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Arkansas didn’t deserve to beat Ole Miss, but Hogs won’t apologize for it

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Arkansas football rules the world of Razorbacks sports. So, with your bacon, have some Hogs for Breakfast and get caught up. It’s SEC Country’s weekday column and roundup on all things Arkansas … especially Arkansas football. Opinion, numbers, inane babble and more! And now with ironic exclamation points! There is no place like it on the web.

In a game between losers, one team must, by definition, ultimately win.

That’s what transpired between Arkansas and Ole Miss on Saturday. The game was laughable on several levels. The rules require someone to come away with a victory, though. Arkansas, as has been customary this season, obliged its hosts with incompetence. Only, Ole Miss was not about to be outdone in ineptitude.

A team desperate for an identity and for answers tried everything it could against a team predicted to finish last in the SEC West. There was a weird fourth-down play that was either a fake fumble or an outright stumble by the quarterback. That the play’s intention is still unclear is a testament to what most of us think about Arkansas. Neither is a surprise. There also was a sweep with offensive linemen split out wide, quarterback bootlegs with a yard to go for a first down and a whole bunch of up-the-middle runs.

Throw it against the wall. See what sticks.

Arkansas need not apologize for it. The Razorbacks took the win, whether earned or not. In reality, the last drive — the one in which Connor Limpert made the eventual game-winning field goal with 4 seconds left — was actually quite well-executed.

Arkansas gets to breathe a bit lighter now. Coming off a win, staring at a bad Coastal Carolina team this week for homecoming, the Razorbacks, at least, have a monkey off their backs.

Most importantly, they kept alive hope. It remains for the Arkansas football team’s bowl chances and it persists for Bret Bielema’s continued employment as the Hogs’ coach.

Fans disapprove of Bret Bielema

Public polls are hard to gauge. They’re especially difficult to glean info from when public participation is reliant on the user. For example, our SEC Country coach’s approval poll requires interested parties to click to vote. It might not seem like much, but if you don’t feel particularly strong about your coach’s status, you might not.

On the other hand, if you feel strongly, you’re more likely to click. And, boy, did Arkansas feels feel strongly about Bielema this month.

Bielema was ranked dead last among SEC coaches in his fan base’s approval. Only 13.4 percent of voters “approve” of the job Bielema is doing.

That’s shocking.

Arkansas is out of cellar

For a good chunk of this season, the case could be made that Arkansas was the worst team in the SEC. Some of the most angry fans think the Razorbacks still are.

But for now, fresh off a win against Ole Miss, the Razorbacks left just three winless teams in the SEC. Those three — Missouri, Vanderbilt and Tennessee — and the Rebels are the teams ranked behind Arkansas in this week’s SEC Country Power Poll.

You can check out the complete standings here.

Arkansas has its Reggie Perry replacement

Saturday was the happiest day in Razorbacks sports this school year. Not only did the football team get off the schneid in conference play, the basketball team picked up a sixth player commitment for its 2018 class.

Forward Reggie Chaney, a 6-foot-7 and 215-pound senior from Las Vegas, announced his commitment publicly while the football team was playing the Rebels.

Chaney joins fellow 3-star prospects Desi Sills (point guard), Jordan Phillips (shooting guard), Isaiah Joe (shooting guard) and 4-star recruits Keyshawn Embery (combo guard) and Ethan Henderson (4) in the class.

Coach Mike Anderson had a scholarship to give after the de-commitment of national 5-star big Reggie Perry over the summer.

The Razorbacks will lose senior guards Daryl Macon, Jaylen Barford and Anton Beard plus forwards Dustin Thomas, Trey Thompson and Arlando Cook after this season.

ICYMI

  • Arkansas offensive coordinator Dan Enos is away from the program right now. His father passed away last week. Bielema said the team gave him the game ball after their win over Ole Miss on Saturday.
  • Our Trent Shadid provided his weekly rundown of how Hogs football commits fared in their weekend games.
  • Rebels players had some interesting things to say after the game with Arkansas on Saturday. “Interesting” is the choice adjective.
  • Lucky is, in fact, better than good. In the short term. Wally Hall wrote on this topic for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Tweets and the like

• This is not a great list. It’s also further reflection of how crazy it was that Arkansas won Saturday.

• Arkansas baseball coach Dave Van Horn was off to the World Series on Sunday night. Former Diamond Hogs pitcher Dallas Keuchel started for the Astros. Former Diamond Hogs third baseman Logan Forsythe plays for the Dodgers.

• Dan Wolken at USA Today is an Arkansas native.

• Arkansas soccer needs a deep run in the SEC Tournament. Sunday was a good start.

Skip Breakfast? C’mon. It’s too important. Catch up with previous versions here.

The post Arkansas didn’t deserve to beat Ole Miss, but Hogs won’t apologize for it appeared first on SEC Country.

Arkansas didn’t deserve to beat Ole Miss, but Hogs won’t apologize for it Arkansas didn’t deserve to beat Ole Miss, but Hogs won’t apologize for it Reviewed by Unknown on October 30, 2017 Rating: 5

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