SDS predicts 9-3

[ricepig]

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/arkansas-football/sds-crystal-ball-predicting-every-game-arkansas-2017/

[Razorbackers]

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/arkansas-football/sds-crystal-ball-predicting-every-game-arkansas-2017/

Flip Auburn and Ole Miss and you have my optimistic prediction as well.

My actual prediction is that we also lose to one of the Texas schools.

My pessimistic prediction is 7 wins again lol.

[Al Boarland]

That would be cool.

[hawganatic]

Flip Auburn and Ole Miss and you have my optimistic prediction as well.

Pretty much my thoughts.  No way we lose to Ole Miss this year, and I think Auburn with their new QB is going to be pretty salty.

Probable wins:  Three directional schools and TCU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Missouri
Probable losses:  Alabama, LSU, Auburn
Toss ups:  A&M

[bennyl08]

Pretty much my thoughts.  No way we lose to Ole Miss this year, and I think Auburn with their new QB is going to be pretty salty.

Probable wins:  Three directional schools and TCU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Missouri
Probable losses:  Alabama, LSU, Auburn
Toss ups:  A&M

I'dd move LSU, Auburn, and Missouri to the toss up column.

Mizzou had one of the top offenses in the conference last season and return basically everybody from that offense. LSU and Auburn we've been 50/50 against in recent times. I believe last year's auburn game was a statistical fluke.

Splitting the toss up games winning 2 and losing 2, would put us right at 9-3 which is what I've been predicting since last year.

[HF#1]

I do not think we beat Auburn or A&M.

[phadedhawg]

"I'll have what they're having..."

[bphi11ips]

Going to Tuscaloosa 5-0 would be sweet.

[fullfan]

8-4.  Lose to Bama, Aub, lsu, tcu.

[Inhogswetrust]

Going to Tuscaloosa 5-0 would be sweet.

Coming out of there 6-0 would be even sweeter!

[cosmodrum]

Losses to Bama, auburn, lsu, TCU, MSU, Mizzou, Aggies

Might beat Mizzou and get to a bowl. Might be suprised and beat TCU or the Aggies for a better bowl.

[RazorWest]

I'dd move LSU, Auburn, and Missouri to the toss up column.

Mizzou had one of the top offenses in the conference last season and return basically everybody from that offense. LSU and Auburn we've been 50/50 against in recent times. I believe last year's auburn game was a statistical fluke.

Splitting the toss up games winning 2 and losing 2, would put us right at 9-3 which is what I've been predicting since last year.

Maybe, I know that Gus has been there four years and we have only beat them once in that time frame and pretty sure it went to at least one overtime.  Maybe I'm misremembering but it was close

[RazorPiggie]

I'll take it.

[bosshog84]

Maybe, I know that Gus has been there four years and we have only beat them once in that time frame and pretty sure it went to at least one overtime.  Maybe I'm misremembering but it was close

It went to 4 overtimes

[King Kong]

It went to 4 overtimes

Should have been ended in 4th but I still don't know how they didn't run that a fumble

That BA to Sprinkle 2pt OT was amazing

[GuvHog]

Pretty much my thoughts.  No way we lose to Ole Miss this year, and I think Auburn with their new QB is going to be pretty salty.

Probable wins:  Three directional schools and TCU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Missouri
Probable losses:  Alabama, LSU, Auburn
Toss ups:  A&M

I agree, there is no way the Hogs lose in Oxford this year.

Auburn's QB could be salty IF he makes it that far. He had a history of injuries which is why he didn't play a lot at Baylor.

[bennyl08]

Maybe, I know that Gus has been there four years and we have only beat them once in that time frame and pretty sure it went to at least one overtime.  Maybe I'm misremembering but it was close

We are 5-5 the past 10 years. 4-4 the past 8 years. 3-3 the past 6 years. 2-3 the past 5 years.

I'd say that's pretty much the definition of being 50/50 with them. Gus has been there for almost the entire past decade. Maybe there were 3 years he wasn't.

[GoHogzzGo]

Would absolutely take that.

