Just watched the Mizzou game...

[HognitiveDissonance]

...completely. Only pieces of it before.

Don't ask me why I was watching that mess when I knew it was a mess.

Man, that was atrocious.

And it was so painful to see those Missouri receivers just running freely the entire game. Wide open. They dropped two easy TDs.

But....one thing I know is the up/down pattern of this team, so I'm pretty sure we're going to see the 'up' version of the Hogs next game and it will be a very well-played game. Maybe similar to the Florida effort. And when the Hogs are playing well, they can beat almost anybody. Not certain it will guarantee a win as Va Tech is a good team, but I'm confident we will play well.

[Sooie71923]

The problem with the "Florida effort" is Florida sucks.

It was a win but not a quality win.  They have zero offense.

[3kgthog]

The problem with the "Florida effort" is Florida sucks.

It was a win but not a quality win.  They have zero offense.

Shhhh. Many here still think the Gators are a good team. All four of their losses were by at least 10 points and they were out scored 154-67.

[Boss Hog in the Arkansas]

Shhhh. Many here still think the Gators are a good team. All four of their losses were by at least 10 points and they were out scored 154-67.

Not sure we can say Florida sucks. They were about as up and down as we were. They were blown out in Fayetteville but also beat LSU just as bad as LSU beat us. Its been a weird season man

[Dr. Starcs]

Florida did not beat Lsu badly.

They stopped them at the goalline to win.

[12247]

One of the elements of deciding if a team sucks is the up and down cycles within one season.  Cold hard truth is we were not a good team this year.  We presented ourselves on 2 or 3 occasions as pretty durn good only to learn later we were playing another Jeykel and Hyde team who may have been way down that game we played them.  That is also why Aubbie beat us so bad.  Caught us on a way down effort while they were on a very up day. 

If we are on an up cycle against V. Tech, we can at least not be a laughing stock and could even win if V. Tech doesn't play well.  Problem is that Fuente appears good at having his team ready.  I wonder if Fuente has ever faced having to get a favored team ready that likely mentally feels cheated by the bowl they are in.  This factor can have a huge impact on this Bowl game. 

[PorkRinds]

If we can be terrible and win 7 it gives me hope that we can win even more when we are good.

[Dark Helmet Hog]

Kudos for being able to watch the game again. I can not.

That said, Missouri was not a bad team offensively. The QB has a great arm and the receivers are fast and talented. They had just hung a ton of yards on Tennessee and were finding a rhythm. Still, no excuse for us to give that game away like we did.

[woopig71657]

I went back and watched it again yesterday. There was a two-minute stretch late in the third quarter that really turned the game around. We're in the redzone up 24-14 with a chance to at least get 3 more points, and Allen throws an interception. We force them to go three and out, but they convert a fake punt from their own 8 yard line. Very next play they hit a 68 yard pass play for a touchdown. We had chances to win. In the fourth quarter, in the redzone, we went for it on 4th down instead of kicking a field goal. If you make that field goal there, you can kick another one on our last redzone trip to win 30-28. The story of the game is 3 redzone trips in the second half and zero points. 

[hawgsalot]

I went back and watched it again yesterday. There was a two-minute stretch late in the third quarter that really turned the game around. We're in the redzone up 24-14 with a chance to at least get 3 more points, and Allen throws an interception. We force them to go three and out, but they convert a fake punt from their own 8 yard line. Very next play they hit a 68 yard pass play for a touchdown. We had chances to win. In the fourth quarter, in the redzone, we went for it on 4th down instead of kicking a field goal. If you make that field goal there, you can kick another one on our last redzone trip to win 30-28. The story of the game is 3 redzone trips in the second half and zero points.

This is exactly right, the fake punt cost us but it wouldn't have mattered without the interception.  The interception wouldn't have hurt as bad if we stop the fake or they punt, either way we probably finish the game off but instead gave them all the momentum.  I'm not sure what happened with Collins he had to be hurt because he was without question our best corner last year and has played very well until the end.  Most the games they threw very little his way because he was always in position.  This game he lost his ever loving mind or was playing injured.  Funny how 2 plays turn a rout into a lose, just think we wouldn't have had to listen to all this whining for the last few weeks, dangit.

[hogcard1964]

The problem with the "Florida effort" is Florida sucks.

It was a win but not a quality win.  They have zero offense.

Florida is NOT a good team.

[wildturkey8]

Turnovers have played a huge factor in 3 of our 4 losses, all except Auburn.

[Hog Fan...DOH!]

Florida is NOT a good team.

The offense deserves credit for playing well that day against Florida.  And, quite frankly, the defense deserves credit for not making a terrible QB look good.  It's ok to take some positive out of a victory. 

[rljjr]

The problem with the "Florida effort" is Florida sucks.

It was a win but not a quality win.  They have zero offense.

It was a quality win when you consider they beat LSU at their place.

[PorkSoda]

If we can be terrible and win 7 it gives me hope that we can win even more when we are good.

no doubt.  good days ahead.  most people picked 7-8 wins in the spring, now that we might win 7-8 they think we suck.  the fan base is more up and down than the team is.

[ChitownHawg]

...completely. Only pieces of it before.

Don't ask me why I was watching that mess when I knew it was a mess.

Man, that was atrocious.

And it was so painful to see those Missouri receivers just running freely the entire game. Wide open. They dropped two easy TDs.

But....one thing I know is the up/down pattern of this team, so I'm pretty sure we're going to see the 'up' version of the Hogs next game and it will be a very well-played game. Maybe similar to the Florida effort. And when the Hogs are playing well, they can beat almost anybody. Not certain it will guarantee a win as Va Tech is a good team, but I'm confident we will play well.

I watched the one hour MSU game and I think that will be more like the Belk Bowl. Their running QB will keep them in the game.

400+ combine yards for the 1st Q in the MSU game.

[ChitownHawg]

Not sure we can say Florida sucks. They were about as up and down as we were. They were blown out in Fayetteville but also beat LSU just as bad as LSU beat us. Its been a weird season man

Sssh.. You are ruining his high. 

[Dr. Starcs]

And he's inaccurate. Florida beat Lsu on a goalline stand.

Shhhhhhh

[ChitownHawg]

And he's inaccurate. Florida beat Lsu on a goalline stand.

Shhhhhhh

Ssshhh it was a joke, don't tell anyone. 

[gchamblee]

If we can be terrible and win 7 it gives me hope that we can win even more when we are good.

[code red]

...completely. Only pieces of it before.

Don't ask me why I was watching that mess when I knew it was a mess.

Man, that was atrocious.

And it was so painful to see those Missouri receivers just running freely the entire game. Wide open. They dropped two easy TDs.

But....one thing I know is the up/down pattern of this team, so I'm pretty sure we're going to see the 'up' version of the Hogs next game and it will be a very well-played game. Maybe similar to the Florida effort. And when the Hogs are playing well, they can beat almost anybody. Not certain it will guarantee a win as Va Tech is a good team, but I'm confident we will play well.

SMH

[code red]

Spin it any way you want.  Mizzou shouldn't have been in the game as any point.  A colossal break down in special teams coaching and plenty of coaching errors in the Red Zone.....cause an embarrassment to the hands of a team that got beat at home by MTSU.

[Biggus Piggus]

...completely. Only pieces of it before.

Don't ask me why I was watching that mess when I knew it was a mess.

Man, that was atrocious.

And it was so painful to see those Missouri receivers just running freely the entire game. Wide open. They dropped two easy TDs.

But....one thing I know is the up/down pattern of this team, so I'm pretty sure we're going to see the 'up' version of the Hogs next game and it will be a very well-played game. Maybe similar to the Florida effort. And when the Hogs are playing well, they can beat almost anybody. Not certain it will guarantee a win as Va Tech is a good team, but I'm confident we will play well.

One thing that occurred to me: In the second half, Arkansas played with no intensity but stayed in press coverage for the most part. Mizzou's receivers made the Arkansas secondary look slow, running right past them, because the DBs were playing close but making no contact right after the snap. If we were in coasting mode, playing aggressive coverage was a bad idea.

[Biggus Piggus]

Florida is NOT a good team.

Florida has a top 10 defense, nationally, and we moved the ball and scored on them. It was a good day for the Razorbacks. Put a top 10 defense on this Arkansas team, who knows what might have happened this season.

[lutherheggs]

If we can be terrible and win 7 it gives me hope that we can win even more when we are good.

Problem is, when Hogs are good, they win only 8. Not much difference overall between mediocre and really good when talking about the Razorbacks. They can go 5-3 once every 5 years in SEC but they'll lose a rent-a-win game or two. Or they sweep their non-conf games but go 3-5 or 4-4 in conference.

