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When Arkansas defeated Texas A&M on September 25 in Arlington, Texas, to start 4-0 for the first time in 18 years, I was reminded of that 2003 team and how eerily similar it was.
Another nonconference win for both in Week 3, and then a win over a division rival in Week 4 (Alabama in double OT in ’03, A&M to end a 9-game losing streak in ’21).
The pollsters awarded a No. 7 ranking for the ’03 Hogs, while this year’s team rose to No. 8.
In 2003, the Razorbacks subsequently went ‘0-for-October,’ meaning they didn’t win a game the entire month as they had a bye week built in the first week of October and then played Auburn, Florida and Ole Miss in succession and lost all three games.
There were already a number of fans who did not hold Houston Nutt in high regard even then, but that just bolstered their displeasure.
The 2021 team obviously gets to play UA-Pine Bluff next week in Little Rock, but then a bye week is built in before November begins.
Momentum that was created during that four-game winning streak in September will be all but extinguished if Arkansas doesn’t find a way to edge Auburn on Saturday.
Editor’s Note: I will not mention the holding penalties incurred on touchdown runs from Cedric Cobbs and Matt Jones in the 2003 Auburn game.