Southeastern Conference

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

Cameron Newton is a Fraud

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) should have declared Cameron Newton ineligible to participate in NCAA intercollegiate athletics until a full investigation into various allegations about Cameron Newton could have been conducted. Although Cameron Newton has played phenomenally this season, this should not give him any special privileges. The NCAA has found that Cecil Newton, Cameron Newton’s father, did seek money in exchange for his son’s signing with certain schools, but the NCAA contends that Cameron Newton did not know anything about it and neither did Auburn. Yeah right! Cam Newton claims that he did not know that his father was seeking money in exchange for his signing. Yeah right! If the NCAA does not immediately declare Cameron Newton ineligible and take away all of Auburn’s wins this season, then the NCAA will prove without a shadow of doubt that it is a corrupt cartel.

Now, if I would have interviewed Cameron Newton after he won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championship against the South Carolina Gamecocks, the interview would have went tremendously different. Trust me—I would not have allowed his use of a hackneyed biblical scripture to prevent me from asking him probing questions. My first question would have been where’s your daddy? My second question would have been did you commit academic fraud on three papers while a student at the University of Florida? If he answers no to that question, I would then ask him why are credible people associated with the University of Florida who oversee disciplinary issues involving students saying that you did? Next, I would ask him do you really expect for the American people to believe that you did not know that your father was seeking money in exchange for you playing at a certain school? I would finally ask him why is it that you always find yourself surrounded in controversies involving illegal and criminal activities? I would end by telling him that the scripture that he used only refers to those who are saved—he cannot be saved with all of those lies he continues to tell. Repent Cameron Newton! The interview he gave after the SEC Championship game would have certainly went very differently if I was the interviewer—that’s for sure. I’m too intelligent, too skilled of a questioner, and too unsettling of a person to allow him to evade those aforementioned questions that most people want real answers to. I would have asked probing follow-ups to those questions. It would have been a post-game interview to remember!

The NCAA has simply been unfair in how it has treated Cameron Newton in comparison with how wrong they treated A.J. Green of the Georgia Bulldogs. Did A.J. Green and/or Georgia not have enough money to please the NCAA? We need to replace the NCAA with a serious governing body that will be a fair agency to oversee intercollegiate athletics. At the end of the day, Auburn is a fraudulent university and Cameron Newton is a fraudulent student, student-athlete, and person. Oh yeah, Cecil Newton is a fraudulent person and pastor.

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

The Arkansas Razorbacks Will Defeat the Auburn Tigers

Because of Auburn’s higher ranking in the polls and because Auburn is at home, the Arkansas Razorbacks are a 3 point underdog going on the road to play Auburn. Although it is always tough to go on the road in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Arkansas Razorbacks have proven that they can go on the road and win already this year with their defeat of the Georgia Bulldogs. The Arkansas Razorbacks have also gone on the road in the past and blew out the Auburn Tigers—when Darren McFadden and Felix Jones were in the backfield for the Razorbacks. Auburn and Arkansas have basically the same teams from last year—with some exceptions. Arkansas soundly defeated Auburn last year at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Auburn is unquestionably the weakest team in the top ten in the polls.

Auburn has not looked impressive against any true competition they have played this year. They barely beat one of the weakest teams in the SEC last week, Kentucky. They barely beat and should have lost a 3 point game over a less than average Mississippi State team. Although they beat South Carolina, it was the unforced errors of South Carolina that gave Auburn the victory. One thing is for sure this weekend—Auburn will face the best team that they have played and will play all year, the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Auburn’s pass defense is 93rd in the nation. Again, 93rd pass defense in the nation. With the 3rd ranked passing offense coming to town, Auburn will have nightmares about the best quarterback in the nation, Ryan Mallett. Arkansas also has one of the top scoring defenses in the nation. The Arkansas defense is fast and swarms to the football. Cameron Newton will have Jerry Franklin following him everywhere he goes. Arkansas will put 8 and 9 men in the box and force Cameron Newton to beat them with his arm and not his legs.

While Auburn is an improved team this year, they are still not in the class with Arkansas, Alabama, and LSU.  People should not be fooled by their #7 ranking in the polls—they are not that good. They have benefited from a favorable early schedule. Auburn is about to get into the heart of their schedule, which is the point at which they get their hearts ripped out.

Against Texas A&M last week, Arkansas showed an improved running game, which will only help to make them even tougher against Auburn. Arkansas will need to pay close attention to Farley on defense. He has proved to be a tough man to block.

Although Auburn will feed off of the home crowd early, the Arkansas Razorbacks have too much talent and depth to be defeated by Auburn. If Arkansas plays as well as they should, they will beat Auburn by 10 or 14 points. I am going to say, however, that they are going to win this road game by 7 points. The Arkansas players don’t think this will be an upset—they expect to win this game because they know that they are simply better than Auburn.

Arkansas has new life in the SEC West since Alabama lost. Arkansas gets a critical win on the road Saturday against Auburn. WOO PIG SOOIE! GO HOGS!

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Arkansas Razorbacks Prepare to Face Alabama in the Mountains of Fayetteville

After a closer than was needed victory over the Georgia Bulldogs on yesterday, the Arkansas Razorbacks, led by Ryan Mallett, get set to face the Alabama Crimson Tide, the defending national champions and #1 ranked team in the nation. While Arkansas did get the win against a Georgia Bulldogs team that they are simply better than, with or without A.J. Green, they did not show all of the things that they need to do to win against Alabama. Although it is always a good thing to get a win on the road in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Arkansas Razorbacks did not play like champions when they had a 14 point lead on the Georgia Bulldogs. If Arkansas is going to silence the critics, then they are going to have to play like champions for all four quarters each game.

Next Saturday, Alabama will come to one of the toughest places to play in the nation: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in the Mountains of Fayetteville! While Arkansas will have to play better than they played against Georgia to beat Alabama, anytime Ryan Mallett steps on the field the Hogs have a chance to win against anyone. The Arkansas defense has shown significant improvement from last year, so Alabama will need to be prepared for a much improved and more physical defense. Although the Arkansas offense has proved to be explosive, the offense still has not reached its full potential, which should certainly scare Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban.

Arkansas will not be awe-struck when Alabama steps on the field. They know that if they play their best that they can defeat any opponent, including Alabama. If Mallett leads his team to victory, you can certainly expect him to win this year’s Heisman Trophy. Without question, Ryan Mallett will face the toughest defense he will experience this season, but the great thing is he has faced this defense last year and knows what to expect.

I don’t want Arkansas to think that this game is the whole season. Arkansas will have more games after facing Alabama and should play each week like they are playing for the national championship. I know each one of the Arkansas players and know that they think that they can beat each team on their schedule, so with that confidence I think that they will have the mental toughness to take on any adversity they may face against Alabama. This is going to be a great game! I am predicting that the Arkansas Razorbacks will beat Alabama in a close game in Fayetteville, Arkansas! WOO PIG SOOIE!

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison