#23 Cincinnati Bearcats @ #19 Arkansas Razorbacks Preview & Predictions

Julian Martinez: [00:00:12] So last year, Cincinnati had the opportunity to prove that they can play with the big boys. They went against Alabama and got smacked in the playoffs. But in fairness, that's happened. A lot of teams that's happened to a lot of teams that aren't group of five schools. So I think that Cincinnati last year showed a lot of character, a lot of heart and show that they deserve to be in the college football playoff. However, this year's version of the Cincinnati Bearcats, as they prepare for a game in Fayetteville against the Arkansas Razorbacks, they're not exactly the same team they're ranked and so is Arkansas. Arkansas is ranked. So we've got another ranked matchup here. But Cincinnati had so much turnover. I mean, you're using both your starting corners, you're losing your quarterback, you're losing your leading wide receiver. And you have another couple pieces on defense to you that were losing their top edge rusher. Yeah. That were instrumental in your run to the playoffs. Meanwhile, Arkansas is a team that's on the rise. Last year they showed a lot. They showed that Pittman is getting this team turned around in the right direction. And it took me a while to come along. One of our more famous videos on the channel was me bemoaning the Longhorns Regain their Ask It by the Arkansas Razorbacks. But that was very early on in the season. I quickly learned, Oh yeah, Arkansas is actually for real. In fact, they were in a close game with Georgia at one point during the year, if I'm not mistaken. Or was it Texas A&M? They beat. [00:01:38][85.5]
Kyle Ledbetter: [00:01:38] Texas A&M. They beat Texas A&M last year. [00:01:41][2.3]
Julian Martinez: [00:01:41] Yeah. So they were surprising everyone. I think they even rose to being a top ten school in the polls at one point, and then they came back down to earth as the tail end of the season happened. But if you're a Arkansas Razorbacks fan, you are impressed with what Sam Pittman's been able to do. And going into this third year, you're extremely excited. I don't want to sleep on Cincinnati. I think that they've built a good culture there. I just think the problem is when you lose so much talent the next year, you're always going to have some sort of drop off. I mean, even a big school like Clemson, they lose Trevor Lawrence and they lose Etiene and they lose all those guys. And last year was a disappointment. So when I look at a small school like Cincinnati, it's hard for me to believe that they're the same team. Or I could just expect them to come and compete against a ascending Razorbacks team. But what say you, Kyle? [00:02:33][51.8]
Kyle Ledbetter: [00:02:34] I think that Arkansas is a very good football team now. Arkansas season will be determined in part by how they do won against the Texas A&M and Bama. That's not where they like our training, but like how close to the measuring stick game is that? I think they play at Alabama this year, which will make it a bit difficult for them. But the other part is how they do against Ole Miss and Mississippi State, because Arkansas, Ole Miss and Mississippi State will fail in 3 to 5 in the SEC West in some order. So those games will be big for Arkansas in terms of figuring out what the state of the program. [00:03:09][34.8]
Julian Martinez: [00:03:10] There's some that would ask why even scheduled this game against Cincinnati, knowing that you have to play the SEC schedule as is. I mean, credit to them for wanting to take on one of the more powerful group of five schools or soon to be Big 12 schools in Cincinnati. But even still, this is not exactly a ideal spot. Obviously, if you're the team that has to go against the schedule that they do normally. This is where you schedule the Sisters of the Blind, right? [00:03:35][25.2]
Kyle Ledbetter: [00:03:36] Yeah. And they'll do that later on in the schedule I think. And look at their schedule now. They got a missouri state coming up later in the year. They play liberty. So they will get to those eventually. I think. [00:03:48][11.5]
Julian Martinez: [00:03:48] They hey, don't count out Bobby Petrino. [00:03:51][2.7]
Kyle Ledbetter: [00:03:52] Bobby Petrino and Hugh Freeze also are coming to town for against Arkansas. But Arkansas is going to be a fun team for Cincinnati. Like you said, it's a huge turnover of the team. Now, that's not as big of a death sentence as maybe it was back when, I don't know, say UCF was making a deep run or Western Michigan with P.J. Fleck because Transfer Portal makes it easier for players to come in to Cincinnati. They've now established themselves as that like third or fourth tier of college football team where they're going to consistently win eight games, even when they play a Big 12 schedule, which you could say playing Arkansas to start the year is a Big 12 type of schedule. Obviously they'll play the AC. But, you know, like you said, they're about to move to the Big 12. But Cincinnati