Fraternizing with the enemy: Talking Mississippi State vs Arkansas with Austin Farmer
Mississippi State football plays arguably its important game of the year on Saturday. The Arkansas Razorbacks come to Starkville for what will be an absolutely pivotal game for the Bulldogs' season. State sits at 1-6 on the season, and while they've played better in recent weeks against good competition, they still haven't found a win since their season-opener.
Arkansas is one of the more winnable games left on the schedule, especially with the game being played in Starkville. If State can't finally breakthrough with a win over an opponent of consequence this weekend, it's hard to imagine it happening the rest of the year. But if they can get the win, suddenly there's a chance to find momentum over these final weeks.
Though this game is winnable, Arkansas is no doubt a solid team. The Razorbacks are 4-3 on the year, 2-2 in SEC play. They own a win over a Top-10 Tennessee team, and two of their losses easily could've gone the other way. They're much better than many of us thought they would be entering the season, and getting a win will definitely be a big challenge for State.
To learn more about Arkansas, I took some time to fraternize with the enemy, chatting it up with Razorbackers' site expert Austin Farmer. Let's see what he has to say about the Hogs going into Saturday's matchup.
Q&A with Razorbackers site expert Austin Farmer
Q: Sam Pittman came into the season on quite the hot seat. After the Tennessee win I imagine things cooled a bit, even though the feeling is Arkansas let the Oklahoma State and Texas A&M games slip away. But after a blowout home loss to rival LSU, I would assume the frustrations are mounting once again. What's Pittman's status in the eyes or Hog fans at the moment, and what needs to happen for him to remain the coach in Fayetteville?
A: I think, for the most part, the fan base still likes Sam Pittman, especially after the win against Tennessee. However, a significant but smaller and louder portion of Hog fans want him gone. The first thing he needs to do is beat Mississippi State. I fear that if he loses against the Bulldogs, Pittman might not be here for the Texas game.
If he loses to Mississippi State, that brings Arkansas to 4-4 on the season. Then we have Ole Miss afterward, probably moving Arkansas to 4-5. If Arkansas has a losing record going to the bye week, especially after how the season started, I don’t know if Pittman will be the head Hog anymore.
Q: Arkansas made one of the more polarizing moves of the offseason by hiring Bobby Petrino to come in as offensive coordinator. Controversy aside, it's clear the offense is much-improved from last season. How is everyone feeling on Petrino and the offense through seven games?
A: Most fans love Bobby Petrino. The fanbase was disappointed with how he left Fayetteville, but I don’t think anyone actually dislikes him. Many want to give Petrion another chance to be the head coach, although I don’t know if he wants to do it.
Honestly, the offense looks good. Between the 20s, Arkansas has one of the best offenses in the country. The Hogs are a top-five offense in the SEC and top-25 in the country. The problem is when they get into the red zone. Arkansas is among the worst teams in red zone percentage, ranking No. 115. I don’t think it’s playcalling. I think it’s more of a lack of execution. Petrino’s offenses take a year or two to come together — we saw that the first time he was in Fayetteville — but unfortunately, I don’t know if it’s enough time to save Sam Pittman's job. We’ll have to see.
Next: Q&A Cont.