The schools offered up that are played by Ohio St., Missouri, and LSU is why it would be completely justifiable to play UAPB or UCA just as often as ASU. They are closer in attendance and exposure to Ark St. than the Wolves are to UA. Try finding the ASU game on central Arkansas radio on Saturdays. UCA is on 103.7 and has Steve Sullivan and Justin Acri on their broadcasts. They have made significant gains on Arkansas St. in the last 10-15 years. Both in enrollment and athletic emphasis. I say just to make them mad we pass on a game with the Wolves and play the Bears and Lions.
When it is beneficial to play ASU, we will. Right now there are no reasons to do so. Will there ever be? Probably not.
Yes, Matt, LSU & Ohio St play a lot of the instate schools. However, that’s not what ASU wants of us. They want to be “the rival.” They want to eat into our monopoly for recruits, fans, media attention, & simple talk around the state. If we were going to play an in state team, I’d want it to be UCA, ASU, & UAPB in a rotation.
There is nothing good in it for the UA. As big as LSU & Ohio St are, even they don’t command the one small advantage we have in our state; total sports domination. Read a paper in New Orleans, it’ll be about the Saints. In Ohio, you’ll see the Browns & Bengals. After those, then you’ll see talk of the college teams.
Playing ASU is simply a lose-lose. If money were all we cared about we’d never play a game in WMS again. However, we want statewide support & love. That’s why we play in LR. Why play ASU in LR? Try to increase our fanbase while we’re automatically helping ASU establish one? Totally senseless.
I’ve never heard a good argument for playing them. At least not if you’re a Hog fan. If you’re an ASU fan or don’t really care about either, yeah, it’s a great deal.
I’ll start the campaign for playing UCA and UAPB. I appreciated people on here informing me that Ohio St plays FCS Youngstown St. and LSU plays FCS McNeese and NW State. If it’s good for them it’s good for us. Just like with those states, it will be the game of the year in our state!
The heck with Ohio St- Michigan or Alabama-LSU, what those fans really want is some LSU-Louisiana Tech and Ohio St.-Cincinnati. That gets their blood boiling!
Ohio St. has played Cincinnati (FBS school). LSU has played La Tech and Tulane (FBS schools). Nebraska has played Creighton in baseball.
Do some research before posting.
I’ve never seen a UA fan begging for this game. The only beggars are the Red Pups.
And Oregon’s population is over 4 million
Just another correction
All, without exception, in state D-1 games were mandated by politicians and have never been “begged for” by the more established teams fans, ever! Can the Razorbacks handle playing ASU? Sure. Is there any benefit to the Razorbacks to play ASU? No, none at all. ASU plays other D-1 schools instead of Arkansas and cashes the “rent a win” check from them just like it would from the Razorbacks. There is no money lost to ASU by the Razorbacks not playing them and there will be no money gained, if they should play.
I understand that it will give sportswriters more to write about if there is an “in-state” rivalry created where none exists now. ASU can get all excited and play like maniacs and, occasionally, like this year, have a chance to win, but please don’t make yourself look foolish claiming there is some benefit to the Razorbacks.
The Governor and other politicians may play a political game to get a sellout in Little Rock by passing a law mandating The UofA play ASU-Jonesboro in Little Rock each year. That may be your best chance. It will be politics until there is a benefit to The UofA to play ASU-Jonesboro, which will never be the case. JMVVVVVVHO.
Believe me, I know who has played whom. I’d put my sports knowledge pretty high. My point, those games in those states mean Nothing to the state university. Mean a lot to the smaller school. They for sure don’t play them on a regular basis. It’s not Alabama-Auburn. LSU played Tulane every year till the SEC started having an 8 game schedule, they don’t now. Conference games are too hard to have to worry about the smaller school having it’s holy crusade game each year. These arguments just reinforce my belief that we should play UCA and UAPB just as often as ASU. That’s obviously how these other states are doing it.
Well if those instate games mean nothing to the big school then why do they play it? They must see some value in it or they wouldn’t do it.
I wouldn’t mind playing UCA or UAPB either. I prefer to keep the money instate rather than giving $1M to an out of state cupcake.
I didn’t even realize that Arkansas State had a football team. 
I didn’t use ASU because I think Arizona State is ASU.
But, seriously, I couldn’t tell you Arkansas State’s record this year, or last year, or the year before, and I’ve lived in NWA nearly 30 years. Only Arkansas State fans care about the game.
Who do you think Buckeye fans get more excited to play? Cincinnati or Michigan? Or Michigan St.? Or Penn St.? Or basically anyone in their conference. I don’t have a clue why they play against them, more than likely the state government mandated it. I promise you the fans of LSU or Ohio St. don’t give a tinker’s dam about what Cincinnati or Akron are doing. Or La Tech, UL Monroe, or UL Lafayette.
Groan
If we win, great we are suppose to. If we lose we could go to new lows . Horrible idea sarge. Pull your head out of your rear.
There is another issue with playing the red wolf cubs. As it is now, Arkansans can pull for both teams (should they choose to do so.) Once you start playing each other, those fans will be forced to choose.
I am against it.
I think the rent-a-loss syndrome should apply here… A-State pays us $750,000 and we’ll play them every year.
Maybe their state government is smart enough to keep the money in state.
Don’t care at all. If we can’t beat a fired up sunbelt team we have bigger issues to.worry about.
This isn’t 1978, its about to be 2018. It’s almost more of a feather in the ASU cap that we won’t play them instead of just beating their ass every year. No reason we shouldn’t and who cares if a few hog fans become wolf fans, they’re most likely not the people who would ever buy tickets or contribute to UA anyway
In the end, the Razorbacks should use the opportunity to demonstrate their dominance and leave no doubt which program is real. If we were to ever lose, it’s a sign that changes are needed. Simple stuff other than equal split of game revenue that 8m.surw ASU dreams about.
ASU can keep playing those money games to pay for their athletic department budgets. Get some other state’s money. That way I’m only having to spend my money for the team I follow: the Razorbacks. I really don’t care to subsidize the Wolves.