TAT: Members Since 1992

This article originally appeared on October 10, 2013 on The Arkansas Traveler website, uatrav.com.

The Arkansas and South Carolina football teams have been linked since 1992, when they joined the Southeastern Conference as the first new members to the conference since it was founded in 1932.

The addition of the Razorbacks and Gamecocks brought the SEC up to 12 members, leading to the creation of two divisions and the first conference championship game in the country.

Clearly, this has changed the landscape of college football, as the last seven SEC champions have played in the BCS National Championship.

However, the success enjoyed by the conference as a whole from the addition of these teams has not directly benefitted Arkansas and South Carolina.

In 21 seasons, the Razorbacks have appeared in three SEC championship games, while the Gamecocks have appeared in only one. Neither has won the game.

Despite the lack of conference titles, both teams have enjoyed relative success.

The Gamecocks have gone to 10 bowl games since 1995, including at the end of each of the last five seasons. They have been a mainstay in the top 25 since the beginning of the 2010 season, including reaching No. 3 in the AP poll last season.

Similarly, the Razorbacks have also enjoyed recent success, reaching a No. 3 BCS ranking late in 2011 before earning a spot in the Cotton Bowl. The season before, Arkansas made their first and only BCS bowl appearance, losing to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.

As permanent cross-divisional rivals, Arkansas and South Carolina have played several prominent games. The Razorbacks hold a 13-8 advantage in the series and are 5-1 when the Gamecocks are ranked.

In 2011, the two teams met in Fayetteville for a top 10 matchup and the Razorbacks won 44-28, led by Dennis Johnson’s 252 all-purpose yards that included a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

Darren McFadden also dominated the Gamecocks during his career with Arkansas. He ran for a UA record 321 yards in the 2007 matchup the Razorbacks won 48-36. That also tied the single-game SEC record.

‪In three games against South Carolina, McFadden rushed for 727 yards, for an average of 242.3 yards per game. He had three rushing touchdown, as well as one passing touchdown. If you include his receiving, passing and kickoff return yards, he averaged 301.3 yards per game.

With the addition of Texas A&M and Missouri last season, the permanent cross-divisional rivals have changed. Arkansas will now play the Tigers every year, while South Carolina will play the Aggies.

The Gamecocks will fall back into the rotation of other teams in the SEC East, so it is uncertain when the Razorbacks and Gamecocks will play again after this season.

The latest chapter of the Arkansas-South Carolina rivalry is scheduled to kickoff at 11:21 a.m. Saturday. The game will air nationally on SEC TV.