Arkansas Needs This Win More Than Oklahoma State

things of that nature things of nature things of that nature things of that nature things of that nature things of that nature things of that nature things that nature things of that nature things of that nature things of that nature things of that [Applause] nature and welcome in the pot of that nature here on inside Arkansas doing a little preview action of Arkansas and Oklahoma State the game will be played tomorrow folks 11:00 a.m. central time and it's going to be a big one one of the bigger games in the SEC and of course we got to talk about it with someone who knows both programs it's going to be on the sidelines too if you're watching the television broadcast it is Taylor McGregor of ESPN in the SEC network and what's up Taylor it's been a long time but appreciate you making some time for us today yeah it was only a year ago when I did the the Arkansas game in Florida um so I I think I talked you around then so glad to be back on and I'm super excited to have another Razer back game and I want to make this clear for all the Razorback fans out there so Taylor did that game last year which of course went to overtime and the only other Arkansas game she did was the Kansas game in the Liberty Bowl which was insane So based on those Trends Taylor it feels like this game might have a lot of indications it's going to be overtime and insane and one of the crazy games of the of the week maybe the season yeah it's it's the way that it goes when I'm on an Arkansas game it goes into overtime so two for two in overtime games and Razer back fans will like to know that I'm also two for two in Razer back wins um but of course um I am neutral as a reporter I just always cheer for a good game so uh overtime would be a lot of fun and I would certainly be here for it so talking about an a good game I think most people are expecting that because even though Oklahoma State's favored and Oklahoma State's a top 25 team and rightfully so but they're are people at least some people here in Arkansas know feeling a little bit confident not saying that they believe they're going to for sure win but have some reasons to feel pretty confident but the match up between these two teams itself I mean that's what makes it so tough to really know which way it's going to go because it seems like not to say evenly match talent-wise but both these teams really needing this win both these teams haven't played each other much at all and it could be one of those crazy matchups to where it could go either way or maybe even depending on who has the ball last are you talking about the Bobby patrino effect because it seems everybody in Arkansas has been super fired up and of course the result in week one when you put up 70 points certainly helps so I'm really excited to see this Arkansas team against a really talented Oklahoma State team with all due respect to uapb they're not exactly a power five or power four team so to see Arkansas against a team that has a lot of talent will be a true evaluation of where this program is 55 new players a new offensive coordinator and Bobby patrino a talented running back a talented quarterback finally being able to run the football that's something Arkansas could not do a year ago so excited about what this game will will show Arkansas fans now on the other side of that Oklahoma state is a team that returns a ton of talent all over the offense and defense um of course headlined by Olly Gordon who you know has the third best odds of a non-quarterback to win the Heisman so he's certainly the headliner on offense but they have a lot of talented receivers a lot of NFL talented uh receivers Alan Bowman a quarterback who's been around forever and so he has experience and then I think their offensive line is the most um experienced well they are the most experienced offensive line in terms of starts in the country and it might be ever now you know with uh all these six seven eight-year guys in college football so um it it's going to be a great matchup and I I really think a great lit m test for both programs to see where they're at in the early parts of this season well since you kind of brought it up I do want to because I know you went to the University of Arkansas around this time it it but Bobby patrino being back at Arkansas is it's still hard to kind of grasp it's a crazy thing like what what did you what did you make of that when that happened and also you know the job that he could do at Arkansas this season it's still crazy to me yeah it's it's wild but listen um I've seen crazy things over and over in in sports so I sort of never count anything out and look Bobby patrino is not a good good coach he's a great coach and the Hogs saw that the first time around and I think um their expectation is to see that again and talking with ton green um J Quin and Jackson this week it's a lot of the same sentiments he's really talented as an instructor as as a leader of young men and so I really think it's real what he's doing with this offense and you saw that again last Thursday but now can they repeat that against a really talented Oklahoma State team that's the question but it is wild it's so wild and really excited to talk to him we have not talked to coaches yet we'll do that on Friday um but can't wait to see and hear a little bit more about his plan with this offense and what we can expect more on Saturday well and also on the other side too one of the things that I've been fascinated about with Mike Gundy is that he's had a lot of success at Oklahoma State in fact I feel at least in my research that in the other in his first season he has never lost less than seven games in a year which for those who doing the math that means he's had a winning season every year so uh been one of those stable coaches but it's so unique in college football especially nowadays where you have such a long tenure coach at one school but also that level of success what how has he been able to do it at a place like Oklahoma State and be so consistent especially given how a lot of people view Oklahoma the the bigger game in town and yet it doesn't matter because they still find success well I think first and foremost you have to give him credit for who he is as a coach and again the way he's able to develop players but look he deserves a lot of credit for keeping this roster together from a year ago I mean I don't know any specifics but I would imagine that olly Gordon was a hot commodity um out there and especially in the world of nil you know potentially schools trying to lure him away or agents telling him how much he could make elsewhere I don't know um but the fact that he kept this roster together and to a a team that went to the Big 12 Championship a year ago and won 10 games beat Texas S&M in a blll game like they they're a really talented Squad and he kept them all together and speaking with Oli I've asked him a lot about his decision last year when he made it and then again this year and he gives a ton of credit to Mike Gundy and the atmosphere that