We're number 45

[PorcineSublime]

Not quite the same ring as we're number one,  but I guess it could be worse.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/3732190

[Swino]

And it only took us 8 years to get here!! YEH!!

[Anti-OtisII]

Sandwiched right between Kansas and Kansas State.  Now we're getting the respect we deserve.

[junkyardhog]

Pre season polls are worthless. If it is 1 or 101, it don't matter till the first game is won or lost.

[Sbrokeski]

I think it does matter if you're 1 or 101.  You always want to hear your team held up in the highest.  Obviously polls don't dictate what will transpire on the field however.

[hogsanity]

Pre season polls are worthless. If it is 1 or 101, it don't matter till the first game is won or lost.

I used to think that, but its wrong.  You think they dont matter?  Ask Auburn.  If they satrt the season ranked top 10 they probably play for the title.  They had to climb so far over so many teams they never quite got to the top. 

[GorillaJMonsoon]

.

[Turnberry]

Not quite the same ring as we're number one, but I guess it could be worse.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/3732190

Fox is wrong. Every preseason football publication in America is wrong.

We'll go 9-2, with a few breaks 10-1. We're going to surprise some people.  (SARCASM).

[LSUFan]

This year we play all of the heavy hitters at home, Ten, Fla, and Auburn. But I think the Rose Bowl is a stretch as we will still suffer at qb. But, defense does win championships.
Hopefully Arkansas will be undefeated when they visit Death Valley, it would make for an awesome game.
The sports writers are not fond of Miles, but he did beat OU twice.


2. LSU
There are only two things keeping the nation's most talented team from the top spot: uncertainty at quarterback, and new head coach Les Miles. Is Miles ready for prime time? He had moderate success at Oklahoma State, but he didn't set the world on fire. (Then again, the same could be said for Nick Saban when he was at Michigan State.) The assistants are there, like defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, to keep the same sort of butt-kicking fire there was under Saban, while Miles will have to prove early he can handle the pressure if the team isn't rocking and rolling. Second, will the three-way battle between JaMarcus Russell, Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux be settled enough by September 3rd that there won't be a controversy if the winner isn't razor sharp from day one? The situation is the difference between the Rose Bowl and not playing in the SEC title game.
Relative strength: Running back   Relative Weakness: Quarterback
Star of the team: DT Kyle Williams, Sr.    Key game: Oct. 22 vs. Auburn

[GorillaJMonsoon]

.

[Razorback Jedi]

Now this is something to get excited about. 45th, schweet!

[Razorback Jedi]

Now this is something to get excited about. 45th, schweet!

You are far too young to remember getting really excited about being rated #1...and how painful it was when we weren't even close!

You're right, I don't have memories of the "glory days".... But which is more painful; not being close to ranked #1 or being close to ranked #50?

[toshortrock]

well,,,where do u think we was suppose to be ranked at

[Razorback Jedi]

well,,,where do u think we was suppose to be ranked at

The only rankings I care about come out the 2nd week in October. Should we fail to be listed in said rankings, we can discuss at that point in time.

Pre-season rankings are so much more subjective and lopsided than the regular season rankings.

[Bomis Hawg]

Some computer does have Arkansas much, much higher, FWIW.  One was at 21, while I saw 3 or 4 others range from 30-35.

[junkyardhog]

While 21 is stretching it, until we win a few, I would agree with 35-45.

[WilsonHog]

Now this is something to get excited about. 45th, schweet!

You are far too young to remember getting really excited about being rated #1...and how painful it was when we weren't even close!

I remember it extremely well. Holtz, Calcagni, and either Cowins or Bobo were on the cover of Sports Illustrated's preseason college football issue.

Texas beat us 28-21 in Austin, a game decided in large part by a roughing the passer penalty against Dan Hampton in the fourth quarter.  Then the next week Bill Yeoman's Houston Cougars beat us 13-3. We ended the season with a 10-10 tie against UCLA in the Fiesta Bowl.

9-2-1, and the season was a total disaster.

[bigred7987]

even 2 years ago when we beat Texas and then Bama and one other and we vaulted up to #9 in the nation....we had an off week and proceeded to lose 2 outta the next 3.  Arkansas doesn't handle being the favorite too well.

[Macgyver_Hawg]

even 2 years ago when we beat Texas and then Bama and one other and we vaulted up to #9 in the nation....we had an off week and proceeded to lose 2 outta the next 3. Arkansas doesn't handle being the favorite too well.

That has to change.

[junkyardhog]

To be honest, I don't remember being good consistently. I was 7 when Lou Holtz took us to Orange, and while dad and the family sat around and yelled, I still don't really remember what all the fuss was about. I wish I knew now.

I remember the press being very good to us, especially when we lost 3 in a row a couple of years ago and still being ranked in the top 15.  It seems the press WANTED to give us credit, but every time they do, we burn their asses. Do you blame them?

[Biggus Piggus]

This year we play all of the heavy hitters at home, Ten, Fla, and Auburn. But I think the Rose Bowl is a stretch as we will still suffer at qb. But, defense does win championships.
Hopefully Arkansas will be undefeated when they visit Death Valley, it would make for an awesome game.
The sports writers are not fond of Miles, but he did beat OU twice.


2. LSU
There are only two things keeping the nation's most talented team from the top spot: uncertainty at quarterback, and new head coach Les Miles. Is Miles ready for prime time? He had moderate success at Oklahoma State, but he didn't set the world on fire. (Then again, the same could be said for Nick Saban when he was at Michigan State.) The assistants are there, like defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, to keep the same sort of butt-kicking fire there was under Saban, while Miles will have to prove early he can handle the pressure if the team isn't rocking and rolling. Second, will the three-way battle between JaMarcus Russell, Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux be settled enough by September 3rd that there won't be a controversy if the winner isn't razor sharp from day one? The situation is the difference between the Rose Bowl and not playing in the SEC title game.
Relative strength: Running back Relative Weakness: Quarterback
Star of the team: DT Kyle Williams, Sr. Key game: Oct. 22 vs. Auburn

Um, how many teams with a weakness at QB finish in the top five?

