Numbers say Alabama nothing to fear when Tide return to Hogs' schedule

ATLANTA — It turns out Alabama wasn't the monster Arkansas fans made it out to be. That endless path of destruction was all Nick Saban.

After spending a year watching the Crimson Tide take a step back and even lose to Oklahoma and Vanderbilt, it was almost hard for the Razorbacks to not lament Alabama not being on the schedule for the first time since the Razorbacks arrived in the SEC.

Sure, Tennessee filled that role of high profile playoff team on the Hogs' schedule, resulting in a memorable win over the No. 4 Volunteers at Razorback Stadium, but it's not the same as ending the Alabama streak.

Outside of the Saban streak, the Tide are 8-7 against Arkansas in SEC play. The Razorbacks even lead the series, 7-5, in the last dozen games outside the Saban streak.

Also, under Sam Pittman, the Razorbacks had closed the gap. The current head Hog went into Tuscaloosa the past two times and had Saban on the ropes. 

In 2023, Alabama held on for a 24-21 win after a Rashod Dubinion 14-yard touchdown pass cut a 24-6 deficit to a field goal. The Hogs got to midfield at one point, but quarterback KJ Jefferson took a sack that prevented a hot Cam Little from possibly hitting his third field goal from 49 yards or further in that game.

In 2021, the world switched over as Arkansas slugged it out with the Tide before ultimately falling late, 42-35. Following a field goal by Alabama to open the game, the two teams spent the rest of the game trading blows all the way through to the end.

A 66-yard touchdown pass from Jefferson to Treylon Burks in the third quarter made it 21-34. Then the defense held the tide to a field goal, setting up one of the biggest plays of the year in college football that season.

Punter Reid Bauer hit tight end Blake Kern over the middle for a 32-yard touchdown on a fake punt to cut the lead to 34-28 with 11:24 to play. Unfortunately for the Hogs, the defense couldn't keep Alabama out of the end zone, resulting in the touchdown victory for Alabama.

Rocket Sanders answered by taking a pass from Jefferson 17 yards to the house to pull within a touchdown with a minute left, but the damage had already been done on a Bryce Young to Jameson WIlliamson touchdown from 40 yards out just a few minutes before.

The Saban mystique was beginning to crack under Pittman and, if it exists without Saban at the helm, the numbers don't hold up to that innate fear.

At some point in time, Arkansas is going to play Alabama once again. It seems less likely to be an immediate add to the schedule than it did a few years ago given the conference seems pretty set on linking the Razorbacks mentally with Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Missouri, but the Crimson Tide will be back.

Every indication is that Alabama will soon be back to its old ways. The only question is will Arkansas be back to its old way against non-Saban Crimson Tide teams when that finally happens.

If so, it should be quite a fun roller coaster ride, which is a huge departure of the 17 previous games against Alabama.

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