Hog Calls

Hogs move decades ago worth lumps

Arkansas coach Bret Bielema watches during a game against Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema watches during a game against Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Seems most college football fans want their team to play the toughest schedule.

Until the toughest schedule beats down their team. Then discontent ensues.

So it goes for Arkansas in the SEC West.

The Razorbacks wallow at 0-2 in the SEC because they lost Sept. 24 to now No. 6 Texas A&M and last Saturday to No. 1 Alabama.

In Arkansas, some natives have become restless. They demand better and fear more defeats.

SEC West rivals Ole Miss, No. 12 in the nation, tonight in Fayetteville and No. 23 Auburn next Saturday in Auburn, Ala., loom.

After an open date, No. 18 Florida and LSU -- unranked now but still extremely talented -- visit Nov. 5 and Nov. 12.

The No. 22 Razorbacks, 4-2, are underdogs tonight and might be underdogs until their final two games against Mississippi State and Missouri. They might be underdogs then, too, if the losses mount before visits to Starkville, Miss., and Columbia, Mo.

Not what Razorbacks fans had in mind knowing Coach Bret Bielema is paid millions. But look around the SEC. All head football coaches are millionaires.

Regardless of their paychecks, they can't all win all the time. Other than Alabama's Nick Saban, no one routinely comes close.

They eventually pay a price when they don't.

Les Miles was fired at LSU despite going 114-34, winning a national championship and playing for another one.

Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin, Tennessee's Butch Jones and Auburn's Gus Malzhan coach ranked teams now, but they began the season squirming on hot seats. If they suffer what their fans deem a subpar second half, their seats could sizzle anew.

Given Georgia fired Mark Richt last season despite his 145-51 record, including 10-3 and 9-3 in his final two seasons, nobody other than Saban is entirely safe in the SEC.

Bielema does seem relatively safe for now, and he should be. Only the shortsighted don't account for the on and off field mess Bielema inherited from Bobby Petrino's abrupt fall and the rudderless John L. Smith season.

Although 21- and 19-point losers to Texas A&M and Alabama teams they played tough in 2014 and '15, Bielema's Razorbacks actually run ahead of last year's pace.

In the nonconference, these Razorbacks concluded 4-0, including winning at then No. 15 TCU.

Last year's Hogs went 2-2 in the nonconference. They lost in Little Rock to Toledo and at home to Texas Tech, neither up to the level of this TCU team they beat in Fort Worth.

With six games left, it's out there for Bielema's Razorbacks to attain a bowl and equal or better last year's 8-5.

If they don't, it's the price paid for Frank Broyles in 1990 announcing Arkansas' move from the Southwest Conference to the SEC.

Considering the demise of the dysfunctional SWC and morphing into the even more dysfunctional Big 12, it's a price well worth the lumps the Hogs take playing one of the toughest schedules in college football's toughest league.

Sports on 10/15/2016

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