Who would you rather beat this season?

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

 :razorback:

[HogWildBison2011]

Both! But I know that's not an option. Can't say how huge & monumental it would be to win at Auburn in the 1st game of the year.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Both! But I know that's not an option. Can't say how huge & monumental it would be to win at Auburn in the 1st game of the year.

It's a tough one.  I agree, but without knowing how Auburn/Alabama's seasons will go, I think beating Alabama would be more beneficial in the long run.

[Mike_e]

A win at alburn would set us up nicely for the season, losing that game puts us in the same doldrums as last season.

Winning the bama game would be nice but isn't as important to the season as a whole.

Plus, if we got on a roll, who knows what might happen.

[BigoBoys]

Beat em both let God sort it out!

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

A win at alburn would set us up nicely for the season, losing that game puts us in the same doldrums as last season.

Winning the bama game would be nice but isn't as important to the season as a whole.

Plus, if we got on a roll, who knows what might happen.

But if you don't beat 'Bama at home, it won't matter that you beat Auburn on the road in the 1st game. 

[gchamblee]

I voted Auburn

Beating Auburn would have more psychological benefit for us as a team than beating bama. First game of the season to give us the confidence and swagger to practice with and prepare for the games that follow. Additionally, it would shut all the gus lovers up for 12 months which would make hogville a more enjoyable place to spend our time as fans of the razorbacks. We can move bama into our crosshairs after we build on the basic improvements that come with sound fundamental football under a coaching staff that demands exactly that. A victory over Auburn to launch our season would also show the players that buying into the new system and putting in the work does have a payoff that makes it all worthwhile.

In a perfect world, a victory over Auburn would make posters like hogcard, therein69 and a few others take a long vacation from hogville.

[PigDaddyKane]

Bama. They got it coming.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Bama. They got it coming.

I think too many are caught up in this wanting to get back at Gus, that it is clouding their vision. 

IMO it's much more important for the program to beat Alabama at our place THIS season.

[PigDaddyKane]

Another point on beating Bama, it's the celebration game for the national championship. 

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Hog fans who dislike Gus so much are sometimes giving him the credit that they think he actually doesn't deserve.

If beating him is that important, then you really believe he is going to create a legacy at Auburn like Saban has at 'Bama.  Otherwise, this poll would be a no-brainer.

And for the record, I don't believe Gus is as horrible as some say, nor is he as great as others say.

Again, I'm more concerned with getting to where we can beat a current, legit powerhouse.

[choppedporkextrasauce]

beating Bama will pay bigger dividends down the road than beating their low rent cousin.

[ldfergu]

Auburn hands down. This football program needs a quality win bad. 1st game of the year and on the road against an SEC West foe??? Yeah I'll take it

[bphi11ips]

Hog fans who dislike Gus so much are sometimes giving him the credit that they think he actually doesn't deserve.

If beating him is that important, then you really believe he is going to create a legacy at Auburn like Saban has at 'Bama.  Otherwise, this poll would be a no-brainer.

And for the record, I don't believe Gus is as horrible as some say, nor is he as great as others say.

Again, I'm more concerned with getting to where we can beat a current, legit powerhouse.

Good chance we would host Alabama undefeated if we beat Auburn, so Auburn.  Hogs aren't ready to matchup for four quarters with Alabama anyway.  Auburn will lose 3 or 4 this year.

Plus, I like to beat the rush and hate Auburn early. 

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Good chance we would host Alabama undefeated if we beat Auburn, so Auburn.  Hogs aren't ready to matchup for four quarters with Alabama anyway.  Auburn will lose 3 or 4 this year.

Plus, I like to beat the rush and hate Auburn early. 

So we host 'Bama undefeated, just to lose to them at home.

The point is also which loss would you rather take.

[Hawgzinbowlz]

An Auburn win could be a catalyst for the season.

Alabama would be important to get the 800lb. gorilla elephant off our back.

I think Auburn by a small margin.

" GO HOGS "

[HoopS]

I don't like either team.  Losing the first game of the season sucks.  Losing to Bama sucks.

