TAT: Three Hogs Voted All-SEC by Coaches

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

Three Razorbacks were named to the Coaches’ All-Southeastern Conference team, which was announced Tuesday.

Seniors Chris Smith and Travis Swanson and junior Trey Flowers earned second-team honors.

Swanson has started at center all 50 games of his Arkansas career. During his tenure with the Razorbacks, he has anchored an offensive line that has blocked for a 3,000-yard passer three seasons and a 1,000-yard rusher twice.

Arkansas’ offensive line allowed only one sack every 37.63 pass attempts, which is the best rate in the SEC and seventh best in the NCAA this season.

As well as being named to the Coaches’ All-SEC second team, Swanson was also named to the AP All-SEC first team and one of six finalists for the Rimington Trophy Monday.

Smith and Flowers started opposite of each other on the defensive line, both playing defensive end.

Smith racked up 8.5 sacks this season, which is tied for third-most in the SEC this season and tied for eighth-most in a single season in UA history. His 21.5 sacks in 43 games at Arkansas rank fourth in school history.

He also collected 122 tackles, including 30.5 tackles for loss. Smith and Swanson will participate in the 2014 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

In three seasons with the Razorbacks, Flowers has 44 tackles, including 32 tackles for loss and five sacks. His 32 career tackles for loss are tied for 11th-most in UA history.

This season, he forced three fumbles, which was fourth in the SEC, and made 13.5 tackles for loss, which was tied for second in the SEC.

Flowers still has one year of eligibility left.

TAT: Hogs Look to Break Losing Streak Against ACC

This article originally appeared on December 5, 2013 on The Arkansas Traveler website, uatrav.com.

Arkansas’ men’s basketball team’s nonconference schedule is widely considered very weak. Other than a trip to the Maui Invitational in Hawaii, the Razorbacks’ only high-profile non-conference opponent is Clemson.

The Tigers have played Arkansas only once, in a game during the 1961-62 season. That game was won by the Razorbacks 62-60 at a neutral site in Greenville, S.C.

While it has played Clemson just the one time, Arkansas has played other Atlantic Coast Conference teams in its history.

Last year, current ACC member Syracuse came into Bud Walton Arena as the No. 6 team in the country and defeated the Razorbacks 91-82. It was the only home loss by Arkansas last season.

However, the Orange were members of the Big East at the time of the game. The last time Arkansas played a team that was an ACC member at the time of the game was in the second round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.

After beating Indiana in the first round, the Razorbacks lost to the No. 1-overall seed North Carolina 108-77. The Tar Heels reached the Final Four before falling to eventual National Champion Kansas.

Despite the blowout loss in 2008, the Razorbacks have had success against North Carolina. In 1984, the Tar Heels traveled to Pine Bluff to face Arkansas.

Entering the game, North Carolina was the No. 1 team in the country and featured future NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. Jordan hit a jump shot with less than a minute remaining, but Charles Balentine answered with a shot of his own to give the Razorbacks a 65-64 upset victory.

The Razorbacks also defeated the Tar Heels in the 1995 Final Four to advance to the national championship game.

The win over Jordan is considered by some to be the second most memorable victory in UA basketball history. The only game ahead of it also came against an ACC team: Duke.

Arkansas’ only national championship came in 1994 and it beat the Blue Devils in the title game to win it. Scotty Thurman’s three-point shot with 53 seconds left in the game clinched the 76-72 victory.

At Bud Walton, the Razorbacks have played an ACC opponent just twice. Both resulted in losses to Wake Forest. Overall, Arkansas owns a 12-17 record and has lost four-straight against the ACC.

Arkansas will try to reverse this trend Saturday against Clemson. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Bud Walton Arena.

Iron Bowl "Post-Game" Recap

With the Southeastern Conference's streak of seven-consecutive BCS National Championships on the line tomorrow, I decided to take a moment to remember last week's Alabama-Auburn game.

While the streak is likely ending (baring an upset by Duke or Michigan State), it's safe to say that football in the SEC is still better than any other conference.  The Iron Bowl is a perfect example of this.

Here are a few highlights from AFTER Chris Davis' game-winning 109-yard field goal return.

• During the crazy celebration on the field, Gus Malzahn's lucky visor was stolen right off his head. The person that stole it is reportedly a 15-year-old Auburn fan named Hayden, who sent an apology to Malzahn through TheWarEagleReader.com. "I am soooooooo sorry about taking your visor," Hayden wrote. However, during his weekly radio show Thursday, Malzahn said he has not gotten the visor back.
• Also during the celebration, when the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium was completely covered by Auburn fans that had stormed the field, a person's cremated remains were dumped on the field. Yes. Cremated human remains.

Here's the picture of the remains tweeted out by the Auburn Turf Team (@auburnturf).

• As you might imagine, Toomer's Corner was blanketed in toilet paper. Also, there's a bridge in Pensacola that you can spray paint without penalty. No explanation is needed. Just look at these pictures.