[Hoggysoprano]

No one talks about this being a good place for the Hogs to start. No one talks about the underdog factor that the Arkansas Razorback program has always used to it's ability. No one talks about all those years when we were ranked higher in the pre-season and ALWAYS went backwards. Remember when Sports Illustrated picked us a preseason #1? How many of you remember how painfully disappointing that year was when we started with a thumping from the University of Texas (and capped by a lackluster tie against UCLA in the Fiesta Bowl).

When the Hogs get their props in a pre-season football poll...we always disappoint. When we are over looked, we always surprise everyone. The funny thing about that last statement is the fact that we always seem to surpirse our own fans more than others...like it is the first time the Hogs came out of nowhere to have a successful season?!?!

Number 45 is a good place to start?  Do you know why Auburn didn't get into the championship game last year? It was because they "started in a good place".  If we go 9-2 we will be lucky to hit the top 20 starting out at number 45.  Of course I don't think we will go 9-2 and I don't think we will rise above number 40.

[Hoggysoprano]

#45 DOESN'T EXACTLY DO IT FOR ME, LA Tech does the best it can. I guess HDN is the BEST we can do? and WE SHOULDN'T COMPLAIN!

It doesn't for me either Ray, of course you have to know a little about the polls and how these things work to realize why it's not a good thing.  Jeez, some people can't see anything.

[junkyardhog]

skip, forgive me for being informal, but don't you think if we were to beat USC, that the preseason poll would be rendered useless? A little different from Auburn's situation if we were to beat USC.  I think that would catapult us to the top 10, quickly. Not saying we will beat them, just saying, "what if".

[LSUFan]

This year we play all of the heavy hitters at home, Ten, Fla, and Auburn. But I think the Rose Bowl is a stretch as we will still suffer at qb. But, defense does win championships.
Hopefully Arkansas will be undefeated when they visit Death Valley, it would make for an awesome game.
The sports writers are not fond of Miles, but he did beat OU twice.


2. LSU
There are only two things keeping the nation's most talented team from the top spot: uncertainty at quarterback, and new head coach Les Miles. Is Miles ready for prime time? He had moderate success at Oklahoma State, but he didn't set the world on fire. (Then again, the same could be said for Nick Saban when he was at Michigan State.) The assistants are there, like defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, to keep the same sort of butt-kicking fire there was under Saban, while Miles will have to prove early he can handle the pressure if the team isn't rocking and rolling. Second, will the three-way battle between JaMarcus Russell, Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux be settled enough by September 3rd that there won't be a controversy if the winner isn't razor sharp from day one? The situation is the difference between the Rose Bowl and not playing in the SEC title game.
Relative strength: Running back Relative Weakness: Quarterback
Star of the team: DT Kyle Williams, Sr. Key game: Oct. 22 vs. Auburn

Um, how many teams with a weakness at QB finish in the top five?

The qb is unproven, not weak. But, I suspect LSU will not be in the top 5 at the end of the year.

[Hoggysoprano]

skip, forgive me for being informal, but don't you think if we were to beat USC, that the preseason poll would be rendered useless? A little different from Auburn's situation if we were to beat USC. I think that would catapult us to the top 10, quickly. Not saying we will beat them, just saying, "what if".

Why don't you ask Tommy Tuberville that question? If we beat USC, and won all our games we would not bet into the championship game starting from such a low rank as 45. Of course we don't have to worry about any of that happening.

[JJHog]

#45 DOESN'T EXACTLY DO IT FOR ME, LA Tech does the best it can. I guess HDN is the BEST we can do? and WE SHOULDN'T COMPLAIN!

no, but complaniing too much, gets old.

[Hoggysoprano]

#45 DOESN'T EXACTLY DO IT FOR ME, LA Tech does the best it can. I guess HDN is the BEST we can do? and WE SHOULDN'T COMPLAIN!

no, but complaniing too much, gets old.

Being so overly optimistic that you look foolish gets old also.

[Sig Pooey]

Now this is something to get excited about. 45th, schweet!

You are far too young to remember getting really excited about being rated #1...and how painful it was when we weren't even close!

If we were basing this on age....you would get three votes!

[JJHog]

#45 DOESN'T EXACTLY DO IT FOR ME, LA Tech does the best it can. I guess HDN is the BEST we can do? and WE SHOULDN'T COMPLAIN!

no, but complaniing too much, gets old.

Being so overly optimistic that you look foolish gets old also.

I am not overly optimistic, but I don't go around saying we suck all the time either.

[Hoggysoprano]

#45 DOESN'T EXACTLY DO IT FOR ME, LA Tech does the best it can. I guess HDN is the BEST we can do? and WE SHOULDN'T COMPLAIN!

no, but complaniing too much, gets old.

Being so overly optimistic that you look foolish gets old also.

I am not overly optimistic, but I don't go around saying we suck all the time either.

I didn't say you, but I guess the shoe fits.

[Turnberry]

#45 DOESN'T EXACTLY DO IT FOR ME, LA Tech does the best it can. I guess HDN is the BEST we can do? and WE SHOULDN'T COMPLAIN!

no, but complaniing too much, gets old.

Being so overly optimistic that you look foolish gets old also.

I am not overly optimistic, but I don't go around saying we suck all the time either.

I didn't say you, but I guess the shoe fits.

I'll stop complaining when we stop sucking.