he's created the culture he's created at Oklahoma State players buy into to what he does and he uh it's been impressive and he's also a really good coach a great time manager clock manager down the stretch so uh really impressed with what he's done that the the success that he has sustained over a long period of time in a sport where it's not easy um that's why you don't see this level of um success over a period of time so yeah I'm I'm really impressed mik Gundy always enjoy talking to him he's a fascinating character it's the way that I describe him um but but he he's he's meant a lot to Oklahoma State and it's certainly showed in the wind column over the years so Taylor one thing that I think Razer back fans are excited and I think there's probably some element to it for Oklahoma State fans is that uh there's not a lot of campuses power five campuses that are in the proximity of fville uh in fact it's been pretty far and few between especially in conference play but these two cities still water in fville less than three hours away in a drive this is going to be the first time that they' played since 1980 which I understand scheduling tough but how in the world has this not become more of a common thing considering how these three schools three campuses or two campuses or two schools two campuses and also kind of the culture of the fit how are they not played more over the past 40 some odd years yeah it's it's one of those weird things in college football and look I go back to I was just talking about this with somebody else one of the cool things about having Texas back in the SEC or in the SEC I should say is you get that Texas Texas A&M rivalry back because it's crazy to think that the two biggest schools in Texas the proximity they are did not play for the last decade that is insane to me and and I would say the same is true for schools like this um you know the again the different conferences create a challenge but when you have so many kids that were probably recruited by both programs a lot of the students at the respective schools might have taken visits to both schools or have high school buddies that you know go to the other school school just because the proximity yeah it creates a fun Dynamic and uh I it's always fun to see these types of games play out I wish it happened more but that's a little bit out of my control for sure yeah because it's it's one of those things where Arkansas you know they're very unique obviously and then joining the SEC made them very unique but they've also played in basketball they've played in baseball numerous times but just never never in football but that's going to change this weekend so do you feel like you know I know college football's changing literally by the second it's hard to keep up but you think maybe that this is something to where later down the road maybe more permanent maybe when the A&M game is out of Arlington but Jerry Jones still wants his boys still wants his Hogs playing in his Stadium maybe they do an Oklahoma State thing I feel like there's could be a budding I don't even want to call it rivalry but a budding thing that can make it a little bit more permanent or a little bit more frequent well to be honest with the perspective vocala State I want to see them play u i want bedum like it's crazy that U joins the SEC and now those teams will not play in football to me that's insane and that was the same thing with the Texas Texas A&M so before I want to see Oklahoma State consistently play Arkansas I want to see Oklahoma State consistently play OU because that's a rivalry that should be upheld again I get it the different conferences and college football's changing but come on like you gotta play your biggest rival I mean their biggest rival U's biggest rival they would say is Texas but like inate like let's go those two schools need to play I yeah I don't understand why that because it's pretty common you mentioned Texas and Texas A&M and how they didn't do it I guess it's just Pride that gets in the way uh of it all but yeah like bedum was always you know just one of those fun little matchups that would had had chances to get chaotic and crazy and wild but yeah I don't understand why in modern college football you don't stick with playing a rivalry especially everyone's about making money and I feel like those are the types of games that's going to make the most money for both schools I don't know my pay grade yeah it's like but who knows Oklahoma State may be in the SEC in two years for all we know like who knows at the at the rate that this is going so uh but Taylor I know also we're let you go that of course this game being played in Still Water have you been to still water before have you done a water okay yeah I did a game there last year I did homecoming there which was awesome it was sold out crowd I will tell you it's a sneaky really tough environment to play on the road I mean these guys are on top of you we'll probably showcase that in our broadcast for those who aren't there I mean the the sidelines are tight and those fans are on top of you so Arkansas is no stranger to playing in hostile environments in the SEC but this is a challenging one and I think interesting too with the new comms devices and just 55 new players like they didn't really get tested week one as far as atmosphere and opponent but they will be tested this this week and especially with that environment crowd noise how does that impact the comms we don't really know so I think there are a couple storylines that may or may not play a factor that I'll have my eyes on yeah I've I was going to ask like for Razer back fans making the trip they never have what's is there any like traditions any things that they need to because I honestly don't know I think it's something called like the howdy Duty wave or something that they do but I I didn't know if there's anything that like to be there whether it's in still water or just traditionally for uh for Razer back fans to see for the pokes yeah I don't I don't know about in game or like you know nothing like calling the Hogs that stands out but I will tell you when we did their homecoming game a year ago everybody talked about how they were the best Homecoming in the country and you know everybody says they're the best homecoming or the best this that whatever I was so impressed with what they do during homecoming I mean these sororities and fraternities went all out it was it was a spectacle it was really cool to be a part of so if you're ever looking to go to a random Stadium maybe check out Oklahoma State during homecoming because it was really really cool yeah well the weather looks like it's going to be fairly nice it's going to be a great 11:00 a.m. kickoff and it's going to be a big one for both teams and Taylor McGregor is going to be on the sidelines for ESPN for that one so Taylor appreciate you joining us enjoy the game stay cool out there and hopefully you have safe travels getting in and out of Still Water that's always the plan safe travel so we'll see you there looking forward to it