For Whom the Cheer Roars
So you're a Razorback fan who likes to watch the other conference games while you wait for your beloved Hogs, but you always feel conflicted on whether you should cheer on an SEC foe.
Well, here at allHogs, we've got you covered. We'll guide you through who to cheer on this week and why while you wait to see if the Razorbacks can keep their hot streak going.
MONDAY
Ole Miss vs. Florida
Good news Hogs fans. This one already happened and it went your way.
Reach out to your favorite Ole Miss fan and tell them to untuck that Polo so they can get full torque for the hearty handshake they have coming to them.
The Rebels not only pulled off the upset, they did it in convincing fashion. While Ole Miss isn't a mathematical threat in the SEC standings, the Gators were poised to possibly leapfrog past the Hogs should Eric Musselman's team slip up.
Now, not only does Arkansas get a buffer, but should the NCAA tournament selection committee have to make a decision between the Hogs and Gators down the road, this loss helps balance out the Razorbacks' loss to Vanderbilt.
TUESDAY
Kentucky vs. Mississippi St.
More good news for Arkansas fans. You get another week without having to cheer on Kentucky.
Jake Crandall - USA Today Sports
Barbara Gauntt - USA TODAY Sports
That's right, a Mississippi sweep would be a dream for Razorback fans. A loss would put both Kentucky and Arkansas on equal footing in the conference loss column with three.
It would also set up a potential showdown at Bud Walton next weekend between the Hogs and Dogs for second place in the conference standings a full week into February.
Missouri vs. Auburn
As much as we all love seeing a big upset, and as it's in our nature to be neighborly with the good folks to our north, an Auburn win is what's serves the greater good.
Nelson Chenault / USA TODAY Sports
Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK
We're just around the corner from a big showdown with the weird Egyptian mythological Tiger-Eagles from the orange covered plains of Alabama. Auburn's not going to lose enough games for Arkansas to jump them for the SEC championship, so the next best thing is to have them into Fayetteville looking like Mike Tyson to the Razorbacks' Buster Douglas.
An undefeated run that extends beyond that Feb. 8 battle brings back a bit of that forgotten No. 10ish luster, and this time it would be earned.
Georgia vs. Alabama
This one felt like a bit of a pipe dream before Ole Miss pulled the upset. Now anything is possible.
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK
Alabama must fall. They are tied with Arkansas right now and the Hogs only get one crack at them this year.
The Razorbacks need Alabama a full two games behind them when they meet in case something goes wrong down in Tuscaloosa. If the Tide have an even record with Arkansas, the Auburn win gets cancelled out by Bama's win over Gonzaga and the lone head-to-head gives the Crimson Tide the edge with the selection committee.
WEDNESDAY
LSU vs. Texas A&M
No one seems to like Will Wade except Will Wade, but for this particular game Hog fans are just going to have to fake it.
Stephen Lew / USA TODAY Sports
Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
It's OK to wish for Ethan Henderson to score 28 points in a furious comeback in the end, but you're just going to have to choke back the tears take a 1-point LSU victory for the team you love.
Unfortunately in this scenario, the Aggies still hold a full game lead in the loss column so you're just going to have to hope A&M feels the sting of the same 3-game losing streak that you suffered through when they beat your Hogs down in College Station.
Tennessee vs. Florida
The Gators did you a solid by losing to Ole Miss on Monday, and now you need them muster up whatever energy will be left from traveling to two road games in three days to help out one more time with a win over Tennessee.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
The Volunteers, led by 25th year senior John Fulkerson, are currently tied with the Hogs in the SEC standings. Tennessee comes to Fayetteville in mid-February, but needs to do so with an extra loss under its belt if Arkansas is going to find a way to close out a runner-up finish and claim the No. 2 seed in the SEC tournament.
SEC vs. Big 12
Suck it up buttercup! As much as you don't like it, and as hard as you've tried to avoid it, the time has come to cheer on Kentucky. In fact, you're going to need to pull for all the SEC teams because Arkansas needs every drop of credibility it can squeeze from this challenge.
The good news is the Wildcats take on No. 5 Kansas, one of the few teams as unlikable at Kentucky.
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Even Auburn has a scenario where it will be easier to wrap your mind around wishing the Tigers the best. The nation's No. 1 or No. 2 team, depending on where you get your rankings, will host the Oklahoma Sooners at 1 p.m. on ESPN.
You remember Oklahoma, right? They're the ones that started that whole downhill slide and softened your team up for that upset by Hofstra.
See, you can cheer for Auburn.
You even get to cheer for Tennessee in the battle for the right to be called UT when both teams are in the SEC. Although, for the record, Texas like to refer to itself as UT-Austin for some reason.
So, get your marker and poster board ready. Go UT! Beat UTA!
• Graphix look back at Hogs' football
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