Hogs look to finish strong with State Line Battle game
Arkansas clashes with Missouri in rivalry game
From the University of Arkansas
arkansasrazorbacks.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas football head coach Sam Pittman isn't shying away from last year's result as the Hogs prepares for the latest edition of the Battle Line Rivalry with Missouri.
The Razorbacks (6-5) head north this weekend to face the No. 24 Tigers (8-3), and revenge will be on the mind. Missouri came into Fayetteville last year and left with a resounding 48-14 victory over the Hogs.
It was one of the lowest points of Pittman's five-year tenure at Arkansas. He said that Missouri 'beat the hell out of us' last year while there are plenty of new faces inside the Hogs' program this time around, the entire defensive staff remains after letting Missouri jump out to a 41-0 lead.
Everything came easy for the Tigers that day on offense, and Pittman is going to make sure it's at the front of mind for his defensive coaches.
'They’re going to get tired of me by the time of week’s end, but we can’t have that kind of performance again,' Pittman said. 'But we have high respect because they’re a really good team. Physical team.
But, we got all the motivation we need. We just got to go up there and play well.'
Arkansas is 0-6 all-time on the road against Missouri. The last two trips to Columbia ended in two-point losses.
Pittman said that every Monday the coaching staff has a presentation waiting for the team, and this week's prep for Missouri will certainly include last year's embarrassment. He doesn't believe the team will need any extra motivation, since it's a rivalry game that includes a trophy, but adding the hurt from last year to the equation can't hurt. Pittman also spoke about the overall state of the rivalry with Missouri at his Monday press conference.
Pittman said that Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz planned on stirring the pot with the Battle Line Rivalry as soon as he accepted the job as Tigers' head coach.
Drinkwitz has gloated in press conferences on social media about getting the best of Arkansas. Some Arkansas fans don't consider Missouri a rival, but Pittman disagrees with that sentiment.
'I think Missouri is right up there at the top of rivals for us,' Pittman said. 'I think if you ask our team, obviously we have several trophy games and one of them just went out. But I would think Missouri would be one, Texas would certainly be one. LSU would be one, but I think Missouri ranks up there at the top.'
In order for a rivalry to really develop, both teams have to win. With a 2-9 record in its last 11 matchups against Missouri, Arkansas has a chance to shift the Battle Line Rivalry's narrative this weekend.
