Can Arkansas's have a true SEC rival

[mizzouman]

I rivalry, in my opinion, must contain the following:  1) schools must be in close proximity, 2) must play every year, 3) the w/l record should be close to being the same, 4) the game must be equally important to both teams, including fanbase, regardless of current record and lastly, 5) longevity.

Now, it would help if both teams were top 25 caliber or at least of them.  That just makes it mean much more.  But this isn't a requirement.

Now, does Arkansas have any of that now?  NO.  You have think Duke/NC; Mich/MSU; Auburn/Bama; USC/UCLA; Mizzou/ku from my experience.

So, what team meets these criteria for Arkansas now?  Honestly, I don't know why Arkansas didn't play the Ole Miss rivalry card when they joined the SEC.  That would have been a great one but for some reason it never materialized. 

[Hogwild]

Missouri will be a rival before LSU. I am talking in the spirit of both schools rivalary. LSU never considered us a match. They always look at Alabama and Florida.

Very true, when the local paper did an oline poll, who is LSU biggest rival, we weren't even listed as one of the choices- The poll listed A&M, Bama, Florida, Ole Miss, and Tulane as the five choices.  Ole Miss and Bama were the top two vote getters.

[DoctorSusscrofa]

I rivalry, in my opinion, must contain the following:  1) schools must be in close proximity, 2) must play every year, 3) the w/l record should be close to being the same, 4) the game must be equally important to both teams, including fanbase, regardless of current record and lastly, 5) longevity.

Now, it would help if both teams were top 25 caliber or at least of them.  That just makes it mean much more.  But this isn't a requirement.

Now, does Arkansas have any of that now?  NO.  You have think Duke/NC; Mich/MSU; Auburn/Bama; USC/UCLA; Mizzou/ku from my experience.

So, what team meets these criteria for Arkansas now?  Honestly, I don't know why Arkansas didn't play the Ole Miss rivalry card when they joined the SEC.  That would have been a great one but for some reason it never materialized.

Ole Miss already had the Egg Bowl on rivalry weekend, so we'd have been that other rivalry not on rivalry weekend.

[nwahogfan1]

Posted in past about Arkansas's football rival(s) and I will always say Texas was our one true rival. But if I use definition of a rival that was posted many times on here then after 76 years in SWC we never had a true rival. After 25 in SEC we still don't have a rival. By definition our rival could have been South Carolina but geographically it never worked out. Now we are trying to push Missouri as the rival. Maybe over time but I'm not buying in yet. So I say Texas A&M should and could fill the bill. We both lost the burnt orange to hate and we have played each other 73 times in the past.  I say move that game to Thanksgiving............ 

Texas in my opinion was maybe our rival because we hated them but we were definitely not Texas Rival.  They beat us so much and many times so easily that we were never a true rival in the eyes of Texas fans.   Texas rivals back then were OU and A$M.  Texas was hated by our fans because they beat us so much and our fans hated them.   So that is the key.  WINNING!  If we start winning more SEC games then fans will begin to hate us and to fear us then a rivalry will come. 

We start winning and our opponents emotions to want to beat us will come.  Right now we do not beat any SEC team enough to drive up that hate by their fans so no rivalry is made.

It is simple.  Beat teams consistently and fans will hate you and so a heated rivalry is made.

If we want Missouri to hate us and to get a rivalry to begin then we need to start beating them enough to drive up hatred by their fans.  Right now I bet most Missouri fans do not fear us and expect to beat us almost every year so they have no reason to hate us.   

Win baby and we will develop lots of rivals.

[NuttinItUp]

Iowa - Iowa state
North Carolina- Duke
Virginia- Va Tech
South car. - Clemson
Ole miss - Miss state
Florida - Florida state
Oklahoma - ok state
Arkansas - _f_ill__in_blank___


Maybe we are all just too hard headed to face reality.

Are you implying that rivalries have to be in-state?

There are plenty that are not.

Michigan-Ohio State
Florida-Georgia
Kansas-Missouri
Army-Navy (ok, that is cheating a bit)
North Carolina-Virginia
Texas-OU

[hogcard1964]

It's LSU

[DeltaBoy]

Posted in past about Arkansas's football rival(s) and I will always say Texas was our one true rival. But if I use definition of a rival that was posted many times on here then after 76 years in SWC we never had a true rival. After 25 in SEC we still don't have a rival. By definition our rival could have been South Carolina but geographically it never worked out. Now we are trying to push Missouri as the rival. Maybe over time but I'm not buying in yet. So I say Texas A&M should and could fill the bill. We both lost the burnt orange to hate and we have played each other 73 times in the past.  I say move that game to Thanksgiving............ 

LSU is our Rival , I hate LSWHO!  The Zoo is just a pest.

[mizzouman]

LSU is our Rival , I hate LSWHO!  The Zoo is just a pest.

I don't think LSU fan cares.  The interest has to be mutual.

[parallaxpig]

I don't get this obsession with having a "rival."  I look at every team we play as a rival.  I'm sure that's how the coaching staff looks at it also.

A rivalry is something that is built up over decades of playing, and can't be planned out by a former player that thinks he knows how to design a trophy.  You can't create a rivalry by scheduling on certain weekends, and you don't lose a rivalry by moving off that weekend (then it really wasn't a rivalry).

These discussions always come off to me as jealousy of programs like Bama/Auburn and Ole Miss/Miss State that have that century long playing history where coach's jobs are based off that one game.  We've never had that and are never going to have that.  It's just the way it is.

Sorry you have never experienced a sports rivalry somewhere along the line

[Cinco de Hogo]

Arkansas recipe for creating a rivalry is currently well under way and the most important ingredient is in the form of a recruiter.  Like we did with Texas in the past, if we keep recruiting Louisiana kids and they become Razorback fans we will create a fan base in Louisiana like we did in Texas.  Game week in Louisiana will become heated because of that and fans enjoy that.  That is something that will never with Missouri.  Just keep recruiting Louisiana and it will happen.

[oldhawg]

Does Arkansas really need a so-called "rival."  Just play 'em and win more than you lose (a long ways to go with most of the SEC teams).  The rest will take care of itself.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Arkansas recipe for creating a rivalry is currently well under way and the most important ingredient is in the form of a recruiter.  Like we did with Texas in the past, if we keep recruiting Louisiana kids and they become Razorback fans we will create a fan base in Louisiana like we did in Texas.  Game week in Louisiana will become heated because of that and fans enjoy that.  That is something that will never with Missouri.  Just keep recruiting Louisiana and it will happen.

Arkansas currently has 5 players from Missouri on their roster. Missouri has 6 from Arkansas.

[hogsanity]

why does this come up every week? Plus, when this comes up it is not a rival it is a rivalry.  Is it the players that need a rival or the fans who cant seem to get excited about playing the likes of Bama/lsu/A&M/Aub/TN/Ga/FL/USCE/ etc?

No, they can not have a SEC rivalry because all those were made decades ago. They have a rival every time the play a sec game, look up the definition of rival and you will see why that is. 

The fans want a rivalry like they had with Texas ( although the extent that was a rivalry for the horns is debatable ). It is why we still have fans clamoring to play Texas every year.

Just enjoy playing 6-9 high profile games every season, Games that at any point could have huge impact on the face of college football that season because at any point it could shake up the sec race.

[oldhawg]

why does this come up every week? Plus, when this comes up it is not a rival it is a rivalry.  Is it the players that need a rival or the fans who cant seem to get excited about playing the likes of Bama/lsu/A&M/Aub/TN/Ga/FL/USCE/ etc?

No, they can not have a SEC rivalry because all those were made decades ago. They have a rival every time the play a sec game, look up the definition of rival and you will see why that is. 

The fans want a rivalry like they had with Texas ( although the extent that was a rivalry for the horns is debatable ). It is why we still have fans clamoring to play Texas every year.

Just enjoy playing 6-9 high profile games every season, Games that at any point could have huge impact on the face of college football that season because at any point it could shake up the sec race.

This.  Rivalry can be over-rated.  Get excited about every game, especially those that have bearing on the SEC West title.

[Cinco de Hogo]

Arkansas currently has 5 players from Missouri on their roster. Missouri has 6 from Arkansas.

Yea but Missouri is somewhat Hog country and the ones that aren't don't care enough to fight about it.  It's dull!

[Letsroll1200]

LSU fans don't care about playing Arkansas. LSU can not be a rival because there's not interest on both sides. Maybe if we can move into the top 10 or 15 in the polls 2 out of 3 years we can be respected in the SEC. I think somebody mentioned it! Win some games and it will create a rivalry.

[mizzouman]

Yea but Missouri is somewhat Hog country and the ones that aren't don't care enough to fight about it.  It's dull!

Hog country.  Hmm, I wouldn't say that.  There are a lot of Razorback fans in southern Arkansas around Springfield but that's it.  Just like you see Mizzou fans in northern parts of Arkansas.

[mizzouman]

LSU fans don't care about playing Arkansas. LSU can not be a rival because there's not interest on both sides. Maybe if we can move into the top 10 or 15 in the polls 2 out of 3 years we can be respected in the SEC. I think somebody mentioned it! Win some games and it will create a rivalry.

Correct.  To be a rival, it has to be mutual.

[GunnerHawg70]

Ark. will never have a true rival....LSU,A&M,UT, & Ten. Already have rivals and Ark. is a after thought for those squads. The Boot trophy is just some contrived piece of hardware. A rival has to be the circled game on the schedule for both squads. Believe me those programs/Fans are not circling Ark. as a must win or their heads explode thing.

The Sec is pushing Mizzou because in truth the SEC powers that be realize that Ark. has nobody as a rival and it could bloom into a rivalry over time and it makes for good marketing. Mizzou is in the same boat now as KU is a fading memory. We have nobody either....but in truth Ark. is not our rival and while Mizzou fans are more open to embracing the Ark. rival idea in truth Ark. is just a rebound rival for us. Most MU fans would rather be rivals with Ten. or UGA but we are smart enough to realize they already have their dance card punched in that regard.

Long term the hogs will never have a true rival because most Ark. fans seem to not understand the football pecking order and want to over value who your rival should be. Ark. can't be rivals with programs that are considered more blue blood than Ark.. It just doesn't work that way. The media, football conference power brokers etc. just won't buy into that or let it happen. So Ark. will continue to pine away for a LSU/A&M/Ten. etc. as a rival and it will never happen.  Remember just because Ark. fans see a program as a rival doesn't make it so....the other program has to feel the exact same way. If LSU was viewed by anyone outside of Ark. as your rival you'd still be playing them the day after thanksgiving.

Not having a rival isn't a bad thing but it does  make the football season a bit duller.

Ouch... a harsh reality but also good insight on the theme of the post.  While I agree LSU/Tenner/Ole Piss (in that order) that one of those teams should've became our rival when we joined the SEC, I just don't see the forced Mizzou Battle Line Rivalry game as a big to do.  I think we can all agree that playing Mizzou is ok but not the game we want to circle on the schedule for Armageddon...Well at any rate, we need to beat them this year to shut the mouth of LB Brazzel...He's the Hogs TRUE rival...lol 

[Cinco de Hogo]

Correct.  To be a rival, it has to be mutual.

It's more mutual than some of you are giving it credit for but on the other hand you want to credit AR/MO.  Razorback fans care less about playing Missouri than LSU fans do about playing Arkansas.  They care because it's a divisional game.  That makes it a rivalry, plus we beat them often enough that they know a chance at the SECG means beating Arkansas in a lot of years.

[Hawgphat]

Echoing sentiments expressed above, it has been my observation that "rivalries" don't spring up overnight; - - generally speaking, they develop over the course of a significant number of years of constant engagements, and are fueled by highly-charged opposing fans' mutual excitement and focused dedication. 

I see no program within our frame of reference at this moment which fulfills that exclusive radical dedication criteria.

[hogsanity]

Echoing sentiments expressed above, it has been my observation that "rivalries" don't spring up overnight; - - generally speaking, they develop over the course of a significant number of years of constant engagements, and are fueled by highly-charged opposing fans' mutual excitement and focused dedication. 

I see no program within our frame of reference at this moment which fulfills that exclusive radical dedication criteria.

my question is still WHY do the fans so much want a rivalry with someone? 8 sec games a year not enough of an excuse to sit around and get drunk?

[Hawgphat]

my question is still WHY do the fans so much want a rivalry with someone? 8 sec games a year not enough of an excuse to sit around and get drunk?

I happen to agree with your point of view.  Some among us, however, apparently don't.  For some reason unknown to me, some fans perceive a need to focus upon a specialized permanent primary rival program upon which to vent their wrath and ill will.

[geauxhawgs]

Nail-Head complete.  This is one game that every Hogs and Tigers fans got excited for...Not sure how it came to LSU but man did it work!!! I've always wanted Tenner to be our rivalry game but it never materialized for whatever reason. This Mizzou thing is just not appealing to anyone and why the powers that be are trying to promote this makes me go bleech!!!

TAMU could be from the SWC days but even that game is not as appealing.  Some of the best and most memorable games were against LSU and Tenner... IMO.

This is on point^!]

LSU IS our rival no matter how much some people want to say its not. It's not a secret, we care about this game more than any game on our schedule and its been that way for YEARS.

TAMU I could definitely see creeping up there eventually as well. Not a chance in you know what this fan base as a majority ever gets behind this Mizzou obsession Jeff Long seems so fascinated by. He clearly doesn't understand 

[geauxhawgs]

It's more mutual than some of you are giving it credit for but on the other hand you want to credit AR/MO.  Razorback fans care less about playing Missouri than LSU fans do about playing Arkansas.  They care because it's a divisional game.  That makes it a rivalry, plus we beat them often enough that they know a chance at the SECG means beating Arkansas in a lot of years.

It is A LOT more mutual than the fans in NWA want to give it credit for. For those folks, I encourage you yo visit the following locations:

1) Shreveport, LA
2) Little Rock, AR
3) Texarkana
4) South Arkansas
5) Monroe, LA
6) Northern LA

It's got a hell a lot more life and reality than the manufactured game with Missouri who we've literally NEVER even thought about until the last 5 years.

Meanwhile, here comes meeting 64 or 65 (somewhere in that neighborhood) with the cajuns. That's only about 20 less meetings than Bama/Auburn. For those of you who choose to believe this things with LSU just started when we joined the SEC 25 years ago, you are sadly mistaken

[HamSammich]

Are you implying that rivalries have to be in-state?

There are plenty that are not.

Michigan-Ohio State
Florida-Georgia
Kansas-Missouri
Army-Navy (ok, that is cheating a bit)
North Carolina-Virginia
Texas-OU

I'm implying that our fan base seems to crave a real rivalry.. I'm implying that the true natural one that would keep arkansans money in the state of Arkansas might be under our typical stubborn nose.

[DeltaBoy]

I don't think LSU fan cares.  The interest has to be mutual.

They care cause we ruined too many of their seasons.

[KennyForAD]

Posted in past about Arkansas's football rival(s) and I will always say Texas was our one true rival. But if I use definition of a rival that was posted many times on here then after 76 years in SWC we never had a true rival. After 25 in SEC we still don't have a rival. By definition our rival could have been South Carolina but geographically it never worked out. Now we are trying to push Missouri as the rival. Maybe over time but I'm not buying in yet. So I say Texas A&M should and could fill the bill. We both lost the burnt orange to hate and we have played each other 73 times in the past.  I say move that game to Thanksgiving............ 

Those old rivalries are a thing of the past.   Couple real ones left.  Arkansas will never have another Texas.  Gotta move on and live in THIS century.

