Tag: Arkansas Razorbacks

Twitter reacts to Auburn’s ugly win over Arkansas

Twitter was on fire after Auburn’s controversial win over Arkansas on Saturday night.

Betting lines had Auburn as a 14-point favorite over Arkansas, but we all knew this game was going to be ugly after last week’s loss against Georgia. Auburn squeaked by Arkansas after a last minute field goal by Anders Carlson to win the game 30-28.

Oh and there was a controversial call at the end which swung in Auburn’s favor. Here we go:

This game goes down as a win in the record books, but man it feels like a loss.

Twitter reacts to Auburn’s ugly win over Arkansas

Twitter was on fire after Auburn’s controversial win over Arkansas on Saturday night.

Betting lines had Auburn as a 14-point favorite over Arkansas, but we all knew this game was going to be ugly after last week’s loss against Georgia. Auburn squeaked by Arkansas after a last minute field goal by Anders Carlson to win the game 30-28.

Oh and there was a controversial call at the end which swung in Auburn’s favor. Here we go:

This game goes down as a win in the record books, but man it feels like a loss.

Arkansas cruises to victory at Blessings behind Kajal Mistry, Cory Lopez

The host Razorbacks ran away for an 18-stroke victory over runner-up LSU.

The only real question still hanging in the balance after the turn on the women’s side of the Blessings Collegiate Invitational wasn’t if host Arkansas end up on the top podium, but only if the Razorbacks would have the lowest score in each of the tournament’s three rounds.

Then, Kajal Mistry and Cory Lopez warmed up and even that point seemed moot.

Mistry birdied five of her last 10 holes and Lopez finished with birdies on three of her final four as coach Shauna Taylor’s squad lapped the field, posting an even-par team score of 864 for the three-day event, which was good enough for an 18-stroke victory over runner-up LSU.

Mistry finished the day with a 2-under 70 while Julia Gregg added a 72 and Lopez a 73. That meant individual overall tournament winner Brooke Matthews, who also carded a 73, nearly didn’t crack the top three on her own team.

Matthews still easily won the individual crown, finishing five strokes ahead of LSU’s Ingrid Lindblad with a three-day total of 10-under 206. The Tigers, led by Lindblad’s 211 and a fifth-place showing from Latanna Stone (218) finished second in the race for the team title.

Wednesday’s low round went to Pimnipa Panthong, the former Kent State star who transferred to South Carolina for her senior year. Panthong struggled out of the gate on Wednesday, dropping a stroke on the opening hole and then adding a double-bogey on No. 4, but she fired a 31 on the back to finish with a 68 on the day. The Gamecocks finished third in the team event, followed by Ole Miss (24 over) and Georgia (31 over).

Marina Escobar Domingo of Florida was even on the day to finish fourth in the individual standings for the tournament.

Two Auburn offensive starters ‘questionable’ for Arkansas game

Two of Auburn’s most experienced offensive starters are “questionable” for Saturday’s matchup with Arkansas.

Two of Auburn’s most experienced offensive starters are “questionable” for Saturday’s matchup with Arkansas.

Junior running back Shaun Shivers and redshirt senior Eli Stove are dealing with undisclosed injuries, and their status for this weekend’s game with Arkansas remains uncertain, according to Gus Malzahn.

Shivers started the season opener against Kentucky, but was unable to take the field in the loss to Georgia last weekend. The team captain suffered an injury in the second half of the Kentucky game and was limited in practice ahead of the Georgia game.

Stove, who had a touchdown reception against Kentucky, played in the first quarter against Georgia before leaving the field early with an undisclosed injury and not returning.

Brooke Matthews with a Blessings home-course advantage proves dangerous

On Tuesday, Brooke Matthews gave Arkansas a big boost. With Matthews’ score helping, the Razorbacks went 1 under as a team and pulled away.

If there’s a venue where a home-course advantage would serve a player well in college golf, it’s Blessings Golf Club. The course sunk its teeth into the best programs in the nation at the 2019 NCAA Championships, and it re-emerged this week as host of the first stop on a three-tournament SEC fall schedule.

