Confronting Sports Illustrated’s Charge That Alabama is Arkansas’ “Least Important” Foe in 2022

“If you happen to begin out depressed, all the pieces is sort of a pleasing shock.”

Lloyd Dobler’s spirit was irrepressible in the long run, however for a great lengthy whereas, John Cusack’s iconic rom-com character struggled. The 1989 traditional film “Say Something” holds plenty of maxims that apply to post-adolescent attitudes and behaviors. And we sports activities followers are usually not something if we’re not post-adolescent, it doesn’t matter what our precise birthdate could also be.

Some sports activities followers go into every season relying on their workforce profitable each recreation. The sky’s the restrict, so to talk. They’re the kind who say issues like “Hey, everybody begins 0-0.” It’s an admirable high quality even when it’s not one which’s terribly trustworthy in its intention and talent for evaluation. Different kinds of followers are like Lloyd. They go right into a season relying on issues going awry in order that they will really feel constructive feelings when one thing doesn’t. It’s a protection mechanism. And a moist blanket.

All of us lean extra a method than the opposite whether or not we’re completely in a single camp or not. Over at Sports activities Illustrated’s All Hogs web site, the latter seems extra relevant.

Author Kent Smith ranked all of Arkansas soccer’s 12 video games this upcoming season from least necessary to most necessary. No sense in going by all of them right here with evaluation as his work stands by itself. However one level to convey up is what’s marked because the least consequential.

Smith wrote that that spot belongs to the Alabama recreation. Right here’s why:

“Arkansas got here a nasty name away from probably upsetting Alabama final 12 months. Whereas the win would have been an enormous feather in Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman’s cap and thrust Arkansas additional into the highlight, the annual battle with the Crimson Tide has been the least consequential recreation on the Razorback schedule for a very long time.”

“A loss to Alabama doesn’t transfer the needle and neither do shut battles. Barely dropping to Nick Saban’s crew meant as a lot final 12 months because it did when a missed additional level price the Hogs throughout the Bret Bielema period. A win could be huge, however when it comes to how a lot a win helps vs. how a lot harm a loss generates, there’s not a lot to see right here as a result of the loss means nothing.”

On the floor, it is sensible. Arkansas hasn’t crushed the Crimson Tide since 2006. That’s not a significant knock towards the Razorbacks as solely two groups have greater than a win or two over Nick Saban’s bunch many of the final 16 years. Fellow SEC foe Tennessee owns the identical 16-game dropping streak to Alabama. Arkansas’ streak is lengthy and unlikely to vary. Finally it should – and it got here awfully shut final 12 months – however for now, Alabama will stay a heavy favourite.

That, nonetheless, is why Arkansas vs Alabama is definitely vital.

Alabama will likely be ranked no worse than No. 2 in all the key polls getting into the season. And No. 2 could be pushing it. It’s potential (seemingly?) the Crimson Tide are the unanimously favored workforce throughout publications. They’ve averaged 1.1 losses per season since 2011. Given the magnitude of the opponent, the sport, by definition, can’t be bottom-ranked in significance. Beating them is big, regardless of who you might be. Particularly if you happen to’re Arkansas. 

Or a workforce just like the Razorbacks. See, coach Sam Pittman has Arkansas’ fandom as excessive as its been for the reason that hey-day of the Bobby Petrino period. The Hogs have their most dynamic quarterback since Ryan Mallett, a working again secure that rivals all however essentially the most elite within the sport, possibly a top-five offensive line in FBS, a secondary with 1,000,000 guys’ value of expertise. Issues are wanting up.

And since they’re so constructive, so are the expectations. Pittman led Arkansas to a 9-4 document final 12 months and because the saying goes, if you happen to’re not getting higher, you’re getting worse. Nobody however Arkansas soccer followers have the Hogs matching that plus-four regular-season win differential. ESPN’s FPI (disclosure: the creator helped develop the FPI in its infancy) has the Razorbacks projected to go both 6-6 or 7-5. Whereas such a document would nonetheless be a constructive in most eyes, it doesn’t match final 12 months, which might in the end be a disappointment to some. 

Arkansas vs Alabama Significance

Beating Alabama, even with a ultimate document of 7-5, would make it a profitable season. The Tide aren’t going to lose greater than three video games in whole and even that quantity, I’d wager towards. Two max. Shedding to Alabama as a part of a 7-5 season isn’t a giant deal. Including to the intrigue is when the date with the Crimson Tide falls. Saban and the crew go to Fayetteville on October 1, the fifth recreation of the season. Video games towards Cincinnati, South Carolina, Missouri State and Texas A&M all come earlier than. Arkansas could possibly be 4-0 at that time – identical as final 12 months after they met the very best workforce within the nation – which means Faculty GameDay would seemingly make its first cease in Fayetteville since 2006, when Darren McFadden ran for 181 yards and two scores in No. 11 Arkansas’ 31-14 win over No. 13 Tennessee.

That Arkansas workforce flirted with the BCS earlier than issues had been felled in a two-game skid to finish the common season. 5 years later, the Razorbacks did so once more earlier than Alabama put an finish to these desires. The purpose? Arkansas has to get previous the very best of the very best to achieve max potential beneath Pittman and Alabama nonetheless represents the very best of the very best even when Georgia obtained the higher of the Crimson Tide final 12 months. 

However even Arkansas at 3-1 or 2-2 at that time, Alabama would maintain as necessary, presumably swinging the season a method or or the opposite. The Hogs at 1-3 or – heaven forbid, as a result of issues could have fallen aside – 0-4 getting into that recreation, the sport is one hundred pc moot with the Razorbacks having already fallen to inferior opponents.

That’s Dobler-type of considering and within the Pittman period, not one thing that ought to occur anymore. Say something you want, however the Tide stay key to unlocking Arkansas’ future.