[nchogg]

This is on point^!]

LSU IS our rival no matter how much some people want to say its not. It's not a secret, we care about this game more than any game on our schedule and its been that way for YEARS.

TAMU I could definitely see creeping up there eventually as well. Not a chance in you know what this fan base as a majority ever gets behind this Mizzou obsession Jeff Long seems so fascinated by. He clearly doesn't understand

I agree. The Battle for the Boot has been meaningful since the trophy was made. Don't say LSU doesn't want it as bad as us.

[HamSammich]

I agree. The Battle for the Boot has been meaningful since the trophy was made. Don't say LSU doesn't want it as bad as us.

I'm guessing you don't work, live or even fish in Louisiana. Good fishing along the coast. But anyway you guys are wrong. LSU fan doesn't think about the arkansas game until it's about 24 hours away.

Go to tigggerpoopings and start a thread asking about their arkansas rivalry... that would be worth reading!

[Wildhog]

I'm guessing you don't work, live or even fish in Louisiana. Good fishing along the coast. But anyway you guys are wrong. LSU fan doesn't think about the arkansas game until it's about 24 hours away.

Go to tigggerpoopings and start a thread asking about their arkansas rivalry... that would be worth reading!

Neither do Ole Miss fans.

Meanwhile, we've got Missouri players talking mess about Arkansas before the season has even started.  Mizzou may not be the rivalry you want, but it's going to happen.  Just sit back and watch.

[HotlantaHog]

Are you implying that rivalries have to be in-state?

There are plenty that are not.

Michigan-Ohio State
Florida-Georgia
Kansas-Missouri
Army-Navy (ok, that is cheating a bit)
North Carolina-Virginia
Texas-OU

North Carolina-Virginia?

It's more North Carolina-Duke....

[mizzouman]

The funny thing about sports is that fans will trash talk down another team when they care about beating them and that the game between the two schools is meaningful.  Otherwise, the trash talk is at a minimum.  Just an observation. 

[Rzback]

Arkansas has never had a true ongoing rivalry where both schools hated the other. Texas always considered Texas A&M their rival even when we considered them ours. The only possible team that Arkansas would hate and would hate Arkansas back just as much would be Arkansas State.

[HamSammich]

Arkansas has never had a true ongoing rivalry where both schools hated the other. Texas always considered Texas A&M their rival even when we considered them ours. The only possible team that Arkansas would hate and would hate Arkansas back just as much would be Arkansas State.

Thread winner

[PolishPigPower]

We've got a lot of games under our belt with LSU and we've poo-poo'd on more than one of their seasons, so it's naturally become a rivalry.  And as much as we talk about always being someone else's 2nd fiddle rival, so is LSU.  Bama hates Auburn more (ask the trees in Toomer's Corner), and Ole Myth fights for eggs against UofStarkvegas.  Now, with that said...

The Houston market is closer to the New Orleans market, and the LR/NWA market is closer to the STL/KSC market.  The power that be's ($$$$$$) means that the SEC needs to bank on the Mizzou/Hogs rivalry taking off, because they can then increase revenue and ratings.

LSU fan doesn't like us.  Having lived amongst them, I can vouch for that.  Mizzou football fan isn't rabid enough to hate, from what I see now that I live amongst THEM.  They're still ticked about the Rams moving west...

[geauxhawgs]

Neither do Ole Miss fans.

Meanwhile, we've got Missouri players talking mess about Arkansas before the season has even started.  Mizzou may not be the rivalry you want, but it's going to happen.  Just sit back and watch.

Has ZERO chance if you know anything about the people and culture of this state. 2.5 million of the 3 million people in Arkansas could care less. And that aint  including a good chunk of fans in Memphis either. Hell, even in NWA that nose in the air crowd is closer to Tulsa, OKC and Little Rock than they are any city in Missouri. Point being, we have fewer fans interact with people in Missouri in our state than any other state we border. That's a fact

And NO Springfield, MO is not a city so don't even give me that B.S.