We have beaten AU there regularly enough to make me feel it is attainable.  Plus we played them fairly well last year.  And it would make some feel better about our staff if they mastermind a heckuva gameplan for game one against the national runner up.  And, if we beat them, we could catch up with Auburn in the SECW pecking order way quicker than Bama.  They're one year removed from a dumpster fire of a season themselves.  I think it is far more possible than beating Bama. 

But on "Bama day", I will be delusional enough to see a way for us to whip them too.

[root_hawg]

Anyone

[Mike_e]

But if you don't beat 'Bama at home, it won't matter that you beat Auburn on the road in the 1st game.

Beat alburn first game and we get two or three more that we probably wouldn't win because of the momentum going into the season.

Play fast and loose because we're happy instead of deliberate and tight because we're snakebit.

Bama would be a good win and people would take a whole 15 seconds thinking "humph, Arkansas beat bama" and then go about their day.

An extra 3 or 3 or 4 games in the win column and that would last us all year.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

I don't like either team.  Losing the first game of the season sucks.  Losing to Bama sucks.

We have beaten AU there regularly enough to make me feel it is attainable.  Plus we played them fairly well last year.  And it would make some feel better about our staff if they mastermind a heckuva gameplan for game one against the national runner up.  And, if we beat them, we could catch up with Auburn in the SECW pecking order way quicker than Bama.  They're one year removed from a dumpster fire of a season themselves.  I think it is far more possible than beating Bama. 

But on "Bama day", I will be delusional enough to see a way for us to whip them too.

If we win one of them, the right amount of progress has been made, IMO.  If we win both, we are way ahead of schedule!

[HoopS]

If we win one of them, the right amount of progress has been made, IMO.  If we win both, we are way ahead of schedule!

for sure.

My modest goal for this season is to make a bowl, regardless of who it means we beat.  We need the extra work over the holidays and a little positive attention leading into signing day.

[TOM "tbw1"]

Make no mistake about my feelings.  There has never been a game at any time anywhere that I have had good feelings toward West Georgia State College of Farming at Opelika.   I would truly love to see them go 0-13 on a twelve game schedule.

Coach Malzahn has nothing to do with it.  I cannot fathom anyone wishing to be associated with that cow college full of barners.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

There has never been a game at any time anywhere that I have had good feelings toward West Georgia State College of Farming at Opelika.   

LOL

I understand.  I just thought it was an interesting thought as we look forward toward bigger goals.

[jkstock04]

Alabama. We haven't beat them since Leigh Tiffen. Would be nice to be something other than an automatic win on their schedule.

[Delicious~Dreams]

Both!   Both!  And te other teams too!     :razorback:

[redswarmrising]

i vote Auburn,just because of how my hatred from them and Gus is growing more and more each day!

[goodguytex]

I would rather beat auburn.

[bruisemeister]

Beat Bama? How about score on them. 2 straight shutout losses of 52-0. I'd be happy losing 49-3.

We have not beat Bama since Mitch Mustain hit Ben Cleveland in the end zone in overtime in 2006. We should have lost that game but luckily Bama's kicker gave it to us. Arkansas has beat Auburn 5 times since then. That includes 3 at Auburn. In fact Arkansas has beat Auburn 5 times on the road since 1998. They have beat Bama only 7 times ever. They blew Bama out in 1998 and won comfortably in 2004. However the only other wins were two in overtime, two by one point and one by 7 in which the winning drive was kept alive by a questionable call by the official(defensive holding on a 4th down play that Bama stopped. It was away from the play). In addition, the Hogs have only beat Saban twice. 14-3 in the Little Rock mud and rain in 2000 and the miracle on Markham in 2002.

I know we would love to shut up the turncoat Malzahn lovers but that will happen in time. The ultimate story of an Arkansas native doing better somewhere else is Bear Bryant and not Gus. Gus will never be that successful. Noone will. For now, lets beat Bama.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Beat Bama? How about score on them. 2 straight shutout losses of 52-0. I'd be happy losing 49-3.

