FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It may be maddening for just a few weeks.
With freshman guard Nick Smith Jr. apparently going to be a sport day choice — perhaps every sport — Arkansas followers may have their blood strain going up and down continually.
The rumors assist. With these, those that get it proper that week can inform everybody they knew it whereas all people else did not. Hey, eventually, nearly each one among them will most likely come true.
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“Nick is a competitor and he regarded ahead to taking part in for the Razorbacks,” Hogs coach Eric Musselman stated after an 85-51 win over UNC-Asheville. “He is form of been out and in of the lineup, or no matter, and we simply need him to get wholesome as rapidly as attainable and for him to be one hundred pc.”
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Nick Smith Jr. sits on the bench throughout the sport in opposition to the UNC Asheville Bulldogs at Bud Walton Enviornment. (Nelson Chenault / USA TODAY Sports activities)
All of that tends to level in the direction of some sort of damage that is not going to be made worse by taking part in and getting some sort of surgical procedure on it will not notably assist it.
At the least that is what you hope. The thought anyone would attempt to get it slightly higher so he may play one or two extra video games can be a foul thought for everyone concerned.
Whereas it might be good, it will not be essential.
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“For the opposite guys, all people obtained a possibility tonight,” Musselman stated.
For those who had Joseph Pinion and Jalen Graham punched in your bingo card for Wednesday night time to steer a scoring parade, please yell a louder.
I did not count on it, both.
“Joseph Pinion did an incredible job,” Musselman stated. “He stepped up and knocked down some pictures. His expertise was actually necessary taking part in 19 minutes tonight. That was nice for Joseph.
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Joseph Pinion (5) goes up for a dunk within the second half in opposition to the UNC Asheville Bulldogs at Bud Walton Enviornment. Arkansas gained 85-51. (Nelson Chenault / USA TODAY Sports activities)
As at all times, Musselman discovered a manner to make use of it for analysis when the Hogs begin taking part in within the SEC. That grind begins subsequent week and issues will get extra attention-grabbing.
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Now he is obtained that all-important educating movie of a number of gamers who have not seen the ground a lot.
“The sport the way in which it unfolded with Nick not taking part in, (Trevon Brazile) not taking part in and Jordan Walsh and Anthony Black getting two fouls within the first half, it allowed us to … what may occur within the subsequent couple video games for different guys to determine that perhaps we play three bigs at a time and we now have to determine it out on the fly.”
In different phrases, if this group can have Smith hitting full stride by the second week of January, issues are going to be extra attention-grabbing heading into February when all the pieces actually does imply extra.
We begin finding out the seeding and who must be excessive and low.
Musselman has to organize for the chance this drawback could by no means let Smith get this group to the complete potential all 12 months. That wasn’t going to occur when Brazile went down with a season-ending knee damage a few weeks in the past.
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He isn’t going into lots of particulars about it, both. That does not hold us from asking him each alternative, just a few instances a number of alternative ways.
Arkansas Razorbacks Ricky Council IV throughout their win over UNC-Asheville on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, at Bud Walton Enviornment in Fayetteville, Ark. (Andy Hodges / allHOGS Photographs)
“I am not going to, I imply, he is out indefinitely and that is what it’s,” Musselman stated. “So, there’s nothing else. He is out indefinitely and he’ll proceed to rehab as greatest as he can.”
The gamers do not sound like they’ve a clue, both.
In the meantime, Musselman will simply hold figuring what the fellows that may play can do.
To this point that is trying prefer it’s not precisely doom and gloom.
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The Hogs (11-1) may have just a few days off for the vacations earlier than returning to campus to start preparations for the SEC schedule.
Arkansas will open up league play on Wednesday, December 28, at LSU (11-1). Tipoff between the Razorbacks and Tigers is about for 8 p.m. and might be broadcast on ESPN2 or ESPNU and fuboTV.
