My take on this game

[opineonswine]

I haven't watched Missouri play this year but have to believe they're pretty salty.  We'll have to have another great game to beat them at their place I suspect. 

[Deep Shoat]

"You are what your record says you are". Bill Parcells

That gets thrown around here a lot.  What is ignored is that Bill was an NFL coach.  You know, the league where parity reigns.  That isn't true in FBS (I still hate that term) football.  It's pretty obvious that every team in the SEC West is a top 15-20 level team, yet several aren't ranked because of record.  Yet all of us are going bowling. 

If we are who our record says we are, then experts of every stripe from Vegas insiders to ESPN analysts to college football coaches and writers are all stupid for rating Arkansas as highly as they do.

[razorbackkid]

I haven't watched Missouri play this year but have to believe they're pretty salty.  We'll have to have another great game to beat them at their place I suspect. 

Yeah, they are very opportunistic on defense.  While Florida played horribly in that game, Mizzo's defense took advantage of every mistake Florida made.

Arkansas must limit mistakes.

[KennyForAD]

TOP means nothing, that is a natural result of winning. Look at our game against Georgia & Texas A&M as an example.

sigh.  Just because TOP is not a guarantee of winning doesn't make it meaningless.  Avoid absolute, extremist thinking.   

[A.K.A.]

sigh.  Just because TOP is not a guarantee of winning doesn't make it meaningless.  Avoid absolute, extremist thinking.   

TOP has nothing to do with helping a team win.

It is because a team is winning that they might have a greater TOP, when your winning, your likely running time off, when a team is losing they are likely throwing the ball trying to come from behind.

Your view that TOP is an important factor to win, is the extremist thought, that I am saying is old school belief that is wrong.

[Mizzou Bushwacker]

I have it on good authority his ass stinks and he don't love jesus.

I wouldn't know about that, but I'll take your word for it!.   

[Deep Shoat]

TOP has nothing to do with helping a team win.

It is because a team is winning that they might have a greater TOP, when your winning, your likely running time off, when a team is losing they are likely throwing the ball trying to come from behind.

Your view that TOP is an important factor to win, is the extremist thought, that I am saying is old school belief that is wrong.

In our style of football, TOP is absolutely an indicator of success AND a necessary component of that success.

[carolinahogger]

Mizzou is simply not physical enough to compete with Arkansas.  Hogs will dominate TOP and run almost at will.  2+2 = 4... every single time.   A physically over-matched team gets blown out.. about the same percentage.

That's what everyone said before they abused us in the Cotton Bowl.

[A.K.A.]

In our style of football, TOP is absolutely an indicator of success AND a necessary component of that success.

Our style of football is considered ball control, which in of itself does not mean winning games.

TOP is an indicator of winning, as I already stated in my prior comments, which was my point.

However it is not a necessary component of winning or in your words success.

It is the result of winning, that is all it is.

If you are winning the football game, chances are you had more possessions of the football (turnovers, etc), on top of winning the other team is usually throwing the football to catch up (stops the clock more often).  What do a lot of teams do when they are winning? They run time off the clock.

Again, it is because you are winning that you usually get a greater time of possession.

[mizzou waltz]

Mizzou has rediscovered their offense the last two weeks.  But they put up 150 yards or less against UGA and Florida.  And Arkansas' defense is the best they've seen since those two games.

I think Mizzou and Arkansas are both peaking right now.  Should be a tight game.

We aren't running the same offense we were then. We've tailored it more to Mauk's abilities and accounted for his weaknesses. That said, Mauk has also gotten better and is not making the same mistakes he was making earlier in the year, and he does much better in the pocket.

[mizzou waltz]

 

Well, I watched all the Indiana game, and that's why I assume we could dominate them.

I guess it's possible you could just say that was a bad game for Mizzou, but in the fourth quarter they couldn't come close to slowing down a power running game that is not up to SEC standards.

IMO we don't have to dominate to win, we just have to be productive.  If we can run the ball for 200 yards, then we win, assuming our D continues to play at the level we've seen the last two weeks.