We have not beat Bama since Mitch Mustain hit Ben Cleveland in the end zone in overtime in 2006. We should have lost that game but luckily Bama's kicker gave it to us. Arkansas has beat Auburn 5 times since then. That includes 3 at Auburn. In fact Arkansas has beat Auburn 5 times on the road since 1998. They have beat Bama only 7 times ever. They blew Bama out in 1998 and won comfortably in 2004. However the only other wins were two in overtime, two by one point and one by 7 in which the winning drive was kept alive by a questionable call by the official(defensive holding on a 4th down play that Bama stopped. It was away from the play). In addition, the Hogs have only beat Saban twice. 14-3 in the Little Rock mud and rain in 2000 and the miracle on Markham in 2002.

I know we would love to shut up the turncoat Malzahn lovers but that will happen in time. The ultimate story of an Arkansas native doing better somewhere else is Bear Bryant and not Gus. Gus will never be that successful. Noone will. For now, lets beat Bama.

Well said.

Btw, that was a great day, and I've rarely heard our crowd that loud after that pass.

[MissippHog]

I voted Auburn.  Has nothing to do with Gus but more to do with it being our first game of the year.  A win right off the bat may help set the tone for the season and give this group some confidence in themselves. 

[bruisemeister]

I voted Auburn.  Has nothing to do with Gus but more to do with it being our first game of the year.  A win right off the bat may help set the tone for the season and give this group some confidence in themselves.

Good point.  Its funny but Auburn came one minute from a national title and Bama lost their last 2 games but a road win against Auburn seems more likely than a home win against Bama. I voted for Bama but to be honest, I just want a win in the SEC against someone. If I am objective, I can't see a W for any SEC game....and I love the Hogs.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Hog fans who dislike Gus so much are sometimes giving him the credit that they think he actually doesn't deserve.

If beating him is that important, then you really believe he is going to create a legacy at Auburn like Saban has at 'Bama.  Otherwise, this poll would be a no-brainer.

And for the record, I don't believe Gus is as horrible as some say, nor is he as great as others say.

Again, I'm more concerned with getting to where we can beat a current, legit powerhouse.

Obviously I'd like to beat both, but beating Alabama at the point of the season when we play them, might put more wind under the wings of this team for the remainder of the season.

[TUSKtimes]

Nothing more hopeful than ground-HOG day and football forums.

[popcornhog]

A win at alburn would set us up nicely for the season, losing that game puts us in the same doldrums as last season.

Winning the bama game would be nice but isn't as important to the season as a whole.

Plus, if we got on a roll, who knows what might happen.

How does losing to AU put us in the same doldrums as last season. I have us going 6-6 with a loss to AU. Hell, I could envision a best case scenario where we go 7-5. We still lose at AU.

That wouldn't be the same doldrums as last year.

[Melorock089]

We are losing more recruits including instate recruits to Bama more than Auburn.

So Bama.

[bphi11ips]

So we host 'Bama undefeated, just to lose to them at home.

The point is also which loss would you rather take.

I don't think we'll win them all.  An Auburn win gives us immediate credibilty and a jolt of confidence.  How fun will it be in Fayetteville if Arkansas is 5-0 going in to Alabama?

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Obviously I'd like to beat both, but beating Alabama at the point of the season when we play them, might put more wind under the wings of this team for the remainder of the season.

How does losing to AU put us in the same doldrums as last season. I have us going 6-6 with a loss to AU. Hell, I could envision a best case scenario where we go 7-5. We still lose at AU.

That wouldn't be the same doldrums as last year.

We are losing more recruits including instate recruits to Bama more than Auburn.

So Bama.

Good points.

I don't think we'll win them all.  An Auburn win gives us immediate credibilty and a jolt of confidence.  How fun will it be in Fayetteville if Arkansas is 5-0 going in to Alabama?

Not fun or productive at all if we then lose the game.

[cosmodrum]

Auburn because I'm not going to be able to stand the miserable bastards on this board if we lose and we need ANY SEC win.

And well, we're not going to beat Bama.

[HogFanatic]

Simple.

Winning at home against a top opponent is better than losing on the road to a top opponent.

You are EXPECTED to lose at Auburn.
Winning at home to Alabama SHOULD be more feasible.

Regardless of what happened last year, I still think we have a much better shot at winning against Auburn.