That’s a good thing for Arkansas junior Brooke Matthews, who fired the best 18-hole round of her college career on Monday – a tournament-opening 67. She came back Tuesday with one lower, a 66 that instantly bettered Matthews’ personal best.

“Very comfortable out here, it’s my home course,” Matthews told the Golf Channel after the round. “I was just excited to come out here and see what I can do.”

Leaderboard: Blessings Collegiate Invitational

Matthews’ whole day consisted of fireworks. She had three birdies on the front, but really got going on the final stretch of holes. She played Nos. 13-18 in 5 under, which included birdies at Nos. 13, 15 and 17 and a hole-out for eagle on the par-4 16th hole.

Someone had to let her know it had gone in – she was temporarily blinded by the setting sun.

“Blessings is a golf course that you just have to be patient on,” Matthews said. “I wouldn’t say I got off to a bad start but a little bit of a slower start than I would have liked. You can’t force it out here, just have to wait for it to come to you and that’s what I did.”

Summer results suggested something like this was in store for Matthews. She teed it up in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, an in-town LPGA event revered by players on the Razorback roster. She made the cut and finished 49th there.

Matthews also made a run to the second round of match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur in August.

On Tuesday, she gave Arkansas a big boost. With Matthews’ score leading them, the Razorbacks went 1 under as a team and piled on to what became a 10-shot lead on LSU, the next-best team on the board.

South Carolina is third at 16 over and Ole Miss is fourth at 21 over. The margin is also large on the individual leaderboard as Matthews leads LSU sophomore Ingrid Lindblad by five shots.

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Auburn vs. Arkansas Football History: A lot newer than you might expect

The history between Auburn and Arkansas started more recently than you would expect.

This past Saturday was a tale of two different football games for Arkansas and Auburn. Arkansas broke a 20-game losing streak with a 21-14 victory over 16th-ranked Mississippi State while Auburn laid a complete egg in an embarrassing loss to Georgia on the road.

Razorback fans are looking forward to this one, and yes it’s because they have bad blood about their former head coach Chad Morris (Auburn’s offensive coordinator) and former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn (Auburn head coach).

The rivalry between Auburn and Arkansas is very fresh. The teams have only faced off 29 times with the first official meeting occuring on December 27, 1984 for the Liberty Bowl. The Tigers left that game victorious with a 21-15 victory under head coach Pat Dye and running back Bo Jackson was named game MVP with 88 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns, and a 25-yard reception.

The Razorbacks are now a recurring conference opponent on Auburn’s schedule after leaving the Southwest Conference and joining the SEC on August 1, 1990.

History has been on the Tigers’ side ever since. Auburn leads the series 17-11-1 and are currently riding on a four-game winning streak. That four-game streak started at the hands of Auburn’s largest margin of victory in the series back in 2016.

The 2016 box score for Auburn is ridiculous. Quarterback Sean White finished 6-11 in passing for 77 yards and 1 touchdown. The backfield went absolutely berzerk here. Kamryn Pettway led Auburn in rushing with 27 carries for 192 yards and 2 touchdowns, current Auburn wide receiver Eli Stove had 3 carries for 94 yards and 1 touchdown, and Kam Martin finished the game with 7 carries for 87 yards and 1 touchdown. The Tigers ultimately won the game 56-3.

Another notable game occurred during Auburn’s 2010 national championship run. The Razorbacks and the Tigers engaged in a good, old-fashioned shoot-out which the Tigers ultimately came out with a 65-43 victory (defense, anyone?) thanks in large part to 328 total yards from future Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton.

As of right now BetMGM has Auburn as a 16.5 (did they catch that game last week or…) favorite against the Razorbacks. I’m here to tell y’all that this game will most likely be a lot closer than that and that the stats you’ve read from the series’ prior history will not be repeated this weekend.

Georgia men suffer costly mistake, Arkansas women cruising at home at Blessings Collegiate Invitational

The Georgia men suffered a costly mistake while the Arkansas women cruised at home Monday at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational.

The inaugural Blessings Collegiate Invitational is pretty unique.

Like many college tournaments, it’s a 54-hole event where teams of five count their four best scores. So what makes it unique?

For starters, it’s a conference-only event featuring all 14 schools in the SEC. On top of that, men’s and women’s teams are competing on the same course at the same time. Here’s where it gets interesting. Due to the pandemic, instead of being paired with other schools, teams are playing together, with all five golfers per team competing on the same hole – women first, then the men.

Five balls with the same school logo in play is a recipe for chaos and it was a dish served cold for the Georgia men during Monday’s first round at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

“We had two guys hit the wrong ball,” said head coach Chris Haack to Golf Channel during an on-course interview. The two players were Will Chandler and Davis Thompson, who recently had an impressive showing during the first round of the U.S. Open.

Blessings Collegiate Invitational: Women’s scores | Men’s

“We’re coming off playing the hole before that 5 under, we’ve got five guys in the fairway looking good, get up to the green and realize two of the guys had hit the wrong ball. Lesson learned there,” said Haack. “It’s kind of like running the ball into the endzone and dropping it two yards before you get in there.”

After realizing their fairway fumble, both players went on to make double bogey, resulting in a four-shot swing in the the wrong direction for the Bulldogs, who finished the day 13th at 17 over.

Tennessee sits atop the men’s team leaderboard at 8 under and holds a commanding lead over Kentucky and Texas A&M, who sit T-2 at even par. LSU and Alabama are T-4 at 3 over. Vols junior Hunter Wolcott leads the individual competition after a 4-under 68 in the opening round. Teammate Bryce Lewis is T-2 with Kentucky’s Alex Goff at 3 under.

On the women’s side, the Razorbacks feel right at home atop the team leaderboard after finishing the first round at 1 over on their home course. LSU, which had a birdie party on the par-3 13th, are second at 5 over, followed by Florida at 7 over in third. Georgia and Auburn are T-4 at 12 over.

Razorback junior Brooke Matthews is tied for the individual lead with LSU’s Ingrid Lindblad after impressive rounds of 5-under 67. Florida’s Addison Baggarly and Maisie Filler, along with Kentucky’s Laney Frye, are T-3 at 1 under.

Five awards will be handed out after Wednesday’s final round to the men’s and women’s team and individual champions, as well as one to the school with the best overall combined scores. The action continues Tuesday morning in Arkansas, with Golf Channel airing the tournament from 3:30-7:30 p.m. ET.

Watch: Former Auburn special teams coach Scott Fountain breaks down Kick Six

Fountain was the special teams coach on the 2013 Auburn Tigers.

Scott Fountain may not be yelling “Woo Pig Sooey!” instead of “War Eagle!” as the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for Arkansas, but he will always remain in Auburn lore for being a part of the 2013 magical season and the special teams coach that helped set up the famous Kick Six.

On Wednesday, Fountain was asked about the play and broke it down.

Yep. Never gets old.

Florida Gators benefit from the new 2020 SEC football schedule

All in all, it was a good day for the Gators. Not only did they avoid Alabama, but both their new matchups provide some intrigue for fans.

On Friday evening, the SEC announced updated 10-game conference-only schedules for each of its 14 teams. Teams retained the previously scheduled eight conference games, and two more opponents from the opposite division were added to complete the schedule.

All in all, it was a good day for the Gators. Not only did they avoid Alabama (their scheduled SEC West opponent in 2021 who many expected they’d be forced to play this year), but both their new matchups provide some intrigue for fans.

At home, Florida draws Arkansas and former UF quarterback Feleipe Franks, who transferred to play his final season of eligibility in Fayetteville after missing most of the 2019 season with an ankle injury. We’ll get to see current starting quarterback Kyle Trask go head to head with Franks, who he used to back up, in the Swamp.

