LSU vs. ARKANSAS ? November 26th, 2:35 pm
Both of these teams escaped upsets by narrow margins last week with Arkansas taking advantage of a blocked field goal to get the 24-21 win over Mississippi and LSU squeaking by Ole Miss in a 27-24 victory. While the Razorback game was on the road, the LSU Tigers struggled in their match-up at home. This game is being played in Little Rock?s War Memorial Stadium which is not technically a home game for the Hogs but it is a venue where they have won 17 straight and the locals love the chance to practice their pig calling when the Razorbacks come to town.
The coaching match-up for this contest is nearly as compelling as the game itself with last year?s national champion Tigers? HC Nick Saban going against Arkansas HC Houston Nutt. Nutt passed up a chance to take over at Nebraska this year, choosing instead to stick it out in Fayetteville and continue to try to bring the Razorback?s football program back to prominence. He will need a win in this game to bring Arkansas? record to 6-5 and bowl eligibility while Saban?s Tigers sit at 8-2 and are looking at a possible berth in the Cotton Bowl.
The Tigers remain uncertain and inconsistent at quarterback, regardless of whether Marcus Randall or JaMarcus Russell is playing. Their passing game has sputtered all year and they have only won the last five games by an average score of 25-16 with the last four games being played on their home field. Now they go on the road into a very hostile environment and their defense will get a serious test against the versatile quarterback of Arkansas, Matt Jones who has 1,921 passing yards and 13 touchdown passes this year.
This is a case of which team is hungrier. The Arkansas team is fired up about the possibility of playing in a bowl game and the Tigers are seemingly content to play this season out with the excitement of last year?s championship long since gone. "As much as I told our team last week that Ole Miss always plays great against us, they didn't care. It didn't resonate. It had no effect," Saban said. "So if I tell them Arkansas can win this game and go to a bowl game, they'll go, 'How does that affect me?' I mean, I just see this team that way." That?s not what you want to hear from the coach of a team you are considering laying money on. I?ll take the Hogs in this one.
The Verdict: Arkansas (+4)
MISSISSIPPI STATE vs. MISSISSIPPI ? November 27th, 2:10 pm
The Egg Bowl will be the only ?bowl? game these two teams will have a chance to play in this year as they both have disappointing 3-7 records coming into Saturday?s rivalry game. Ole Miss is not accustomed to being home for the holidays with Eli Manning at the helm the past few years and their attempts to find a replacement for him have not gone well as they have used three different quarterbacks this season.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs also were faced with replacing a long time fixture at head coach; Jackie Sherrill. New HC Sylvester Croom can not be too thrilled about his team?s record but a big win over Florida and the way this team played down the stretch has to be encouraging. Sophmore QB Omarr Conner has passed for 1,074 yards and RB Jerious Norwood has run the ball for an almost identical 1,030. That?s a pretty balanced offensive attack. Norwood should have a big day against the Rebel defense that returned just four starters from last year. Last week they allowed LSU to run for 360 yards in a game that was much more lopsided than the final score would indicate. The previous week, Ole Miss gave up 297 rushing yards to Arkansas in a 35-3 loss.
While Ole Miss was playing LSU last week, MSU took on Arkansas and played the Razorbacks very close in a 24-21 losing effort. The Bulldogs were outgained in that game by only 382-364 total yards and it took a blocked field goal to cause a 10 point swing that ended up being the difference in the game. The MSU Bulldogs should be drooling over the opportunity to avenge the 31-0 beating they took from Ole Miss in this game last year. Take the points in this one as they have a rare chance to do just that.
The Verdict: Mississippi State (+5.5)
Both of these teams escaped upsets by narrow margins last week with Arkansas taking advantage of a blocked field goal to get the 24-21 win over Mississippi and LSU squeaking by Ole Miss in a 27-24 victory. While the Razorback game was on the road, the LSU Tigers struggled in their match-up at home. This game is being played in Little Rock?s War Memorial Stadium which is not technically a home game for the Hogs but it is a venue where they have won 17 straight and the locals love the chance to practice their pig calling when the Razorbacks come to town.
The coaching match-up for this contest is nearly as compelling as the game itself with last year?s national champion Tigers? HC Nick Saban going against Arkansas HC Houston Nutt. Nutt passed up a chance to take over at Nebraska this year, choosing instead to stick it out in Fayetteville and continue to try to bring the Razorback?s football program back to prominence. He will need a win in this game to bring Arkansas? record to 6-5 and bowl eligibility while Saban?s Tigers sit at 8-2 and are looking at a possible berth in the Cotton Bowl.
The Tigers remain uncertain and inconsistent at quarterback, regardless of whether Marcus Randall or JaMarcus Russell is playing. Their passing game has sputtered all year and they have only won the last five games by an average score of 25-16 with the last four games being played on their home field. Now they go on the road into a very hostile environment and their defense will get a serious test against the versatile quarterback of Arkansas, Matt Jones who has 1,921 passing yards and 13 touchdown passes this year.
This is a case of which team is hungrier. The Arkansas team is fired up about the possibility of playing in a bowl game and the Tigers are seemingly content to play this season out with the excitement of last year?s championship long since gone. "As much as I told our team last week that Ole Miss always plays great against us, they didn't care. It didn't resonate. It had no effect," Saban said. "So if I tell them Arkansas can win this game and go to a bowl game, they'll go, 'How does that affect me?' I mean, I just see this team that way." That?s not what you want to hear from the coach of a team you are considering laying money on. I?ll take the Hogs in this one.
The Verdict: Arkansas (+4)
MISSISSIPPI STATE vs. MISSISSIPPI ? November 27th, 2:10 pm
The Egg Bowl will be the only ?bowl? game these two teams will have a chance to play in this year as they both have disappointing 3-7 records coming into Saturday?s rivalry game. Ole Miss is not accustomed to being home for the holidays with Eli Manning at the helm the past few years and their attempts to find a replacement for him have not gone well as they have used three different quarterbacks this season.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs also were faced with replacing a long time fixture at head coach; Jackie Sherrill. New HC Sylvester Croom can not be too thrilled about his team?s record but a big win over Florida and the way this team played down the stretch has to be encouraging. Sophmore QB Omarr Conner has passed for 1,074 yards and RB Jerious Norwood has run the ball for an almost identical 1,030. That?s a pretty balanced offensive attack. Norwood should have a big day against the Rebel defense that returned just four starters from last year. Last week they allowed LSU to run for 360 yards in a game that was much more lopsided than the final score would indicate. The previous week, Ole Miss gave up 297 rushing yards to Arkansas in a 35-3 loss.
While Ole Miss was playing LSU last week, MSU took on Arkansas and played the Razorbacks very close in a 24-21 losing effort. The Bulldogs were outgained in that game by only 382-364 total yards and it took a blocked field goal to cause a 10 point swing that ended up being the difference in the game. The MSU Bulldogs should be drooling over the opportunity to avenge the 31-0 beating they took from Ole Miss in this game last year. Take the points in this one as they have a rare chance to do just that.
The Verdict: Mississippi State (+5.5)
