Former Hogs' coach: 'It's Arkansas State's Super Bowl' in second week

For Arkansas' sake, they're better off playing inside Razorback Stadium anyway. Players get to sleep in their own bed, coaches get to go through their regular routines and recruits can attend home games for official visits instead of paying out of pocket to see a half-filled stadium against some team that'll get rocked by 30 or more points.

If the Razorbacks somehow lost to Arkansas State in the same fashion it did to Toledo exactly ten years ago, things could get really ugly. It's an embarrassment Broyles avoided for decades for all the right reasons.

While the Razorbacks aren't overlooking FCS Alabama A&M in week one, it's hard not to overlook a first time ever meeting between in-state institutions.

The Razorbacks were the standard within the Natural State for decades when Frank Broyles made it known he wouldn't schedule another in-state in order to keep the focus on his Hogs, which he did successfully.

One upset, one slip up could change the direction of Arkansas' athletic program forever, and former coach Houston Nutt shared Broyles' thought process Thursday during a radio appearance on ESPN Arkansas' Halftime with Matt Jones and Phil Elson.

"Frank Broyles was a big believer in not playing that game," Nutt said. "He felt like if you lost one of those games within a 10-year period you're going to lose players. That's another subject.

"Bottom line, [Arkansas] is playing [the Red Wolves] and here's the scenario: It's Arkansas State's Super Bowl. It's go to be Arkansas' Super Bowl."

Former Tennessee coach Butch Jones serves as head coach for the Red Wolves and shouldn't be taken lightly as a lesser Sun Belt opponent coming off an 8-5 season. The league is one of the toughest among Group of Five conferences with Arkansas State projected to finish No. 3 in the western division.

The Red Wolves return a dynamic offensive trio in quarterback Jaylen Raynor, running back Ja'Quez Cross and wide receiver Corey Rucker, combining for more than 2,000 all-purpose yards and 28 touchdowns last season.

While Arkansas State's most successful coach in program history, Larry Lacewell, wanted the game to played way back in the 1980's it was never scheduled by the Razorbacks administration.

"It's being played now," Nutt said. "So what are we going to do? You need to make sure that game, from the moment you walk out on the field, that you [make Arkansas State] know they come to the wrong place.

"It's got to be very, very serious and play at a very high level because it's their Super Bowl. It's got to be Arkansas' Super Bowl."

It's imperative that Pittman has his team ready to roll when his team rolls into Little Rock Sept. 6. In recent seasons, Arkansas has played down to inferior competition such as Rice (2021), Missouri State (2022), Kent State (2023), UAB (2024), Louisiana Tech (2024) and even lost to Liberty during a disappointing 2022 season.

The Razorbacks were forced into 12 turnovers in those six games, something that Pittman is well of aware of and knows must be fixed this season.

"We've got to learn how to finish games, and to me its all about turnovers," Pittman said. "Right now, if we can get more, it's not just about the offense turning it over. We have to get more and we can take care of the ball better, which I believe that we can.

"We all understand the offense a little bit better. We could have a very special season."

If Arkansas can't figure out how to take care of business in Little Rock then Broyles worst nightmare will live forever in infamy. The Razorbacks have everything to lose, but absolutely nothing to gain no matter the outcome.

HOGS FEED