![]() Alabama with Saban history has created a fascinating narrative plus instant classics. LSU has pushed the Ole Miss rivalry over the years with the Magnolia Bowl trophy. "But to the people of south Louisiana, it means little compared to other rivalries with trophies. "It means a good deal to people in south Arkansas and north Louisiana because of proximity," he says. Now a radio host in El Dorado, Ark., he's covered Tiger football for four years and doesn't understand why the rivalry hasn't caught on more. "It was something the media put out."Ĭarter Bryant, an Arkansas native and LSU grad, is part of the media. Many LSU players "didn't see it as a rivalry at all," he recalls Toefield saying. "We always joked" about how the series was played up, Jones says. After college, Jones and Toefield were NFL teammates in Jacksonville, Fla. ![]() Jones says many of his teammates felt the same, as did LSU foes like running back LaBrandon Toefield. "It was almost like it was a little bit forced on you." "You knew it was a big game for whatever reason but there never ever seemed like there was a connection between Arkansas and LSU," he says. The year before, Jones was on the opposite side as Arkansas lost a 41-38 contest sending the Tigers to Atlanta. Take it from Matt Jones, the former Razorback quarterback responsible for the "Miracle on Markham," possibly the series' most memorable moment - a 31-yard Hail Mary pass to DeCori Birmingham with nine seconds left that sent Arkansas to the 2002 SEC Championship Game. It's no secret, though, that the enmity true rivals have for each other has been lacking here. Obviously with LSU being the last game of the year there's been a built-up rivalry here that we will hope to continue."īielema lauds the rivalry aspect of the game in public, just as previous Arkansas and LSU coaches and players have. ![]() It's a battle between two states, something our fans take a lot of pride in. "The boot represents more than just a victory. "It's a rivalry game," Arkansas coach Bret Bielema told me. And it's likely this Saturday's game in Fayetteville, for which Arkansas is a 1 point favorite according to sites, produces yet another thriller. On top of all that, LSU-Arkansas has recently produced games every bit as competitive and entertaining to watch as the great Hog-Longhorn showdowns of the 1960s. Plus, the annual LSU-Arkansas series has had perks Texas-Arkansas never did: a regular spot on national TV during Thanksgiving weekend, the Bellagio of college football trophies in the 200-pound Golden Boot and no in-state rival like Texas A&M to stir Texas fans' deepest passions (well, no Aggies for a while, anyway). On paper, it should have been LSU, a perennial conference title contender (like Texas) bordering Arkansas (like Texas) that like Texas once prevented Arkansas from winning a national championship. Twenty two years after leaving the Southwest Conference for the SEC, Arkansas still doesn't have a true conference rival.
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