Beating Alabama at home would be ENORMOUS. If anyone has been keeping score, Alabama has WHIPPED OUR ASS for the last half decade.

I would rather beat Alabama. It would show we won a game we had a chance of winning (home field(, and get us over the Saban hump.

[forrest city joe]

I have just looked at the Poll results so far and i have to say this. WHAT IS WRONG WITH SOME OF YOU PEOPLE? most on here  say they would rather beat Auburn. are you people kidding me? Bama has disgraced our program the last 2 years.52  to 0, both years. we have not beat them in going on a decade. yet some of you have the gall to say you would rather be Auburn. some of you people in this fan base are just unreal. i hate Bama with a passion and hope we kick the hell out of them this year.i can't stand Saban or anything Bama.i don't like AU. but i hate Alabama.

[PonderinHog]

Abstain.  This new schedule is coming at me so fast, it's messing me up.  Most years it's a no-brainer - beat Bama.  This team needs a victory against an SEC opponent ASAP and that game is Auburn.

Now, if beating both was an option, my decision would be an easy one.   :razorback:

[bennyl08]

I disagree. IMO, the odds of us beating auburn on the road are much higher than beating Bama at home. I would rather be a consistent team that beats the teams it should beat, and loses games it should lose. If we can beat Bama, than that means we should have beaten auburn, but didn't. However, just because we are able to beat auburn, doesn't mean that we will be able to beat Bama.

On top of that, I think beating Auburn to start the season could give us an edge in other games we have an outside shot of winning like vs aTm. Beating Bama could do that as well, but it would be for fewer games. On the flipside, losing to auburn could have a negative effect that we may be in for more of the same this year, whereas losing to Bama would still suck, but I don't think the impact would be terribly large.

[Dark Helmet Hog]

Call me greedy. I want both wins.

[Hank351]

I really cannot stand Auburn. I really believe that we should be an all around better school than them. Hell, they're second best in their own state. Watching their success drives me crazy.

And to make matters worse, Bruce Pearl will turn around their b-ball team.

[HoopS]

Joe,

I voted Auburn because I cannot stand them, and have never liked them, but also for a few other reasons. 

1. It is game 1 and I just think we could really roll with an early win.
2. Part of why I think I picked it is I feel it is more attainable. I just don't see them as ring as good as Bama. And so part of me picks them because it is a better % pick and I think I'm wanting to (subconsciously) pick the most likely win rather than who I actually would RATHER beat.
3. SEC pecking order. Auburn is more catchable. 
4. Auburn fans grate on me.  Always have.  Even when we whip them, they use the "better only on that day" excuse like no other. 

That said -- beating Bama would be HUGE for us.  Heck, winning either would be huge.

[Mike_e]

How does losing to AU put us in the same doldrums as last season. I have us going 6-6 with a loss to AU. Hell, I could envision a best case scenario where we go 7-5. We still lose at AU.

That wouldn't be the same doldrums as last year.

Not exactly, admittedly, but similar in that the team would get that general feeling of being snake bitten.  Something that they couldn't seem to shake last year and found ways to lose.

The choice was one of the two.  If that's the case then I'd rather have the first one to get the team fired up for the rest of the season.

Remember how hdn used to win games by firing up the team and having them run through a brick wall?  We need some of that to counter our deficiencies and to get  that we need success early.

[trashcan maN]

I would have chosen Bama, but Auburn being the first game of the year makes it more important in my mind.

[IBleedRazorbackRed]

1. Auburn is the defending sec champs
2. First game of the year on the sec network
3. Brother is an auburn fan
4. I hate Gus malzahn
5. I hate people that keep saying we should have hired Gus
6. The sooner we get a w, the sooner I'll be happy
7. Are they the tigers or the war eagles
8. Any new ex sec criminals on their team this year?
9. Charles Barkley
10. I hate Gus malzahn

Reasons why I chose auburn

[PonderinHog]

Well, here's some context.  Yesterday, I switched over to the Auburn Spring game and darned if the first play I saw wasn't a toss sweep to the right to Gaines(?) for a fifty yard touchdown.  I know it was practice, but still...

[Wildhog]

Auburn.  Not close.

Hope their campus burns down.