ESPN Confuses Arkansas for Arkansas State in Bowl Game

Self-proclaimed sports authority insulted somebody in Arkansas, but who is question?

Author:
Andy Hodges
Publish date:
Dec 23, 2023 2:36 PM EST

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — There are times being a boss makes you scratch your head. Saturday morning was one of them. When one of our guys sent me a message asking where my story was on the Arkansas bowl game, my first thought was they apparently hadn't moved to the hangover stage of a long Friday night.

The self-proclaimed sports authority has apparently insulted either the Razorbacks or Arkansas State. Haven't figured that one out, either, although looking at the game in the first quarter, the Red Wolves are playing like they just discovered this morning they had a bowl game to get ready for at the Camellia Bowl. Going by ESPN is dangerous for anything but usually the world-wide misleader in sports gets the schools right for a bowl game. It's not like these games are a rushed-up deal.

Hogs' coach Sam Pittman may have called offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino and asked him what the plan was for Northern Illinois. If he even saw it or knew about it. They have other issues they are dealing with these days, though.

That insult thing, though, a tough one to figure out. There are certainly arguments to be made on both sides. Traditional Razorback fans will have the usual cry Arkansas State is getting too popular and is going to encroach on the claimed territory of the college for Northwest Arkansas. Neither one are even the winningest program in the state over the last 40 years (that's UCA). Harding and Ouachita win more games now and appreciate the fans that are at the games.

Not winning enough games to get nationwide semi-respect is one problem for the Hogs. How they've managed to drag a program once proud enough to at least claim a national title one time and appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated has turned into this mess is hard to fathom. It's almost like they are ashamed to have one of the most unique brands in all of sports. They even alter it to something that more resembles Arkansas State than the University of Arkansas and coaches even wear it in public. That's another embarrassment.

The Red Wolves fans are probably getting used to it by now. They do the best they can with the resources they have. No issues there. It's the lack of attention by someone they all think knows what they're doing. That happens about as frequent as the Hogs actually playing in a bowl game.