Bowl Championship Series

The Arkansas Razorbacks Will Win the BCS Sugar Bowl

The Arkansas Razorbacks will square off against the Ohio State University Buckeyes in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) AllState Sugar Bowl. As a Razorback, I am tremendously proud of the Hogs for making it to this BCS game. Bobby Petrino, his coaches, staff, and team have done a tremendous job of doing what was necessary to get to this game. This season the Razorbacks were really about two plays away from being in the BCS National Championship game facing the Oregon Ducks. Ohio State University will get to see tonight why there is a significant difference between playing in the Big Ten and playing in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Arkansas has the only offense in the nation to have both a 3,000 yard passer and a 1,000 yard rusher. Yes, Ohio State has a good defense but this defense has not seen a team with the speed and physicality that the Arkansas Razorbacks bring. This team has not faced a quarterback as talented as Ryan Mallett.

Ohio State University has five players, including the starting quarterback, who have been suspended for the first five games next year. These five players should not be playing in this game tonight, but they are and the Arkansas Razorbacks are glad that they are playing because we don’t want any excuses when we beat Ohio State! I don’t think for a moment that the talk about suspensions are going to distract the Ohio State players because all that they are concerned about is tonight, considering all of them are probably going to leave for the NFL after the game anyway.

The Arkansas defense has been a much improved unit this year, and this unit has gotten better and better each game. I look for the defense to step up and make big plays and do just enough to help Arkansas win the game. Arkansas is a tested team who has played strong competition—not a weak Big Ten schedule. Arkansas will represent the greatness and superiority of the SEC tonight!

Mallett will have a big game, as he has had all year. The key to the Hogs winning tonight will be the ability of the offensive line to pass protect for Mallett and Knile Davis will need to gain 100 yards for the Hogs.

I really could focus on the suspensions of the five Ohio State players, but I will not elevate those players to the greater attention that my Razorbacks deserve for getting to this game tonight and for the victory that they will get tonight!

I believe that this is going to be a close and outstanding game. I predict that the Arkansas Razorbacks will defeat the Ohio State University Buckeyes 31-27.

I pray for the success of all members of the Razorback team tonight and that they all will return to Fayetteville, Arkansas healthy and the winners of the BCS AllState Sugar Bowl! I know that you guys are going to do it! Go Hogs! WOO PIG SOOIE!

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Arkansas Razorbacks Will Defeat LSU

In one of the great rivalries in all of college football, Arkansas vs. LSU will give college football fans yet another memorable game. In the end, the Arkansas Razorbacks will simply outlast Louisiana State University (LSU). Les Miles is going to need to have more than just trick plays ready for the Arkansas Razorbacks, because, at this point, the Razorbacks are ready for all of his trick plays. Now, it will not be an easy task for the Razorbacks to defeat LSU, but Arkansas is simply the better team. LSU has some athletes who will make it a challenge for the Hogs to win, but Ryan Mallett and the Arkansas Razorbacks know they are playing for a potential Bowl Championship Series (BCS) berth in the Sugar Bowl and they are not going to let that opportunity pass them by.

LSU’s offense is not really that good, so the Arkansas defense should play fairly well against the LSU offense. LSU does have a solid defense, but the defense has never faced a passing attack like Ryan Mallett and company has to offer. What I want you to look out for, however, is the Arkansas running game. When the game is all over, it will be the success of Knile Davis and the running game that will result in such a successful day for the Razorback offense.

The offensive line will need to have a solid game blocking for Ryan Mallett, and will need to eliminate the silly penalties they get.

When the Razorbacks get a pretty comfortable lead on LSU, they need to continue to be aggressive against them and don’t allow them to get back into the game. I encourage Bobby Petrino not to get too conservative with his playcalling because LSU does not have anything close to an explosive offense. I think we will see LSU play one of the best games the team has played this year, but I think we will see Arkansas play the best four quarters of football we have seen them play this year, which will certainly equal a Razorback victory.

When Arkansas wins, the BCS Sugar Bowl Committee needs to give Arkansas a spot in the Sugar Bowl game. If the BCS Sugar Bowl Committee does not give them a spot, then another BCS bowl committee needs to give them a spot because the Arkansas Razorbacks have certainly earned a spot to play in a BCS game.

I really wish that Arkansas would stop playing LSU in War Memorial Stadium and start playing them in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The Razorbacks make it a much closer trip for LSU’s fans to come and attend the game. Arkansas also takes away from the feel of a true home game by playing at War Memorial Stadium. It’s always a mighty tough task to come up in play in the Mountains of Fayetteville, but Arkansas denies itself an opportunity to use the advantage of Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

It would be great if Dennis Johnson, Ramon Broadway, and Greg Childs could be playing for the Razorbacks, but they are all out for the season with injuries. The Arkansas Razorbacks still have so many talented athletes to lead the way to a victory against LSU. Go Hogs!

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Boise State and TCU Shouldn’t be in the BCS Discussion

It is simply unfair for Boise State University and Texas Christian University (TCU) to be ranked #3 and #4 in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). If they want to be able to gain the necessary respect to play in the national championship game, then they will need to schedule road games with traditional football powers like Alabama and Texas and beat them both. Their non-conference schedules need to be the most difficult in the nation, considering their conference schedules are tremendously weak. Of course, I support a playoff system, one that would still require Boise State University and TCU to play more difficult non-conference schedules. Now, Boise State and TCU could move into BCS conferences and I would then be more supportive of them. For instance, if TCU moved into the Big 12, for which they are geographically perfect for, and Boise State moved into the Big 12 too, and experienced undefeated seasons, I would support both of them getting a national championship game appearance. The moral to the story, therefore, is TCU and Boise State need to change conferences or play the most difficult non-conference schedules in the nation.

I’m not trying to say that these two teams are not talented because they are. What I am saying is they basically don’t play anybody. Give Boise State the schedule Arkansas has, and TCU the schedule Oregon has. I’m willing to bet that both teams would have two losses or more each year. The problem both teams present for themselves is we never have a chance to see them play a tough conference schedule.

The coaches, Harris Interactive poll voters, and the Associated Press need to stop voting them into the Top 25. They occupy places in the polls that other teams who are far more deserving are being denied a chance to be in. Kellen Moore of Boise State and Andy Dalton of TCU, therefore, should not be receiving Heisman Trophy consideration. I support Ryan Mallett of the Arkansas Razorbacks for the Heisman Trophy.

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison