Arkansas closes season at Missouri
A slip of the tongue by former Arkansas coach Bret Bielema perhaps sums the typical buildup or lack thereof to the Razorbacks’ annual season-ending game against Missouri.
Bielema inadvertently called it “The Borderline Rivalry” before hastily correcting it “Battle Line Rivalry” The two teams have ended the regular season against each other in the series introduced in the Southeastern Conference in 2014.
“The Battle Line Rivalry presented by Shelter Insurance” is technically the correct title for the game in which Arkansas (29, 0-7) will face Missouri (7-4,
3-4) today in Columbia, Mo. The game will be broadcast on CBS (Resort Channel 11) at 1:30 p.m. from Faurot Field.
The Battle Line trophy has not caught on like the Golden Boot Trophy, which is awarded between Arkansas and LSU, against whom the Razorbacks closed each regular season until Missouri’s third year in the conference after leaving the Big 12.
For some reason, many Arkansas fans seemed a little haughty about Missouri joining the SEC East the same year old Arkansas Southwest Conference rival Texas A&M abandoned the Big 12 for the SEC West.
Arkansas’ 1-3 record against Missouri does not support that initial attitude and certainly does not translate to today’s setting. Coach Barry Odom’s bowl-bound Tigers have won their last three
games over SEC rivals.
Missouri won, 50-17, on Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn., against the Volunteers (5-6, 2-5). Arkansas was routed, 52-6, in Starkville, Miss., by the Bulldogs (7-4, 3-4).
Las Vegas bettors generally rate Arkansas as a 23-point underdog today in Columbia, especially after first-year Arkansas head coach suspended starting junior cornerback Ryan Pulley and starting sophomore safety Kamren Curl for disciplinary reasons.
A makeshift Arkansas secondary includes redshirt freshman Montaric Brown in place of presumed pro prospect Pulley and starting senior captain free safety to strong safety because true freshman backup Joe Foucha is more comfortable at free safety.
Missouri senior quarterback Drew Lock has twice been named the SEC Offensive Player of the Week, including this week after his triumph at Tennessee. He has completed 236 of
374 passes, 63 percent, for 2,904 yards and 23 touchdowns to eight interceptions.
If Alabama’s Heisman Trophy candidate Tua Tagovailoa wasn’t in the SEC, Lock would be the
2018 All-SEC First-Team quarterback. And he will likely be the first SEC quarterback taken in the 2019 NFL Draft with Tagovailoa not eligible for the draft until 2020.
“They’ve got the SEC player of the week in Drew Lock, rated high on everybody’s draft board as one of the top quarterbacks, if not the No. 1 quarterback coming off the board,” Morris said. “He’s second in passing, he’s third in total offense. He’s a veteran. He’s had a lot of snaps. Very talented. You can tell he’s a great leader.”
Lock might not have one of his favorite targets today. Mackey Award finalist tight end Albert Okwuebunam is questionable because of injuries, but he has plenty of capable receiver. Jonathan Johnson has 48 catches for 536 yards and four touchdowns, Emanuel Hall has caught 29 passes for 603 yards and four touchdowns, and Jalen Knox has 413 yards and three touchdowns on 26 receptions.
Junior running back Damarea Crockett, out of Little Rock Christian, has been injured for the game the past two years. He said he is determined to recover from another recent injury to play today.
Crockett has 709 yards and seven touchdowns on 147 carries this season. Larry Rountree leads the Tigers with 893 yards and 10 touchdowns on 169 totes.
Arkansas offensive coordinator Joe Craddock said Missouri has an underrated but very good defense. The Tigers have recently been sparked by Fayetteville product Akial Byers.