After the A&M loss, this week feels different leading up to Alabama

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    Arkansas head coach, Sam Pittman has raised the bar when it comes to expectations of this program. A place they haven’t been set to in a decade.

    The Arkansas Razorbacks have won 8 of their previous 10 games at that. They aren’t used to losing anymore.

    For a long time, it was “I hope the Hogs win.” Now, it’s “I think the Hogs can win.”

    Any given Saturday, a football program can step up and cause chaos all around the country. And, this season feels different. It definitely feels like some kind of 2007-ish insanity.

    The game in Fayetteville this Saturday, against Alabama has a different feel to it. No, I didn’t forget that Arkansas lost last week in Jerry’s World. My thought is the Razorbacks were the better team and lost a very winnable game.

    With the Crimson Tide’s number two ranking combined with an offense’s dynamite potential, we could see the scoreboard light up this weekend. Let’s not discount Arkansas though. This is a different team that will scratch, fight and claw their way to a win. This group was very close to upsetting Alabama in Tuscaloosa last year in a 7-point loss.

    Different year, different matchup but this game is at home for the Hogs. The spread should be a little bit closer than the 17.5 points it is set at.

    The fact of the matter is, the loss to A&M hurt the players. With the camera panned to the sideline and seeing the emotion on the faces of each Razorback it tells me two things.

    One, that they’re hurt in a loss will fuel them to a historic upset and season.

    Two, things will continue to fallout and the season won’t be as successful as first thought.

    The loss hurt no matter which point of view you watch from. But, It’s the progress made on the football field that gives this weekend a different feel.

    There’s no more “poor, pitiful Arkansas.” Excuses of why the Hogs lost aren’t spoken about in press conferences by coaches and players.

    Arkansas clearly has the talent to matchup with 129 of the other 130 teams in the FBS.

    The state of Arkansas is proud of their dang good football team. Social media is what it is. Fans will say how they feel and that’s due to the pageantry of college football. Fans can express themselves no matter their opinion. Even if you feel like they’re negative, that doesn’t make them a bad fan. People are passionate about their favorite team!

    What the rest of the country doesn’t know is how mean an angry Hog gets when it’s back is against a wall. This time the wall is Razorback Stadium with a potential raucous crowd in a red out.

    Alabama, you’re next.