Toilet Bowl

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Hey guys,

Do you think Arkansas can win the Toilet Bowl or should we just pull the lever? I here they are going up against a really good Jr. High team this year.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Bump

 

[Roy]

These days, Arkansas plays a respectable schedule. When they are good, it is undeniable, and when they are bad, it shows. Back in the 60s when they were in the Southwest Conference, it was hard to tell if they were good or bad because of the powderpuff-like schedule they had. A typical Arkansas schedule would include teams like Texas Tech, North Texas State, SMU, TCU, Rice, Baylor, Wichita State, Tulsa State, and Texas A&M. The only tough game they would play was University of Texas and they would usually lose that one. One year, they squeaked by Texas, and got to go to a bowl game where Ole Miss gave them a sound thrashing. But that was then. I think that today you have to respect them, if for nothing else, then for the schedule they play.

Roy

 

[KenH]

Are talking about the football team, Joseph.

Roy, the Hogs have gone to lots of the bowl games in their history.

Actually, the Sugar Bowl game versus Mississippi on 1/1/1970(if that is what you are referring to) followed the Hogs outplaying but losing to the Longhorns 14-15 in what is called "The Game of the Century". Texas had only two plays that won the game for them - a broken play scramble by James Street for a touchdown and a long heave by Street on a fourth down play where the receiver was well double covered but the ball ended up where only he could barely catch it. But an interception thrown in the end zone earlier in the game by Bill Montgomery when the Hogs were inside the Longhorn 10 yard line when simply a field goal could possibly have put the game out of reach from the Longhorns also hurt.

In the 1/1/1970 Sugar Bowl Ole Miss got a nice lead but then the passing of Bill Montgomery and the receiving of Chuck Dicus led the Hogs back. The Hogs were driving to win the game near the end but after a reception Dicus fumbled the ball(probably out of exhaustion). Final score: Hogs - 22, Rebs - 27. Without the turnover, the Hogs probably would have finished the drive successfully and won the game.

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Yes, Ken. The football team. Although I knew it was gonna end this way early in the season, I still am not used to the idea of them not playing any bowl game.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[KenH]

Already forgot about the Danny Ford years, eh?

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

You had to remind me?

Joseph Botwinick

 

[KenH]

Hey, Joseph, do you ever vist The Pigpen on Rivals.com?

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Every now and then. Why?

Joseph Botwinick

 

[KenH]

Just wondering since you like to discuss the Razorbacks.

 

[Joseph_Botwinick]

I live in Arkansas, Ken. I don't know many Arkansans who don't like to discuss the Razorbacks. It is, unfortunately, the closest thing we have to a major professional sport event in Arkansas.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[KenH]

Yep. The next closest would be the Jerry Jones-owned Dallas Cowboys.

 

[Roy]

Originally posted by KenH:
the Hogs outplaying but losing to the Longhorns 14-15 in what is called "The Game of the Century".

I lived in Arkansas back in those days and it seems that I heard "outplaying but losing to the Longhorns" every season. I don't follow Razorback football these days so I don't know if they are still outplaying but losing to the Longhorns anymore or not. Well, are they?

Roy

 

[KenH]

The Hogs have beaten Texas two out of the three times they have played from the Cotton Bowl in 2000 through the 2004 season.

 

[Roy]

I guess the move to the Southeastern Conference was good for the Hogs then. It looks like it made them leaner and meaner.

Roy

 

[Alcott]

Since Arkansas joined the SEC, without looking it up I would estimate their overall winning percentage as .510 to .560. But these past 2 years have shown that they did themselves no good by focusing so much on the Texas as their big rivalry, when LSU, Auburn, and the other SEC West opponents are more significant games.

But as for lack of foresight, Texas was even worse for agreeing to a home & home series with Arkansas. Texas had nothing to gain by it, but it probably helped Arkansas' recruiting in Texas. So the next 2 or 3 seasons will tell if in the end it paid off.

ed.: Arkansas's winning percentage since joining SEC is .539; estimation quite close.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by Joseph_Botwinick:
Do you think Arkansas can win the Toilet Bowl or should we just pull the lever?

It's possible, but the players will likely be wiped afterwards.

 

[KenH]

Originally posted by Alcott:
Arkansas's winning percentage since joining SEC is .539

In the 7 seasons with Houston Nutt as the head coach the Hogs' winning percentage is .616.