Hogs' Carmona seeks revenge in Week 3: "I hate Ole Miss"

Arkansas Razorbacks senior guard seeks to repay Rebels for last year's thrashing

Arkansas Razorbacks offensive lineman Fernando Carmona during drills at spring practice at the indoor practice facility in Fayetteville, Ark. | And Hodges-Hogs on SI Iages

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas offensive lineman Fernando Carmona scheduled an appointment for revenge when he joined former Razorbacks Mackey Award winning tight end D.J. Williams for an episode of the 4th & 5 podcast. 

Last season, Ole Miss, led by coach Lane Kiffin, quarterback Jaxson Dart and a ferocious defense embarrassed the Razorbacks 63-31 to begin November.

Arkansas will get a couple of tune up games ahead of its visit to Ole Miss Sept. 12 as Carmona wants to set the record straight in 2025. 

"Ole Miss," Carmona said this week on the 4th and 5 podcast hosted by former Arkansas tight end DJ Williams. "I need them. I hate them. Just the way they [acted]. They had every right to act that way that day. I mean, they put belt to [expletive] to us." 

After keeping the game relatively close through one quarter, it quickly got out of hand for Arkansas by halftime, down 35-10.

The Rebels sideline incorporated several celebrations to go along with its dunk contest, such as viral Tik-Tok dances and spraying a fire extinguisher after wide receiver Jordan Watkins’ fifth touchdown of the day. It's something they had done all season.

"It was really extremely disrespectful, especially it being on our field,” Carmona said. “I think everyone in the building who was here last year knows what Week 3 will look like and what that practice will look like. We will get our revenge."

There’s sort of a reset button for both teams going into the 2025 season as Arkansas attempts to replace a veteran receiving group. Ole Miss is set to start a new quarterback in Austin Simmons has also rebuilt its receiving room built heavily from the transfer portal.

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Austin Simmons (13) during the fourth quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mississippi won 63-31. | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Defensively, the Rebels lost a ton off its No. 2 defense with stars such as Walter Nolen, JJ Pegues, Chris Paul and Trey Amos now rookies in the NFL.

Defensive coordinator Pete Golding brings back a solid duo at linebacker, but loads of questions in the secondary.

While the Rebels will experience growing pains, Arkansas could fly under the radar much like Kentucky did last year inside Vaughn-Hemingway Stadium, to secure an upset. 

There was hurt in Carmona’s camp. He and his teammates are working hard every day to make sure the outcome from last season will not be replicated. 

Carmona is not only seeking revenge following an embarrassing loss on his home turf, he wants to make sure former teammate Patrick Kutas knows Arkansas feels betrayed for the way his time with the program ended.

"It killed me," Carmona said. “It definitely killed me on the inside because that was someone I got really close with here at Arkansas. He was one of the most down to earth, one of the most 'Hog til I die' kind of guy. For that to happen, I was just like, I don't even know. It definitely hurt me. I think that's why I can't wait for Week 3.”

Arkansas Razorbacks Patrick Kutas during spring practice at the indoor field in Fayetteville, Ark. | Andy Hodges-Hogs on SI Images

Kutas isn’t the only Razorbacks star turned Rebel either as freshman All-American Jaylon Braxton and tight end Luke Hasz join him in Oxford. That surely fuels the flame for what sets up to be an exciting game in Oxford.

Rivalries have taken on a different meaning over the past few years because of the transfer portal. It’s nice to see pure hatred and bad blood still can exist between two college football programs.