I arrived at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium at 6am on Saturday morning.
My friends and I began setting up a tailgate in Lot 44 right outside the north side of the stadium. Right in the grassy area next to an empty Hog Town on Maple Street. It was dark, cool, and quiet. We set up tents, put out chairs, fired up the smoker, made sure the Yeti’s had plenty of ice, and had the drinks on the table ready for pouring.
It started out as a normal tailgate for us. But as soon as the sun came up and Hog fans began filtering onto campus, what we had hoped for soon became confirmed:
Saturday was going to be a great day to be a Razorback fan.
You could just feel it in the air. All week this game had been hyped up by myself and other in sports talk radio. All offseason, every Razorback fan circled this game as the key to a successful season. This was it. This was the game where Sam Pittman and Arkansas can finally show all of College Football that they aren’t a Cinderella story anymore. That they are a legit program that can compete in the SEC.
I talked to Hog fans all day long about what this game meant to them. Every single fan felt confident that they would beat Texas that day. Not because of matchups, coaching philosophies, or even talent levels of either team.
Hog fans just wanted it more.
They wore their hatred for Texas on their sleeve all week long. Touting to everyone that would hear them about why they hate Texas and all things burnt orange. Throwing “horns down” to any and every fan (Razorback or Longhorn) that they saw while walking around the stadium. Arkansas fans wanted to beat Texas as badly as they wanted to breathe.
The energy was building all week long, but Saturday came around the energy turned up to an 11 and built even more. Once the flyover happened during the National Anthem on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, Razorback Stadium was at a fever pitch. Kickoff for the most anticipated game in over a decade had finally arrived in Fayetteville.
Only this time, the Hogs didn’t disappoint.
Arkansas dominated Texas in every part of the game. The Hog offense consistently ran it down Texas’ throat. The Hog defense didn’t give up the big plays and made the Longhorns earn every yard. Even the special teams made plays and went four for four on field goal attempts. It was an all out party in Razorback Stadium and no one left early. Well…except Longhorn fans.
Once the clock hit zero, fans added the cherry on top of a great night by rushing the field. At first I wasn’t keen on the idea, but after being a part of that incredible day in Fayetteville, I changed my mind. It was an emotional ending that had some Hog fans crying tears of joy when it was all said and done. Even I started getting a little teary eyed when I saw the reaction of roughly 76,000 Razorback fans in celebration.
You deserved that Hog fans. You deserved every second of what happened last Saturday. You have been through hell and back as a football fanbase over the past decade. You kept trying to put your faith in coaches and administrators that promised you one thing but did another. You were mocked by national pundits on the regular because of how embarrassing your football team was. It was gut wrenching to see how pathetic your once proud Razorback football program be dragged through the mud year after year.
That all came to an end Saturday against Texas. You’re no longer the butt of every college football joke. You’re now the team that other teams don’t want to play. No team is circling the Razorbacks as an easy win the SEC. They are worried about what the Hogs are capable of if they really get going this season. The Hogs have a long way to go this season, but it could not have gotten off to a better start. I can’t wait to see what Arkansas does once SEC play arrives. It’s going to be one heck of a ride all the way into November.
Soak it in Razorback fans. You’ve earned this feeling.