[Vantage 8 dude]

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/arkansas-football/sds-crystal-ball-predicting-every-game-arkansas-2017/

I think most of us would be very pleased with that final record. However, I do think that TCU will be a VERY difficult game; they appear to be MUCH better on both sides of the ball this year. And while Ole Miss COULD be a "trap game" depending on how they respond to Luke and the overall mess surround thing program, we SHOULD beat those clowns. We obviously need to finally "finish the deal" with TAM to have a chance to get started on the right foot within the conference.

One last thing: the word out of Missouri is that the Tigers will have offense firepower out the "wazoo". At the same time, there seems to be some concern that overall the defense, especially the ends, may not be quite up to the standards they've had most recent years.

[AugustaHog]

I'd love 9-3.  Losing to OM would be a little bitter, but wins over TAMU and AU, which haven't come real frequently, would be very sweet.  I expect OM to look very much like we did under Smiley.  They are going to champion the whole fight together, screw everybody who doubts us mantra.  That's fine and dandy until you get punched in the mouth.  By mid-October, all the staff members are going to be dusting off resumes and the rats will be jumping ship.  This could be made even more interesting if the NCAA comes out with findings and adds more to what they have self-imposed.  If there is a scenario where OM is ineligible for post-season in '17 and '18, you will see just how many kids are going to stay on that sinking ship.

[Youngsta71701]

9-3, I'll take it.

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/arkansas-football/sds-crystal-ball-predicting-every-game-arkansas-2017/

I'm with ya. We lose to Auburn then beat Ole Miss.

[Sed76]

Hopefully they are right. If we manage to beat TCU and A&M it should be a really good year. Drop both of those and it's another lower tier bowl.

[RazorWest]

We are 5-5 the past 10 years. 4-4 the past 8 years. 3-3 the past 6 years. 2-3 the past 5 years.

I'd say that's pretty much the definition of being 50/50 with them. Gus has been there for almost the entire past decade. Maybe there were 3 years he wasn't.

sure 50/50 over  10 years, but 25% over the last four.  We are 1-3 CBB vs. CM and that win was Arkansas' best team under CBB and Auburn's worst team under CM at home and it went to four overtimes.  Auburn in the last four years has gone to the Natty and the Sugar.  I agree that traditionally Arkansas is pretty comparable with Auburn, but Lately that trend hasn't been the case 

[GuvHog]

sure 50/50 over  10 years, but 25% over the last four.  We are 1-3 CBB vs. CM and that win was Arkansas' best team under CBB and Auburn's worst team under CM at home and it went to four overtimes.  Auburn in the last four years has gone to the Natty and the Sugar.  I agree that traditionally Arkansas is pretty comparable with Auburn, but Lately that trend hasn't been the case 

When was the last time Auburn played in the National Championship game??

[younghog]

I love it..

I would put us at 10-2 as I don't see us losing to Ole MISS

GO HOGS

[Tusks]

Lose to Bama & LSU.

Barners a toss up.

[GoHogs1091]

8-4.  Lose to Bama, Aub, lsu, tcu.

So, in other words we lose to the 4 only good teams we play this season?

Just keep in mind that since Coach Bielema has been here he has usually had 1 perplexing loss per season.  That means we should be concerned about possibly losing to either South Carolina or losing to Missouri.

[RazorWest]

When was the last time Auburn played in the National Championship game??

wasn't it 2013?

[Dominicanhog]

L's... A&M, USCe,  Bama, LSU,. Toss up AU... 7-5/8-4...

[Deep Shoat]

Why in the Wide, Wide World of Sports is anyone picking USCe to beat us?  Good gravy, they are coached by Will MUSCHAMP?!?!

[Al Boarland]

Lose to Bama & LSU.

Barners a toss up.

This logic is truly baffling.

[Tusks]

This logic is truly baffling.

You sound like my xwife.

[GoHogs1091]

I agree, there is no way the Hogs lose in Oxford this year.

Auburn's QB could be salty IF he makes it that far. He had a history of injuries which is why he didn't play a lot at Baylor.