We were also dealing with some injuries on the O-line and using some inexperienced guys. That game isn't really a big deal to me (plus it was a long time ago), but I understand why everyone wants to hang their hat on it.

[Been10Hog]

That's what everyone said before they abused us in the Cotton Bowl.

Do we have to play Missiu with that team? Crap! Oh, wait we have Skipper, Kirkland, Tretola, Cook and a defense

[mizzou waltz]

That's what everyone said before they abused us in the Cotton Bowl.

In Tony Temple's name, Amen.

[KCHOGFAN]

I don't think CBB and staff are looking at the Indiana game as a measuring stick.  Mizzou has been impressive the last two weeks in hostile environments.  This will be a tough game. Interesting stat Mizzou is 9-0 when scoring first this season.  Hogs need to come out and get an early stop. 

[Fayettechill14]

TOP has nothing to do with helping a team win.

It is because a team is winning that they might have a greater TOP, when your winning, your likely running time off, when a team is losing they are likely throwing the ball trying to come from behind.

Your view that TOP is an important factor to win, is the extremist thought, that I am saying is old school belief that is wrong.

Nope

[carolinahogger]

Do we have to play Missiu with that team? Crap! Oh, wait we have Skipper, Kirkland, Tretola, Cook and a defense

Yeah, we only had McFadden, Felix Jones, Michael Smith and Peyton Hillis in the backfield then.  The OL only had the Rimington Trophy winner and a couple of other future pros.

Thanks for playing.

[Fayettechill14]

Yeah, we only had McFadden, Felix Jones, Michael Smith and Peyton Hillis in the backfield then.  The OL only had the Rimington Trophy winner and a couple of other future pros.

Thanks for playing.

Can't find any other differences?

[grayhawg]

That's what everyone said before they abused us in the Cotton Bowl.

You mean the game when we did not have a head coach?

[Tarheelhawg]

I believe Herring was the interim head coach.  Our coaches were likely already recruiting for Ole Miss..   Upon closer inspection this comparison is a complete fail.

[Been10Hog]

Yeah, we only had McFadden, Felix Jones, Michael Smith and Peyton Hillis in the backfield then.  The OL only had the Rimington Trophy winner and a couple of other future pros.

Thanks for playing.

and no coach vs having Bielema. You lose

[wupigsuey]

First hand knowledge    

I wouldn't know about that, but I'll take your word for it!.   

Michael Sam tweeted it

[Deeznutts]

Missouri in the east is like the Atlanta Falcons. Best of the really bad.

[bigdaddyhawg]

Missouri in the east is like the Atlanta Falcons. Best of the really bad.

Pretty sure they're not the best.  UGa thumped them at Faurot Field, and will win the East.

[mhuff]

People are loading the box and we have been hitting the big pass on 3rd down more often.. we haven't been blowing out any of these great defenses we've been playing.. we'll have to play a clean game and most of all the DEFENSE has been and has to show up big.

When that happens, we should throw more play action to our TE's and bust their butts. I am talking about first down plays. We are getting stuffed on first down often because they know we are gonna run. We really only averaged a little over 3 yards a carry against OM. That would have been higher if we had thrown often for short passes on first down. You get past the LBers and anything can happen. Make them play you honest.

[KennyForAD]

TOP has nothing to do with helping a team win.

It is because a team is winning that they might have a greater TOP, when your winning, your likely running time off, when a team is losing they are likely throwing the ball trying to come from behind.

Your view that TOP is an important factor to win, is the extremist thought, that I am saying is old school belief that is wrong.

Forcing the opposing defense to play more plays tires them out.  It also helps keep your own defense rested.  Yes, stats can be misleading and sometimes reading a TOP stat doesn't tell you much.  This difference between your viewpoint and mine seems to be that I'm talking about actually running more plays and actually having the ball on offense for more time than the opposing offense, and you are just talking about a number in a stat sheet.

[TheGrove68]

It's pointless to compare your d line's size to our d line's size. Compare your d line's size to our o line's size and you'll see why we're saying it's small

I know Ark. has the biggest college OL...but as you can see our DL isn't undersized and they are quick to boot.

