Interesting take from Aggieland

[Biggus Piggus]

http://www.theeagle.com/aggie_sports/football/cessna-razorbacks-hunger-level-could-determine-southwest-classic-winner/article_2400f4c2-2e5a-5bd8-bdfd-e197e80ac212.html

Texas A&M should beat Arkansas. The Aggies are clearly the better team. Arkansas' lone advantage seems to be that it's due to win one of these Southeast Classics, and that just might be enough.

[FraggleHog]

Haha... sounds like this guy pretty much knows it all.../s

[DeltaBoy]

He is at least realistic.

[DLUXHOG]

He is at least realistic.

or.... maybe fantasy.............

[HogsonHicks]

I stopped reading at the "...A&M is clearly the better team" crap. 

[AugustaHog]

Yeah I'm not going to get too caught up in his facts.  We had a couple 5 stars at least in Alex Collins (on 247, I believe) and Agim who was a consensus 5 star.  If it was all about recruiting rankings, we would've lost to UT, OM, LSU, and would've been smoked by TAMU every year.  They have some studs, but so do we.  Our OL is better than theirs, our WRs are comparable to theirs (they get the edge but its not some huge disparity), and I think our QB is better.  We haven't asked AA to do too much yet (outside of the 4th qtr.), but he is more than capable of carrying this team.  Trevor Knight is a good QB, but he has not consistently shown the Sugar Bowl form.  He has accuracy issues which could come into play if we can pressure him.  When our OL comes around, nobody will want any part of this team.  Hopefully, that time is now.

[JaketheSnake]

Poorly written.  + stupid. 

[a0ashle]

They may have beat us last year, but could we have come into that game reeling anymore than we did and we still went to OT? Toledo then Tech. This team is going to Dallas in a much better place mentally, and that should scare the Aggies.

[bphi11ips]

They may have beat us last year, but could we have come into that game reeling anymore than we did and we still went to OT? Toledo then Tech. This team is going to Dallas in a much better place mentally, and that should scare the Aggies.

Aggies scare.  Like a deathrow inmate the night before execution.

[rljjr]

Southeast Classics ... sigh.

[phadedhawg]

You win 4 in a row, you earn the right to be confident.

I think ATM is better team but that really doesn't mean much after kickoff.  It will be settled on the field.

[Biggus Piggus]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2664756-bleacher-reports-expert-college-football-predictions-for-week-4/page/6

Here is another "fun" piece from the Bleacher Report sacks of crap.

Barrett Sallee: "Texas A&M's defense will expose Arkansas, make a statement to the college football world and establish the Aggies as a true contender in the SEC West."

Six out of six of 'em pick the Aggies.

[ChitownHawg]

I stopped reading at the "...A&M is clearly the better team" crap.

I stopped when he said their defense did well against us last year. Yep, before I offense started clicking.

Then he said our defense is our strength this year? I don't see that. Does anyone else?

[King Kong]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2664756-bleacher-reports-expert-college-football-predictions-for-week-4/page/6

Here is another "fun" piece from the Bleacher Report sacks of crap.

Barrett Sallee: "Texas A&M's defense will expose Arkansas, make a statement to the college football world and establish the Aggies as a true contender in the SEC West."

Six out of six of 'em pick the Aggies.

Our 3-0 start has Barrett alittle nervous about him picking us last in the west

[lahawg1]

I really don't think their receivers have an advantage over ours. They are fast but I really think we have better possession guys, speed is great but if they are not catching the ball it ain't doing a bit of good.

Just get it in the vicinity of Morgan, Sprinkles, or Hatcher and see what happens.

[WizardofhOgZ]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2664756-bleacher-reports-expert-college-football-predictions-for-week-4/page/6

Here is another "fun" piece from the Bleacher Report sacks of crap.

Barrett Sallee: "Texas A&M's defense will expose Arkansas, make a statement to the college football world and establish the Aggies as a true contender in the SEC West."

Six out of six of 'em pick the Aggies.

Interesting because Salee - unlike many of the "journalists" found at Bleacher Report - is a legit writer who has been around for a while (he was at collegefootballnews.com when it was part of Scout, for at least 2 or 3 years).  In my experience reading him, he usually has a pretty good pulse on Arkansas and often gives us credit when most other "National" writers do not. 

Not saying he is correct; just that he's not a guy whose opinion I'd just toss away.  He's earned my respect over the years.

But the reality is that in a game between two pretty closely matched teams, opinions are going to be all over the place, by legit observers and knuckleheads alike.  In truth, no one knows what will happen.  That's why they're so much damn fun to watch them.

[popcornhog]

I really don't think their receivers have and advantage over ours. They are fast but I really think we have better possession guys, speed is great but if they are not catching the ball it ain't doing a bit of good.

Just get it in the vicinity of Morgan, Sprinkles, or Hatcher and see what happens.

Mmmmmm, sprinkles.

[Iwastherein1969]

Austin Allen giving the pre-game 'talk'em up' to the frothing Hogs just before taking the field         

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bba5kjtZB9Q

[Pigsknuckles]

Fair article. If you were paying attention, there was a good measure of respect for what we have accomplished. Dizzy Dean once said that "if you can do it, it ain't braggin". Until we turn the trend around, we're just whining. They will not take this game for granted. It's a trap game for them. Time to "Seize the Day" (Carpe diem).

[kkbrody]

Here is another piece by the same writer mentioned by op, in case you need to know his Razorback prognostication skills. We have really missed Chaney. /s

http://www.theeagle.com/aggie_sports/blogs/aggiesports/hill-had-to-go-arkansas-suffers-huge-loss-with-chaney/article_83b5c00e-9a27-11e4-b7cd-2bece42d1b26.html

[lahawg1]

Here is another piece by the same writer mentioned by op, in case you need to know his Razorback prognostication skills. We have really missed Chaney. /s

http://www.theeagle.com/aggie_sports/blogs/aggiesports/hill-had-to-go-arkansas-suffers-huge-loss-with-chaney/article_83b5c00e-9a27-11e4-b7cd-2bece42d1b26.html

He is a real fart smeller that guy

[Justagp]

Fair article. If you were paying attention, there was a good measure of respect for what we have accomplished. Dizzy Dean once said that "if you can do it, it ain't braggin". Until we turn the trend around, we're just whining. They will not take this game for granted. It's a trap game for them. Time to "Seize the Day" (Carpe diem).

Amen  :razorback: :razorback: :razorback:

[lefty08]

Good God I need to start a blog


That was the dumbest thing I've read in weeks

[duckman]

Dumb....

Ask Florida State what recruiting rankings mean after last weekend....

[Theolesnort]

 The best team in Texas is TCU and by a decent margin. So draw some new conclusions Aggie beat writers.

[Peter Porker]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2664756-bleacher-reports-expert-college-football-predictions-for-week-4/page/6

Here is another "fun" piece from the Bleacher Report sacks of crap.

Barrett Sallee: "Texas A&M's defense will expose Arkansas, make a statement to the college football world and establish the Aggies as a true contender in the SEC West."

Six out of six of 'em pick the Aggies.

Auburn grad hates Arkansas is better than his team.

[farmhawg]

Mmmmmm, sprinkles.

[farmhawg]

The best team in Texas is TCU and by a decent margin. So draw some new conclusions Aggie beat writers.

Lets hope they start playing against smu, I would feel better.

[5HOG5]

Hahaha, sounds like the same ole BS story you heard out of austin just before Arkansas came into there back yard and stomped a mudhole in there azz! Get tired of hearing all this hype about how good A&M is and how they will beat Bama and so on and so on! They always seem to fall apart sometime during the season when someone beats there azz.. Why not start early! GO HOGS!

[98hogs]

If their QB was so great why did he leave OU ?  Sack em Hogs!!!!

[HogMantheIntruder]

One more year removed from John L. Smith. Advantage- Hogs.

[hawginbigd1]

Lets hope they start playing against smu, I would feel better.

I think SMU is pretty good in their top 20 or so players, after they get worn down then it is all over.

