sophomore
Dominic Wiseman iDL (6-2, 300) Davenport (Iowa) High South Alabama Redshirt Senior
Adam Zouagui K (5-11, 188) Herndon (Va.) High Davidson | South Florida Senior





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No. 20 Lady Vols Basketball vs. Arkansas: How to Watch, Prediction, More | Rocky Top Insider

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No. 20 Lady Vols Basketball vs. Arkansas: How to Watch, Prediction, More | Rocky Top Insider


KNOXVILLE, TN – January 16, 2025 – “We Back Pat” on jersey during the game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Food City Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Kate Luffman/Tennessee Athletics

Lady Vols basketball is back in Knoxville for a matchup with Arkansas after a two-game road stand. Tennessee is not only looking to stay perfect in SEC play, but is hosting its annual ‘We Back Pat’ game.

Here’s everything to know about the matchup, from broadcast details to a prediction.

More From RTI: Everything Lady Vols HC Kim Caldwell, PG Mia Pauldo Said After Road Win At Mississippi State

How to Watch — No. 20 Lady Vols (11-3, 3-0 SEC) vs. Arkansas (11-7, 0-3 SEC)

  • Start Time: 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT
  • Location: Food City Center (Knoxville, Tenn.)
  • Watch: SECN+ | PxP: Andy Brock, Analyst: Kamera Harris
  • Online Streaming: Watch ESPN
  • Radio (Knoxville): The Vol Network/The Vol Network App
  • Vol Network radio crew: PxP: Brian Rice, Studio Host: Jay Lifford

 

Betting Odds

None listed yet

 

ESPN Matchup Predictor

Lady Vols – 98.3%

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Arkansas – 1.7%

 

What Kim Caldwell Said After Mississippi State

“Good to get a win on the road. We know it’s a tough environment and we know that we got to win on the road in the SEC. It was good to do that. I wasn’t really proud of the rebounding, but I thought we looked a lot better in a couple different categories so that was good.”

 

Last Five Games

Lady Vols: 

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  • at Mississippi State, 90-90 W
  • at Auburn, 73-56 W
  • vs. Florida, 76-65 W
  • vs. Southern Indiana, 89-44 W
  • vs. Louisville (Brooklyn), 89-65 L

 

Arkansas:

  • vs. South Carolina, 93-58 L
  • at Alabama, 77-48 L
  • vs. Vanderbilt, 88-71 L
  • vs. Arkansas State, 81-72 L
  • vs. Stephen F. Austin, 82-73 W

 

Where They Land In Rankings

Lady Vols: 

AP Poll – No. 20

Coaches Poll – No. 22

Bart Torvik – No. 13

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Arkansas:

AP Poll – Unranked

Coaches Poll – Unranked

Bart Torvik – No. 107

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Stat Leaders

Lady Vols:

  • Points: Talaysia Cooper – 14.9
  • Rebounds: Zee Spearman – 7.3
  • Assists: Talaysia Cooper – 4.3

 

Arkansas: 

  • Points: Taleyah Jones – 16.9
  • Rebounds: Bonnie Deas – 9.7
  • Assists: Bonnie Deas – 2.6

 

Prediction

It’s been a rough start for Arkansas’ new coach, Kelsi Musick. The team is 0-3 in SEC games, and though it’s been against three good teams, the Razorbacks haven’t been competitive in any.

While neither side has been strong, Arkansas’ defense has been the weakest point. Not only is it coming off a game in which it gave up 93 points to South Carolina, but Arkansas State hung 81 in its win over the Razorbacks on the road.

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If the Lady Vols don’t get in their own way, then they should be fine. It hasn’t been perfect, and against three teams not necessarily in the mix to win the league, but Tennessee has looked much improved in the SEC slate compared to the lumps it took in the out-of-conference schedule.

I’d think UT jumps on Arkansas in the first quarter and takes a comfortable lead into the second quarter. From there, the lead should continue to grow behind forced turnovers in the press and easy baskets on the other end.

Lady Vols 85, Arkansas 61



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