You bring up an interesting point that could affect how Auburn does during conference play.

Stidham will get tested in week 2 in Clemson, SC.  The Defensive Line Stidham will be facing in Clemson is no joke.

[Al Boarland]

You sound like my xwife.

Sounds like a smart lady.

[Al Boarland]

You bring up an interesting point that could affect how Auburn does during conference play.

Stidham will get tested in week 2 in Clemson, SC.  The Defensive Line Stidham will be facing in Clemson is no joke.

I'm not up to speed on this kid's history with injuries. Didn't he just get injured once?

[Youngsta71701]

Hopefully they are right. If we manage to beat TCU and A&M it should be a really good year. Drop both of those and it's another lower tier bowl.

What if we split those two?

[bphi11ips]

Why in the Wide, Wide World of Sports is anyone picking USCe to beat us?  Good gravy, they are coached by Will MUSCHAMP?!?!

Not sure if you're serious or not, but SC may be pretty good this year. The Hogs are 5-8 in Columbia. Not bad by SEC road game standards, but it's still a road game.

Did you read the anonymous SEC coaches' comments posted recently?  Seems to be a consensus that SC may have its best offense since Connor Shaw.  And then you have to deal with a Muschamp defense.

One thing that could help the Hogs is the schedule. SC gets North Carolina State, La Tech and Kentucky at home and Missouri and A&M on the road before playing the Hogs with no Saturdays off. The Gamecocks are in College Station the week before us. Arkansas is at home against New Mexico State the week before traveling to Columbia for its first true partisan road game of the year. Plus they get 10 days off between a cupcake opener and two weeks between TCU and A&M. So hopefully the Hogs will have fresh legs and South Carolina could reeling by then. Or we could be reeling. Or on a roll. Or we both could be on a roll. This is an unpredictable year on this end. 

[Sed76]

What if we split those two?

Guess it depends on how that loss goes. If they find a way to lose to A&M yet again after coach talking about them really looking forward to that game I can see it being tough to recover from. Now if they lose a close one to TCU and thump A&M that would still do wonders for confidence. It's August, so it's all just speculation right now.

[GoHogs1091]

I'm not up to speed on this kid's history with injuries. Didn't he just get injured once?

It seems like he got injured more than once at Baylor, but it may have been only once, with that one time being a major injury that made him miss a lot of games.

Stidham and Auburn's OL better play at an extreme high level in week 2 in Clemson.  Clemson's probable two starting Defensive Tackles are probable future NFL 1st Round draft picks, and their probable two starting Defensive Ends are at worst future NFL 2nd Round draft picks.

[Al Boarland]

It seems like he got injured more than once at Baylor, but it may have been only once, with that one time being a major injury that made him miss a lot of games.

Stidham and Auburn's OL better play at an extreme high level in week 2 in Clemson.  Clemson's probable two starting Defensive Tackles are probable future NFL 1st Round draft picks, and their probable two starting Defensive Ends are at worst future NFL 2nd Round draft picks.

No doubt about it. I think I recall seeing their o-line being ranked pretty high by both Phil Steele and Cole Cubelic.

Edit: Found it. #3 in the SEC whatever that is worth.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-football/breakdown-phil-steeles-2017-sec-positional-unit-rankings/amp/

[Youngsta71701]

Guess it depends on how that loss goes. If they find a way to lose to A&M yet again after coach talking about them really looking forward to that game I can see it being tough to recover from. Now if they lose a close one to TCU and thump A&M that would still do wonders for confidence. It's August, so it's all just speculation right now.

True, I just love hearing opinions. I think if we beat TCU and lose to Texas A&M we go 8-4, 4-4. Not a bad year but I think we all are hoping for more.

[DLUXHOG]

Hopefully they are right. If we manage to beat TCU and A&M it should be a really good year. Drop both of those and it's another lower tier bowl.

TCU is a home game.....  I would be shocked if we don't win big.... WPS!!!

[davglo35]

TCU will come to Fayetteville with revenge on their minds. We lost most of our production at receiver. The defense absolutely choked against lesser opponents the last 2 games of the season. New coordinator may help. Offensive line must be improved, much improved. We lost RW3.
After those 2 major choke jobs last year I just can't drink the koolaid. 6-6
maybe 7-6 if we are lucky.
I have never been a critic of CBB nor have I been a supporter. Just a wait and see attitude. I always have loved the hogs. (Since 69) and I get butterflies on game day but I just can't see 9-3 happening.

[MJ2]

9-3 would be worth....about $4M per year.

[DLUXHOG]

TCU will come to Fayetteville with revenge on their minds. We lost most of our production at receiver. The defense absolutely choked against lesser opponents the last 2 games of the season. New coordinator may help. Offensive line must be improved, much improved. We lost RW3.
After those 2 major choke jobs last year I just can't drink the koolaid. 6-6
maybe 7-6 if we are lucky.
I have never been a critic of CBB nor have I been a supporter. Just a wait and see attitude. I always have loved the hogs. (Since 69) and I get butterflies on game day but I just can't see 9-3 happening.

The last time we played TCU in Fayetteville, the Hogs beat TCU 53-10....  Hogs historical record is 43-23-2 (64.7% winning record over TCU)..   Hogs should win handily....

[cosmodrum]

The last time we played TCU in Fayetteville, the Hogs beat TCU 53-10....  Hogs historical record is 43-23-2 (64.7% winning record over TCU)..   Hogs should win handily....

Games that happened decades ago have zilch to do with 2017.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I agree, there is no way the Hogs lose in Oxford this year.

Auburn's QB could be salty IF he makes it that far. He had a history of injuries which is why he didn't play a lot at Baylor.

Here's the deal, Stidham would have only seen the field sparingly his freshman year at Baylor had the starter, Seth Russell, not broken a bone in his neck against Iowa State that year. Stidham started 3 games (2-1) and sustained a broken ankle against Oklahoma State. According to reports, by the time he takes the field against Georgia Southern, it will have been 644 days since he appeared in a game. The broken ankle was apparently severe enough that the year that he attended McClennan CC (TX), he didn't participate in football. To Guv's point about him being injury prone, he did sustain a back injury during one of this 3 starts his freshman year in a game against Oklahoma.

http://stats.ncaa.org/player/index?id=12240&org_id=51&stats_player_seq=1715917.0&year_stat_category_id=10821

Fluke? Or injury prone? I guess we will see. I have a hard time anointing any QB as one of the best in the SEC before he has taken a single snap in the conference and especially one that hasn't seen game action in over 600 days. Georgia Southern may be a nice warm up, but the Clemson defense (game #2) is likely to feel like an ice cold slap in the face.

[DLUXHOG]

Games that happened decades ago have zilch to do with 2017.

"history tends to repeat itself"....

[daBoar]

.......I have a hard time anointing any QB as one of the best in the SEC before he has taken a single snap in the conference and especially one that hasn't seen game action in over 600 days.

I think this is a "what-if" thing.  Folks in the SEC still remember the stomping that Aubie gave our Hogs last year....and, they think "oh boy", what would they have done with a more mobile QB".  As I was sitting on the 30 yard line last year, I'm saying oh boy too. If Stidham's foot has healed, that 4.4. speed will be tough on our Hogs in Fayetteville.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I think this is a "what-if" thing.  Folks in the SEC still remember the stomping that Aubie gave our Hogs last year....and, they think "oh boy", what would they have done with a more mobile QB".  As I was sitting on the 30 yard line last year, I'm saying oh boy too. If Stidham's foot has healed, that 4.4. speed will be tough on our Hogs in Fayetteville.

He's not a running QB, at least he wasn't at Baylor when he was healthy. 36 attempts, 70 net yards, 1.94 YPC. Longest carry: 63 yards.

I'm more concerned with their offensive line and bringing back all but 28 of their rushing yards from last year as well as 68% of their WR receptions, 67% of their receiving yards and 70% of their receiving TD's.