HOGS FEED:
NOTHING TO INDICATE SMITH MISSING ASHVILLE GAME TIED TO WHAT HAPPENED AGAINST BRADLEY
RAZORBACKS WILL HAVE TO GO IT ALONE IN QUEST FOR NO. 1 SEED
HOGS’ SAM PITTMAN ON WHY RELYING ON PLANE TRACKERS CAN GET PRETTY RISKY FOR FANS
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RAZORBACK FOOTBALL HAS GOTTEN UGLY AND IT MAY GET WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER
ROUGH WEEKEND FOR ARKANSAS FOOTBALL ALL AROUND
HOW FANS CAN HELP PUSH THE TRANSFER PORTAL SHOPPING CART
SAMARA SPENCER, SAYLOR POFFENBARGER KEEP HOGS PERFECT WITH BIG ROAD WIN
CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE TO DECEMBER SCHEDULE BEFORE MORE COACHES LOSE THEIR LIVES
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PITTMAN RIGHT ON HOW PLAYERS IN TRANSFER PORTAL ARE LIKE FUTRE EX-WIVES
FINDING MAGIC IN THE MUNDANE AT RAZORBACK FOOTBALL GAMES
PETRINO IN BETTER PLACE WITH ODOM THAN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH JIMBO FISHER
PAIR OF RAZORBACK LINEBACKERS HANDLE RECRUITING
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The Texas Tech Red Raiders take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Liberty Bowl, and both squads could have an entirely different look compared to the regular season. For Tech, the Red Raiders lost their offensive coordinator but should be a tad more stable in terms of roster outlook compared to the Razorbacks. Arkansas is down to six scholarship offensive linemen and will be missing two key starters in this bowl game. Furthermore, both squads have had players leave for the transfer portal, but the Razorbacks losses were significantly more impactful such as WR Andrew Armstrong heading to the NFL. Furthermore, Arkansas will be without two of its better defensive players: safety TJ Metcalf and EDGE rusher Landon Jackson.
Texas Tech’s biggest loss could be star RB Tahj Brooks, but he has participated in every bowl game practice leading up to the game despite not making an official decision with less than 24 hours to go before kickoff. Stability is key in modern-day bowl game matchups, and while neither side has much, the Red Raiders have a clear edge in that department. With all things considered, I’ll take Texas Tech on the moneyline.
Texas Tech ML (-120) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number up to -140.
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Jaylen Raynor passed for 221 yards and two touchdowns to go with a rushing score, and Zak Wallace had 99 yards rushing and a TD to help Arkansas State beat Bowling Green 38-31 on Thursday night in the 68 Ventures Bowl.
Wallace scored on a 14-yard run with 3:10 left in the fourth quarter for a 38-24 lead. He carried the ball on the last six plays of the drive, gaining 59 yards on the eight-play, 68-yard march. It was his 11th rushing touchdown of the season, nine coming in the last six games.
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Rahkeem Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards to give Bowling Green a short field. Five plays later, Smith made a 23-yard catch in the end zone to get within 38-31.
Hunter Summers easily recovered the onside kick and Wallace powered through the middle of the defense for a 19-yard gain to seal it.
Corey Rucker added 107 yards receiving and two touchdowns for Arkansas State (8-5), which won a bowl game for the first time since 2019 — the same year it last won eight games in a season.
Rucker caught a long pass from Raynor and raced for a 79-yard touchdown for a 24-14 lead with 4:13 left in the first half. Following a fumble recovery by Noah Collins, Raynor found Rucker for a 6-yard TD to make it 31-21 early in the third.
Connor Bazelak threw for 390 yards and three touchdowns for Bowling Green (7-6). Harold Fannin Jr. had 17 catches for a career-high 213 yards and a touchdown.
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Fannin reached 125-plus yards with a touchdown for the sixth time this season, which leads the FBS.
Bowling Green’s special teams struggled. Zach Long missed his third field goal attempt of the game (one was blocked) with 10:19 left. The Falcons allowed Courtney Jackson to return a punt for a 60-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and BGSU also had a fake punt come up short of a first down in the second half.
Record Holder
Fannin made a catch midway through the first quarter to become the single-season record holder for receiving yards by a tight end in the FBS. He entered needing just 11 yards to surpass Jace Amaro’s record of 1,352 in 2013 at Texas Tech. Fannin finished the season with 1,555 yards.
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Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee
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0 Starts for Texas Tech QB Will Hammond, who will open under center for the Red Raiders against Arkansas after No. 1 QB Behren Morton had shoulder surgery. Morton threw for 3,335 yards and 27 TDs in 2024. Hammond has completed 15-of-23 passes for 191 yards with one TD and no interceptions this season. Hammond won’t have 1,000-yard receiver Josh Kelly to throw to on Friday. The wide receiver has opted out of the game.
