Hogs' rivalry with legendary LSU program goes back decades

Razorbacks, Tigers renew acquaintances in first round of College World Series

Arkansas Razorback coach Dave Van Horn worked with his infielders during practice before the Super Regional against the Tennessee Volunteers at Baum-Walker Stadium last week in Fayetteville. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

LSU's coach, the most successful baseball boss in Southeastern Conference history, was relaxing in the home dugout an hour before a showdown with the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Skip Bertman was the unofficial king of college baseball back when he guided LSU to five national championships in 10 seasons.

This was 1999, the year before Bertman and the Tigers claimed their fifth crown at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

Bertman sat with this reporter, his legs crossed in the LSU dugout at Alex Box Stadium, telling stories and laughing. But mostly, he spoke of his respect for Arkansas' baseball program and Hogs coach Norm DeBriyn.

Skip Bertman back in 2007 when he was the LSU Tigers athletic director. | John David Mercer-Imagn Images

The Razorbacks were on their way to winning the SEC championship in '99 with a 22-8 record and Bertman talked about how the Hogs program had deepened the quality and strength of the SEC.

DeBriyn retired after leading Arkansas to a Super Regional in 2002, his Hall of Fame career ending on a high note after leading the Razorbacks to four appearances in the College World Series.

His former second baseman from 1982, who had become a Hogs graduate assistant coach before embarking on his own career as a head coach, assumed leadership of the Arkansas program in the fall of 2002.

Former Arkansas Razorbacks coach Norm DeBriyn, left, and current coach Dave Van Horn at a game against Missouri State on April 30, 2024, at Baum-Walker Stadium in Fayetteville. | Andy Hodges-allHOGS Images

That, of course, was Dave Van Horn. He's guided the Razorbacks to the College World Series eight times after taking Nebraska to its first-ever CWS berths in 2001 and '02.

Van Horn, 64, has built the Hogs program into a perennial national contender. This year's team is the highest remaining seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Razorbacks' first game at the College World Series is Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN. The opponent is LSU, which won its sixth national title in 2009 and seventh in 2023.

Arkansas was the No. 3 overall seed when the NCAA Tournament began and LSU was No. 6. They're the two highest seeds remaining, so it's a bit unfortunate they square off in an opening game.

All Aboard The Road To Omaha pic.twitter.com/9tUMV48QFR

— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) June 11, 2025

They're also the only SEC teams left after a record 13 programs earned invitations to the 64-team playoff.

Bertman, who became LSU's athletics director when he retired from the dugout following the 2001 season, watched the Tigers win two of three from the Hogs in Baton Rouge a month ago.

Both he and DeBriyn will be interested observers Saturday. After all, the winner of the Arkansas-LSU showdown has a leg up on the national title — either the Tigers' eighth or the first for the Hogs.