The Razorbacks had perhaps the worst day of anyone in the conference. In addition to playing every opponent in the SEC West, UA added Georgia in addition to UF as its new interdivisional opponents, leading to what athletic director Hunter Yurachek called the “most challenging schedule in the history of college football.”

On the road, the Gators take on longtime foe Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M. Fisher, who formerly won a national title at Florida State, has yet to face Florida at his new post in College Station. In the last matchup between the Gators and Aggies in 2017, UF lost at home the season before Fisher and Gators coach Dan Mullen were hired at their respective schools.

While it certainly could have been worse for Florida, the real winners of the schedule release were teams at the top of the conference: LSU, Alabama and Georgia. The Tigers made out perhaps the best, drawing Vanderbilt and Missouri, while the Crimson Tide’s East opponents are Kentucky and Missouri.

The Bulldogs, on the other hand, got even luckier with their West opponents than Florida did, drawing Arkansas in addition to Mississippi State. However, UGA was already previously scheduled to take on both Auburn and Alabama, and those games are still on, as of now.

After Arkansas, the SEC’s biggest loser on Friday has to be Missouri. Like Arkansas’ Sam Pittman, Mizzou coach Eliah Drinkwitz will have to navigate an incredibly difficult Year 1 conference schedule, having added LSU and Alabama to their SEC slate. Though the Tigers’ postseason ban is lifted heading into 2020, getting there will be difficult for Drinkwitz.

Dates and times for these matchups are currently unclear and could be announced at a later time to allow for more flexibility in scheduling as the situation regarding COVID-19 remains dynamic.

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SEC sets revised football schedule for 2020 season

The 2020 SEC football schedule will have a different look due to the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays and audibles. Friday, the SEC joined in and announced its new schedule for the upcoming season … if there is one.

Under normal circumstances, SEC schools play the other six teams in their division, two non-divisional opponents and four out-of-conference games each season. In the newly revised schedule for 2020, each school will play four non-divisional opponents in addition to the other six teams in its division.

Here are the new non-divisional foes:

2020 SEC NON-DIVISIONAL OPPONENTS

ALABAMA
Previously scheduled: vs. Georgia, at Tennessee
Added opponents: vs. Kentucky, at Missouri

ARKANSAS
Previously scheduled: vs. Tennessee, at Missouri
Added opponents: vs. Georgia, at Florida

AUBURN
Previously scheduled: vs. Kentucky, at Georgia
Added opponents: vs. Tennessee, at South Carolina

FLORIDA
Previously scheduled: vs. LSU, at Ole Miss
Added opponents: vs. Arkansas, at Texas A&M

GEORGIA
Previously scheduled: vs. Auburn, at Alabama
Added opponents: vs. Mississippi State, at Arkansas

KENTUCKY
Previously scheduled: vs. Mississippi State, at Auburn
Added opponents: vs. Ole Miss, at Alabama

LSU
Previously scheduled: vs. South Carolina, at Florida
Added opponents: vs. Missouri, at Vanderbilt

OLE MISS
Previously scheduled: vs. Florida, at Vanderbilt
Added opponents: vs. South Carolina, at Kentucky

MISSISSIPPI STATE
Previously scheduled: vs. Missouri, at Kentucky
Added opponents: vs. Vanderbilt, at Georgia

MISSOURI
Previously scheduled: vs. Arkansas, at Mississippi State
Added opponents: vs. Alabama, at LSU

SOUTH CAROLINA
Previously scheduled: vs. Texas A&M, at LSU
Added opponents: vs. Auburn, at Ole Miss

TENNESSEE
Previously scheduled: vs. Alabama, at Arkansas
Added opponents: vs. Texas A&M, at Auburn

TEXAS A&M
Previously scheduled: vs. Vanderbilt, at South Carolina
Added opponents: vs. Florida, at Tennessee

VANDERBILT
Previously scheduled: vs. Ole Miss, at Texas A&M
Added opponents: vs. LSU, at Mississippi State