Arkansas, or at least the Arkansas fanbase, has long preferred to play from a place of an underdoing, to play with a chip on their shoulder.
That may be fading under coach Sam Pittman.
The Razorbacks were picked third in the SEC West at the end of SEC Media Days on Friday. Arkansas had been picked last in the division each of the last three seasons.
One unnamed voter even gave Arkansas a first-place vote for the division. And while that’s probably a homer vote, in recent years past, it would have been absurd. It’s far less so this year.
Arkansas went 9-4 last year in Pittman’s second season at the helm. A win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl capped things and gave the Hogs their best season since 2011.
The return of four preseason All-SEC players and quarterback KJ Jefferson is the biggest on-field reason for the respect, but Pittman is the biggest reason overall.
Here’s a look at the whole set of predictions from the SEC, beginning with the West.