Arkansas Razorbacks

9-3 (5-3)

Week 1: September 3rd vs. Missouri State - This will be a nice game at home to start the year for Tyler Wilson to get things going. Arkansas easily wins.

Week 2: September 10th vs. New Mexico - New Mexico got obliterated each and every time they faced a decent opponent last year and then some when they faced a mediocre one. They've only won 1 game in each of the last two years so suffice it to say they are no good, and this may be just as easy of a game as the first one.

Week 3: September 17th vs. Troy - Arkansas needs to ramp it up before their game at Alabama, and a game against a respectable team like Troy should help prepare. Troy has won the Sun Belt the last few years and should put up enough of a fight to stay in the game through the first half. After that Arkansas rolls.

Week 4: September 24th at Alabama - This was without a doubt the best game of September until Davis got hurt. I was all set to pick Upig for the upset, but I just don't think I can do it now on the road against such a stout defense. Still, with the prior 3 games being gimme wins Arkansas has a chance if they can find a running back before the game. They do have talent, but Knile Davis was a freak. I'm picking the favorite here, Alabama, to win the game.

Week 5: October 1st vs. Texas A&M - This game will be at Cowboy's Stadium. Arkansas won this game 24-17 last year, after which A&M got blown out by Missouri but then rattled off 6 straight conference wins before getting stomped by LSU in the Cotton Bowl. So that's 0 for 2 in Dallas for A&M. If Arkansas really is coming off a win at Alabama like I predict they will be riding high and most likely will be in the Top 5, so this is an obvious let-down game. Especially since A&M has 18 returning starters including 10 on offense off a 9-4 team. The Hogs are going to have to come into this game ready to play, but so will the Aggies, they play a huge game with Oklahoma State the week before as well. Due to the circumstances with Arkansas' schedule I would be tempted to pick A&M, but since they have a difficult road themselves I stick with the better team, Arkansas goes to 5-0.

Week 6: October 8th vs. Auburn - There's been some years where this game has been an upset, by a large margin, for both teams. If it happens this year it will be Auburn winning, especially with the game in Fayetteville. Arkansas has way too much offense for an Auburn D that will most likely struggle all year. The good news for Auburn in this game is that Arkansas will be coming off two big games and they could be banged up, the bad new is that this is their second consecutive road game, most likely both against Top 10 opponents...and they've got Florida next week. Arkansas finds comfort at home and wins by a couple scores.

Week 7: Bye - Right in the middle of the season. If Arkansas really is 6-0, there will be plenty of excitement as they prepare for the second half of the season.

Week 8: October 22nd at Ole Miss - The Rebels are coming off a game against Alabama and the Razorbacks are coming off a bye. Ole Miss will stick around for 3 quarters as they are at home, but they are not deep enough to beat Arkansas a week after playing Bama.

Week 9: October 29th at Vanderbilt - With the game in Nashville you never know what could happen, especially with the 'look ahead' to South Carolina the next week, but Arkansas was really have to be napping. Arkansas' offense should be clicking on all cylinders by this point in the year and I don't think Vandy's D will be able to stop them. Hogs win.

Week 10: November 5th vs. South Carolina - South Carolina makes one of the longest journeys within the SEC to Fayetteville, AR for what should be a very good game. By this point in the season I expect Tyler Wilson to be a solid quarterback, and Stephen Garcia as well. Both star running backs are young and very talented. Even though Arkansas' got the edge at WR, I rank USC #2, and both teams have some question marks at O-line. I think Arkansas' got a pretty good defense and South Carolina will score on them but not a lot. The difference here is South Carolina's very talented defensive line vs. Arkansas' offensive line. Clowney should be coming into his own by this game and the Gamecocks will be hungry to make a statement and keep their hat in the ring for the BCS title game. USC wins a very tight, and good football game.

Week 11: November 12th vs. Tennessee - The Vols always have an easy path in November, but not this year with this game right in the middle of it. Tennessee is young, but by this point in the year they should have the experience needed to win a game like this. But Arkansas has too many weapons and I'm not so sure UT's O-line will be able to hold off the Hog's D-line from pressuring Bray. At home, Arkansas wins to get back on track.

Week 12: November 19th vs. Mississippi State - MSU has beaten Arkansas only once in the last 12 years. One of the reasons is because this game is sandwiched between State's two biggest rivals in Alabama and Ole Miss. When you compound that by having to go to Little Rock it is really tough on the Bulldogs. Bobby Petrino should have his offense in full swing by this point of the season and they will be really tough to beat unless MSU's secondary can come up with some timely interceptions. With the game in Arkansas, I'm going with the Hogs.

Week 13: November 25th at LSU - This game is always a wild one. I'm glad this game moved back to the Friday after Thanksgiving, it is so entertaining...although the Iron Bowl was a suitable replacement. LSU's secondary should be in tip top shape by the time this game is played, which makes it very interesting against Arkansas' receivers. Surprisingly, Arkansas has won 3 of the last 4 games in this rivalry. Who knows what will happen, plain and simple. This game might end up being the dream matchup I had in mind for the Arkansas/Bama matchup as far as WR vs. DBs, I say that because I think Petrino will have found a running game by this point and LSU's secondary is second only to Alabama. I'm picking LSU at home.


JB