1 Previous appearance in the Liberty Bowl for Texas Tech, which defeated Mississippi State 34-7 on Dec. 28, 2021. That kicked off the Red Raiders’ current three-game bowl winning streak that has boosted Texas Tech’s bowl record for 17-23-1.
2 Players in the nation had at least 2,800 passing yards and 500 rushing yards entering the bowl season – Arkansas QB Taylen Green and Washington State QB John Mateer. Green has completed 219-of-360 passes for 2,813 yards with 13 TDs and nine interceptions and run 141 times for 521 yards and seven TDs.
5 2-point conversions have been given up by Arkansas in 2024, tied for the most in the nation entering the bowl season. Texas Tech has scored four 2-point conversions this season.
7 Appearances in the Liberty Bowl for Arkansas when the Razorbacks take the field on Friday, the most in the game’s history (two ahead of Mississippi State). The Razorbacks have a 3-3 record in the Liberty Bowl after winning their past three appearances. Arkansas defeated East Carolina 20-17 in overtime on Jan. 2, 2010, Kansas State 45-23 on Jan. 2, 2016, and Kansas 55-53 in three overtimes on Dec. 28, 2022, and lost to Tennessee 14-13 on Dec. 20, 1971, Auburn 21-15 on Dec. 27, 1984, and Georgia 20-17 on Dec. 29, 1987. Overall, Arkansas has a 17-24-3 bowl record.
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8 Victories and three losses for Arkansas against opponents from the Big 12 and its predecessor conferences in bowls. In bowls against other conferences, the Razorbacks have a 9-21-3 record. Overall, Arkansas has a 34-14 record against Big 12 opponents since 1928, when the Big Six formed, including a 39-31 loss in two overtimes to Oklahoma State on Sept. 7.
10 Victories, 19 losses and two ties for Texas Tech against SEC opponents. The Red Raiders played their first game against an SEC opponent on Jan. 1, 1954, when Texas Tech scored a 35-13 victory over Auburn in the Gator Bowl. The Red Raiders have a 4-6-1 record in bowl against SEC opponents.
21 Victories and 11 losses for SEC teams in the Liberty Bowl. The 1965 Liberty Bowl was all-SEC, with Ole Miss beating Auburn 13-7. Big 12 teams have a 4-7 record in the Liberty Bowl. The SEC has a 4-4 record against the Big 12 and its predecessor conferences in the Liberty Bowl.
29 Victories for Arkansas and eight victories for Texas Tech in the Razorbacks-Red Raiders series, although Texas Tech won the most recent meeting 35-29 on Sept. 19, 2015, and has victories in three of the past four meetings. Thirty-two of the 37 meetings came when the teams were members of the Southwest Conference together from 1960 through 1991.
34.5 Points per game have been scored against the Texas Tech this season, the highest average yielded by any bowl participant this season. The Red Raiders led the Big 12 in scoring during the regular season with an average of 38.6 points per game.
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97 Third-down snaps were converted into first downs by Texas Texas in 2024, the most in the nation entering the bowl season. The Red Raiders have had 196 third-down snaps, tied for the second-most in the nation and have converted 49.5 percent into first downs, the sixth-best rate in the nation.
103 Yards and two TDs on 20 rushing attempts in 2024 for Rodney Hill, who is listed as the No. 1 running back on Arkansas’ depth chart for Friday’s game. Ja’Quinden Jackson led the Razorbacks with 790 yards and 15 TDs on 149 rushing attempts this season, but he has opted out of the game.
231 Plays from scrimmage gained at least 10 yards for Arkansas in 2024, the second-most in the nation entering the bowl season.
1,140 Receiving yards for Arkansas WR Andrew Armstrong, the most in the SEC this season. But Armstrong has opted out of the bowl, as has No. 2 receiver Isaiah Sategna, leaving WR Isaac TeSlaa as the Razorbacks’ leading receiver entering Friday’s game. TeSlaa has 438 yards and three TDs on 25 receptions in 2024.
1,505 Rushing yards for Texas Tech RB Tahj Brooks this season as he replaced Byron Hanspard as the Red Raiders’ career rushing leader in 2024. By running for at least 109 yards in each of his 11 games this season, Brooks lifted his career total to 4,557 rushing yards, the fourth-most in Big 12 history. Brooks is in Memphis with Texas Tech, but his participation in Friday’s game has not been confirmed by the team.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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