[Hogpkins]

That gets thrown around here a lot.  What is ignored is that Bill was an NFL coach.  You know, the league where parity reigns.  That isn't true in FBS (I still hate that term) football.   

Exactly. Thank you.

[A.K.A.]

Oh and I agree with you that we should run a ball control offense in our situation, because we have great running backs and good offensive line and our defense is doing phenomenal.

If we convert and play mistake free, it will work, but how often does that ever happen?

[Prairie Bayou]

"You are what your record says you are". Bill Parcells

And I'm supposed to believe Marshall is better than Missouri because they have a better record?  The National Media is not saying that 9-2 Mizzou is the team nobody wants to play right now.  They are saying that about the 6-5 Hogs.

Congrats on a great season btw.

[Mike_e]

TOP has nothing to do with helping a team win.

It is because a team is winning that they might have a greater TOP, when your winning, your likely running time off, when a team is losing they are likely throwing the ball trying to come from behind.

Your view that TOP is an important factor to win, is the extremist thought, that I am saying is old school belief that is wrong.

Yea right, go tell the defensive side that.

Put away the X-box.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

"You are what your record says you are". Bill Parcells

Could you please tweet that to your entire team (about us) right now? We want them to believe that we are just barely a mere 6-5 team that they can beat today by just rolling their helmets out on the field and nothing more. But they are probably a lot smarter about this than the fans like you who think this way.

[Inhogswetrust]

That's what everyone said before they abused us in the Cotton Bowl.

You mean right after we beat them not too long before that in the Independence Bowl........................... Also I don't think any players for either team now was on those teams......................

[SPAL]

"You are what your record says you are". Bill Parcells

Yeah, in the NFL where most teams have pRetty much equal talent. That is by far the most illogical and ignorant rebuttal regarding college football. 

[ghostzapper]

Anyone who thinks Mizzou is a pushover based on losing to Indiana and playing in SEC East is in for a surprise.  They are a well coached team with a remarkable road record in the SEC, they a defense that is going to be problematic for us, and they are gelling at the same time we are.  I hope our recent success continues, but this is clearly a test and I wouldn't call this an Arkansas lock by stretch of the imagination.

[GolfnHog]

Just want our DB's & Safeties to play with good eye control and don't bite on anything that puts them out of position.

[A.K.A.]

Yea right, go tell the defensive side that.

Put away the X-box.

Your comment doesn't even refute anything I said much less make any sense. Try comprehension next time, that means don't just read the words but understand them.

[Deep Shoat]

Your comment doesn't even refute anything I said much less make any sense. Try comprehension next time, that means don't just read the words but understand them.

It doesn't need to.  In THIS style of offense, TOP is an important component to the success of the team, even when we don't score.  Keeping our D fresh by extending drives and keeping the opposing O off the field is directly causative to the success of our strategy.

It isn't causative of winning in today's tapdance offenses, simply correlative (in many cases).  I'm sure that is what you meant.

[A.K.A.]

It doesn't need to.  In THIS style of offense, TOP is an important component to the success of the team, even when we don't score.  Keeping our D fresh by extending drives and keeping the opposing O off the field is directly causative to the success of our strategy.

It isn't causative of winning in today's tapdance offenses, simply correlative (in many cases).  I'm sure that is what you meant.

Yes, it is. Thank you.

I think people need to say that and not refer to TOP, you can win it by just having 1 more minute and that is usually gained in last couple drives because you are already winning the game.

[rickm1976]

Dude, I hope you're right, but it could go either way.  Mizzou is not going to be a pushover.  I have seen them play several times this year, and they are much more physical than some of us think.  I really think we have the edge, and will win - maybe even big, but we will have to play well and not turn the ball over.  Making mental mistakes and giving up big plays could put us in a deep hole we won't be able to overcome.

Blow ... out

Kenny,  I guess I forgot to add that if our QB can't make even the simplest of throws to a wide open receiver we could be in trouble too.  It very well could have been a blow out, but just about half the things that could have go wrong did.