Under no uncertain circumstances are we happy that the #1 team in the country is anyone but the Arkansas Razorbacks, but if we have to have another game against a #1 team in our division of our conference, it is kinda nice that it isn't Alabama or LSU. That being said, it's hard to see the Bulldogs ahead of us, and even harder to see them ahead of everybody. This team has engendered so little hate in the past, that it just doesn't feel right to get so hateful... Who am I kidding. Hate always feels right.



1. Curb Stomp. I have to give props to Dillon Day, because of his happy feet, he's probably #1 persona non grata when it comes to SEC offensive lineman. It kinda reminds me of a path one of our old offensive lineman was going down until he was replaced by #63. Still, it's easy to hate a guy that carries that kinda weight around and uses it after the play is already over.

2. 2012, 2013, and 2014. MIssissippi State has been ahead of us in the SEC West standings in these years. Before 2012, you have to go back to 2000 to find a year when the Bulldogs finished ahead of the Hogs (that was the year they played Texas A&M in the Snow Bowl in Shreveport). I think I've said this before, but I'm going to be really happy when the Bulldogs quit getting their act together and help the Hogs have easy Novembers again. I can't hate you when you finish behind me.

3. CLANGA. This is really easy to hate. They should be fined every week. The SEC created a rule for it. They broke the rule and paid the fines. The SEC amended the rule this year to allow them to clang the cowbells whenever they want other than when the center is over the ball, but we expect that will be broken as well.

4. 1998. (this one is from Doc)

Still shake my head. And still not convinced that kick was actually good. For the young'uns out there, that game cost Arkansas an outright SEC West title and rematch with Tennessee in Atlanta. Arkansas does still claim the 1998 West title whenever you hear the program boast about "4 SEC West championships" so, yeah.

5. Last Year. It's kinda cliche to get upset about something that happened a year ago, but man it felt like that one should've been a win. That game felt like everything was starting to return to normal. That was a game that gave us hope coming into this season. Since THAT game, the blowouts have stopped and while it should be less painful to lose a close competitive game as opposed to a 52-0 shellacking, it somehow hurts more. Mississippi State was the first SEC team last season to be the Lucy putting the football out for our Charlie Brown. They ripped it away and down we fell, and every SEC team has been doing that to us since.

6. State fans are scared. If your team was ranked #1 in the country, would you care what happens to the other teams in the SEC West? If your team controlled their own destiny, would you be wishing for every other SEC West team to have 2 losses so you had a security blanket? From browsing around social media, it appears this is what Bulldog fans have become. They may or may not be confident, but they are afraid of what's behind every corner of the SEC schedule.

I rarely have rooting interests in non-Razorback games, but I actually want our opponents to be strong. If every opponent we play was undefeated until we played them, that would make for more and more exciting games. I'll root for someone else to lose when they have to lose to let my team get into the playoffs, but when my team controls it's own destiny? Forget it. I don't care.