And do not even daydream about sweeping non-conf schedule and going 6-2 or better in conference play. That happens once every dozen or so years at best. How many times has Arkansas finished 6-2 or better in SEC since it joined in 1991?

[lutherheggs]

Put a top 10 defense on this Arkansas team, who knows what might have happened this season.

Excellent point. I'm sure some year Hogs will have a defense like Alabama has every season, right? 

[Tai_Mai_Shu]

Florida has a top 10 defense, nationally, and we moved the ball and scored on them. It was a good day for the Razorbacks. Put a top 10 defense on this Arkansas team, who knows what might have happened this season.

Not to mention we had two weeks to prepare for Florida.

[Biggus Piggus]

Not to mention we had two weeks to prepare for Florida.

Off weeks are not always a virtue in college football. Bielema has done well with them.

[hawgfan4life]

Missouri came into the game with one of the best offenses in the nation.  They hit us for a few big plays.  That was to be expected.  Missouri has been known for their defense in recent years and are only a year removed from back to back SEC East title game appearances.  It isn't like they are the weak pitiful program fans make them out to be.  They have some players.  AR dominated the first half, came out a little flat when MO came out determined.  MO got a couple of breaks put a score together and generated some mojo for the second half.  AR played more than well enough to win the game but beat themselves with some very bad penalties and mistakes that prevented them from getting anywhere from 12 to 28 points they were in position to get once they scored their last points.  MO had a little to do with the loss, but AR had a lot to do with the loss.  It happens to ALL teams occasionally.  AR isn't mature enough of a winning program to avoid some of the things we see.  Nor are we talented enough to overcome them when it happens against decent competition. 

All of that means we are not at AL's level and are like many other programs.  Simply need to get better.  BB has proven over time he knows how to build a winning program and sustain the program.  Had we not lost the second half of the MO game, we would have finished one win better in regular season than last year in what is a rebuilding year.  Most expected us to only win about 7 to 8 games this year and we are still in position to win 8.  The sky is far from having fallen for the program.

[PonderinHog]

Problem is, when Hogs are good, they win only 8. Not much difference overall between mediocre and really good when talking about the Razorbacks. They can go 5-3 once every 5 years in SEC but they'll lose a rent-a-win game or two. Or they sweep their non-conf games but go 3-5 or 4-4 in conference.

And do not even daydream about sweeping non-conf schedule and going 6-2 or better in conference play. That happens once every dozen or so years at best. How many times has Arkansas finished 6-2 or better in SEC since it joined in 1991?

Four times? Five times.  Missed 1995.

[PorkSoda]

Excellent point. I'm sure some year Hogs will have a defense like Alabama has every season, right? 

the 2006 defense was pretty damn good.

but then again that was 10 years ago.

[Vantage 8 dude]

...completely. Only pieces of it before.

Don't ask me why I was watching that mess when I knew it was a mess.

Man, that was atrocious.

And it was so painful to see those Missouri receivers just running freely the entire game. Wide open. They dropped two easy TDs.

But....one thing I know is the up/down pattern of this team, so I'm pretty sure we're going to see the 'up' version of the Hogs next game and it will be a very well-played game. Maybe similar to the Florida effort. And when the Hogs are playing well, they can beat almost anybody. Not certain it will guarantee a win as Va Tech is a good team, but I'm confident we will play well.

The ONLY explanation I can think of to even comprehend why you would do such is that you really and truly must be a masochist.

[lutherheggs]

Four times? Five times.  Missed 1995.

Yeah, I know. The question was rhetorical. 5 out of 25 is not what I consider to be very good but one man's trash is another man's treasure. And in most of those 5 years, the overall outcome and record was not acceptable. Example: Ford's 6-2 season ended with 3 losses in a row. Nutt's 7-1 season ended with either 3 or 4 losses in a row. Nutt's 6-2 season ended similarly too if memory serves. Petrino's two back to back 6-2 seasons were good though. But we kept him only 4 seasons, same as Ford. Let Nutt stay 10 years.

[AirWarren]

Florida did not beat Lsu badly.

They stopped them at the goalline to win.

I would have rather stopped Missouri on the goal line to win rather to lose the way we did.

But ok.

[Dr. Starcs]

Just correcting the dude that said Florida beat Lsu as bad as Lsu beat us.

They did not. But ok