[FreshHog]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2664756-bleacher-reports-expert-college-football-predictions-for-week-4/page/6

Here is another "fun" piece from the Bleacher Report sacks of crap.

Barrett Sallee: "Texas A&M's defense will expose Arkansas, make a statement to the college football world and establish the Aggies as a true contender in the SEC West."

Six out of six of 'em pick the Aggies.

Sallee is as big of a hack as Herbstreit and company. 

When Arkansas wins they'll all be saying how aTm is horrible, and that they blew the game, not that arkansas won it. In typical hog fashion.

[Sulla]

When Arkansas wins they'll all be saying how aTm is horrible, and that they blew the game, not that arkansas won it. In typical hog fashion.

Haven't Hog fans said much the same thing about the last 2 games?

[Locutus_of_Boar]

He is at least realistic.

"Most of us figured A&M would win this one before the season started, and that's still the case, probably more so. A&M's defense is better in the second year under coordinator John Chavis..."

Let's see now, this is the same John Chavis who's 1998 Tennessee team would have been denied the national championship if Arkansas hadn't literally dropped the ball.  The same team that failed to defend that championship against the Hogs the following year.  Or the Vol defense that gave up God only knows how many yards to the Wild Hog offense n 2006 with Gameday looking on?  The same Chavis who's LSU defense couldn't field a prevent defense with an 80 yard cushion to run out the half in 2010?  The same LSU that barely survived the last game of the John L Smith Error, or needed a 99 yard TD drive with a minute left to come from behind against Bielema's first team the next year?  The same highly ranked LSU who was shut out in 2014, his last year on the Bayou?  The same defensive coordinator now at A&M in 2015 who needed a penalty negated score and overtime to survive a year ago?

The author is correct that the vast majority of Chavis defenses to face Arkansas offenses had arguably superior talent.  That his teams lost or had to hang on numerous times makes a powerful argument that good coaches and even some not so good coaches knew how to exploit weaknesses in his game.  John Chavis is probably the most overrated DC in the SEC, a conference where everyone tries to overrate their DCs.  Looked at closely his success at Tennessee and LSU is based more on those teams' offenses ability to control time of possession, something that is not going to transplant very well to College Station. 

Arkansas has won 10 of 12 games since these teams last met losing only to the national champions and because of a blocked FG.  That result is not the consequence of superior talent but hard won confidence through years of trial by fire combined with some steadily improving assistant coaches.  It's not hard at all to see a repeated pattern for Bielema coached teams to get progressively stronger as the year advances and that Sumlin coached teams do the opposite.  It's that confidence not vengeance that Arkansas' will to win is based on combined with the fact that Chavis has to deal with two very good offensive coordinators working against him that will offset his one trick pony DE's talent advantage over Arkansas' limited experience in the offensive line.

A&M might win today but Arkansas' lack of will has no part in it should this come to pass.  It comes right back to what it was 17 years ago:  Will Arkansas drop the ball?  That is the only way A&M survives tonight in Jerry World.

[Sulla]

Man, I'm excited for this game.

I don't know who's gonna win, but I do hope that if the Hogs beat us, they do it in regulation.  Don't think I can endure another OT game against y'all.

My feeling is that for A&M it'll come down to one thing, and that's how consistent Knight proves to be throughout the game.  If he's accurate, and steps up in the pocket more than he retreats, I feel great about our chances.  If not, we could be in for a rough outing.

I expect the defense to have a better showing than they've had the last two years, simply because we have a couple of functional linebackers this season.

But my expectations are wrong as often as they're right, so we'll see.

I'm just glad this game in Jerryworld is pitting two undefeated, ranked teams. 

[Sulla]

A&M might win today but Arkansas' lack of will has no part in it should this come to pass.  It comes right back to what it was 17 years ago:  Will Arkansas drop the ball?  That is the only way A&M survives tonight in Jerry World.

Perfect timing! I was just responding to a Hog fan who bemoaned that if Arkansas won, it would be characterized as "A&M beat themselves."

And here you are guaranteeing that the only way A&M wins is for Arkansas to give the game away.