did keep one big piece. And it's like the culture you were talking about. They kept the the the ringleader of the circus and future Nebraska head coach Luke Fickell for at least one more season. So I think having Fickell back will help. He's clearly one of the better coaches in college football and has chosen to stay at Cincinnati. I think in part because last year was such a weird year in college football where everyone was getting those giant contracts. So Fickell kind of like fell to the background because his team was still playing into January, but he's still at Cincinnati. He's going to transition the program into the Big 12, or maybe he leaves after this year. Who knows? But Cincinnati's got a solid team. Arkansas. But what Arkansas brings to the table is what the Internet and myself like to call whomping. Arkansas is going to warp you. Arkansas is built extra large there. They have a defensive tackle that is £330. Their quarterback, K.J. Jefferson, is £240 at the quarterback position. They're wide receivers are all like six foot five and six foot six guys like Braylon Burks. So Arkansas will warp you. They will warp you for four quarters. They might win, they might lose, but they're definitely going to whomp. And that's what we can expect from this Arkansas team that at the very least is relatively similar to the team that won seven games last year. [00:06:01][129.4]
Julian Martinez: [00:06:02] I think that's part of the problem, too, in the assessment of this game. The last time we saw Cincinnati, them them going against Alabama, they did get what they want by the Crimson Tide. The rushing attack, which wasn't a great running game for Alabama, was still able to take it to town on Cincinnati and Arkansas. Last year was a top seven rushing attack in college football. That also includes Jefferson, their quarterback. And again, going back to the Longhorn game last year, one of my big takeaways was learning just how physical that team is. Like you said, they whomping, punch you in the mouth, whatever you want to call it, we'll stick with whomping, then we'll stick with Whomping. I think they did have a level of physicality that this very young, fairly new Cincinnati unit won't be prepared for early in the season. Because I think part of the problem when you do have so much turnover and this is going to be where Luke Fickell, who is a good coach, who is probably a great coach, honestly, is going to have to do some of his best developing and development takes time and development takes games played. So I just don't think a week one game is an ideal spot for this Cincinnati Bearcats team. And that's why I'm going to say that the Arkansas Razorbacks are going to get this win and is going to be a big win for them to probably push them a couple of spots up in the rankings. [00:07:21][78.9]
Kyle Ledbetter: [00:07:22] I am with you on the Arkansas victory. I will take the womp and boys they according to what i see, they're six and a half point favorites for this game, which I think is it for gambling sake? Stay away from that one. Because I think this is a game where Cincinnati will probably backdoor cover or Arkansas will like hold on at the very end or like Cincinnati is going to be down four with 2 minutes to go in what I like to call Kirk Cousins Purgatory. They may find themselves in Kirk Cousins Purgatory for the end of this game. So stay away or bet Cincinnati if you feel so inclined. But I'm with you. I will take the whomping boys of Arkansas to win, and Arkansas might end up scoring 40 points in this game. That doesn't mean Cincinnati isn't also going to score in the throws, but big scoring game for the Whomping Razorbacks. [00:08:08][46.2]
Julian Martinez: [00:08:09] I feel like it's going to be a low scoring game. These two teams are going to hang their hats on defense. There is some all-American buzz for safety of Arkansas. Jalen Catalon, which I do want to put out. There is a guy that potentially put your eye on a bumper poll who's going to set the all time tackles record for Arkansas. [00:08:26][17.3]
Kyle Ledbetter: [00:08:27] So I love that we stand bumper pool on this podcast. [00:08:30][2.5]
Julian Martinez: [00:08:30] We do stand bumper pool heavy. It's like, what's his name? The coldest we stand him to the coldest Crawford. The coldest Crawford. I stand the coldest Crawford. But I also stand bumper pole and that's why I'm going with the Razorbacks. But anyway, so Busters, are you going with the Razorbacks? Are you going with the Bearcats? Who is going to sit there, week one? Who's going to sit their entire 2022 college football season right here this weekend? Drop them in the comments like on this video, follow us on social media, subscribe to the channel. All that good stuff from juju talks sports kyle Ledbetter. Stay safe, happy and healthy. We will see you next time. [00:09:05][34.3]
Kyle Ledbetter: [00:09:06] Womp. [00:09:06][0.0]
Julian Martinez: [00:09:07] Womp. [00:09:07][0.0]
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