Three Arkansas NCAA Division I college teams have 2-0 records.
Boy, did they travel different routes to get there.
The University of Central Arkansas has maintained a fairly steady course on a road that got significantly steeper last week with a major speed bump. After the win over UC Davis (projected one of the biggest challenges on the schedule), the Bears seem to have a very good chance of being 4-0 going into their game with Tulsa.
Arkansas State University navigated through historically, highly treacherous territory one week, then could put things on auto-pilot and coast against a woefully overmatched foe.
The University of Arkansas sailed immediately off the beaten patch has fought its way through unexpected, ruts, brush, thickets and debris without blemish. And we're not sure anybody really knows how the Razorbacks managed to stay on track. But they seem to find another gear in the fourth quarter, at least against lesser-than-SEC-quality opposition.
Both UCA and ASU have notched overlooked victories over tradition-rich opponents. Those have been overlooked because many football fans in the state are still trying to figure out the Razorbacks and their by-the-chinny-chin survival against the two opponents on their schedule that had been penciled in by almost everyone as automatic victories.
UCA was overpowering, as advertised, against Henderson State and good-enough on offense and stout on defense in a 24-21 victory over UC Davis, one of the signature wins in school history. UC Davis, once a perennial Division II power that has moved to Division I Football Championship Subdivision, has been a nationally respected program for years, one that has had only one losing season since 1969.
ASU, playing for the first time as Red Wolves, went to College Station and defeated Texas A&M in one of the most ignored upsets the first week of the season. Although A&M is in the midst of transition trying to perform in a new system with for a new coach with players who were recruited for a different system (similar to Arkansas), any victory at College Station is a trophy win. The Aggies are 49-4 the last decade on their home field.
The Red Wolves followed that with a 83-10 victory over an inept Texas Southern team that was designed to be a freebie after the trip to College Station. Some friends, who saw the game, reported that Texas Southern was still struggling bigtime in an attempt to play tackle football. So, you can't judge much from that game, even the lopsided score.
But we have enough evidence to note that ASU is pretty good overall and is so far flourishing under its new politically correct monitor.
The Razorbacks? It's already evident that it will be a terrific struggle for the Hogs to win six games in Bobby Petrino's first year. They have a lot of heart and are spunky. They have some young players apparently destined to be pretty darn good or great. But several of the UA's most optimistic fans realize now the UA overall is not very good (very, very average at several positions) and appears doomed to take its lumps this season.
"But if you're exciting, it's easier to take the lumps," said another friend, who is a loyal fan.
This season may be the anamoly. The stars may never line up so nicely again (particularly with both UCA and ASU having two of the best quarterbacks in school history and the UA's Casey Dick much improved as a player and as a leader). A three-game, round-robin state series among the Razorbacks, the Bears and the Red Wolves would be a dandy this year on all kinds of levels.
Too bad it can't happen.
(Sports columnist David McCollum can be reached at 505-1235 or david.mccollum@thecabin.net)