One of many great pictures of Toomer's Corner following the Iron Bowl.

Here's the bridge in Pensacola.

• There were also several cases of soldiers overseas, who are also Auburn fans, continuing the toilet paper tradition. Here's one picture from Afghanistan, but click here for pictures of other overseas celebrations by soldiers.

Soldiers overseas created a Toomer's Corner in Kabul, Afghanistan.

• Following the game, an Alabama fan allegedly shot and killed another Alabama fan because they were not upset about the game. True story.
• Another Alabama fan was arrested because of a violent outburst. He allegedly began throwing and kicking things after the Iron Bowl. Police had to use a taser to subdue him. The man's stepfather was also arrested for not cooperating with police. Again, true story.
• Earlier this week, another Alabama fan wrote "Roll Tide!" on the tip line of a receipt for his/her server, who apparently was an Auburn fan. There was also an accompanying note on the receipt.  Here's the kicker: the waiter wasn't even an Auburn fan! See the picture below.

• When Chris Davis walked into his geology class, he received a standing ovation, according to his twitter. "Just got a standing ovation from my Geology class... Wow #WarEagle" - @chris11au
• Twitter also showed its ugly side following the loss, as Alabama kicker Cade Foster received many death-threats after missing three field goals in the game. Click here to read some of the tweets.
• And of course, there were countless homemade reaction videos. Here's a compilation of some. Awesome.

I don't know about you, but I love football. I love SEC football. I'm definitely on the #GusBus, too.

**I'm an Arkansas student and fan, but I love Gus Malzahn. I graduated from Springdale High School and was in 6th grade when Malzahn led Springdale to the 2005 state championship, in his last year as a high school coach.**

TAT: Hogs Earn D+ for 3-9 Season

This article originally appeared in the December 4, 2013 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

Game 1 - Arkansas 34, Louisiana 14

Head coach Bret Bielema’s debut game was probably Arkansas’ best game of its 2013 season. The Razorbacks racked up 522 yards of offense, with over 200 yards on the ground and in the air.

In his first game as the undisputed starting quarterback, sophomore Brandon Allen completed 68.2 percent of his passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns. In the running game, true freshman Alex Collins burst onto the scene with 131 yards on 21 carries and sophomore Jonathan Williams had 151 yards on 18 carries.

True freshman tight end Hunter Henry also had a solid Arkansas debut, catching five passes for 75 yards.

Defensively, the Razorbacks held Louisiana to 14 points and 274 yards of offense, both season-lows for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Not only was it a dominant victory, but it was also a quality victory. Louisiana is 8-3 overall and 5-1 in Sun Belt play, already clinching the Sun Belt Championship.

GRADE: A+

Game 2 - Arkansas 31, Samford 21

The second game of the season turned out to be a lot closer than many Arkansas fans expected.

Playing at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, the Razorbacks held a 17-7 halftime lead, but Samford roared back in the second half, taking a 21-17 lead with a little more than five minutes remaining in the third quarter.

However, Bielema leaned heavily on the running game and it came through for him. The Razorbacks pounded out 333 yards on the ground, including 172 by Collins and 126 by Williams.

Led by this strong running attack, Arkansas scored a pair of touchdowns and had possession of the ball for 11:25 in the fourth quarter, compared with only 3:35 for Louisiana.

Most would give the Razorbacks a bad grade for this performance, but in this same scenario last season, Arkansas folded and lost to Louisiana-Monroe in overtime. Also, Samford is ranked No. 18 in the FCS and finished the season with an 8-5 record, losing in the first round of the FCS playoffs.

GRADE: B+

Game 3 - Arkansas 24, Southern Miss 3

Allen’s progress as a quarterback took a step back against Southern Miss, as he injured his shoulder diving into the end zone on a first-quarter touchdown run.

The injury forced junior walk-on quarterback AJ Derby into the game. Derby attempted only six passes, completing four for 36 yards, as the Razorbacks gained just 69 yards through the air.

Supplementing the passing game, Arkansas picked up 258 yards on the ground. For the third straight game, Collins and Williams eclipsed the 100-yard mark. Williams ran for 116 yards, while Collins ran for 115 yards. They each had one touchdown, as well.

Collins was the first true freshman in UA and SEC history to rush for at least 100 yards in each of his first three career games. It was the first time anyone in the NCAA had accomplished the feat since Adrian Peterson did it at Oklahoma in 2004.

Although Arkansas played most of the game with a backup quarterback, it probably should have scored more points against a Southern Miss team that finished the season 1-11. The 24 points by the Razorbacks were the second-fewest allowed by the Golden Eagles, who had the sixth-worst scoring defense in the FBS this season.

GRADE: B-

Game 4 - Rutgers 28, Arkansas 24

Arkansas was forced to start Derby at quarterback in its first road game of the season after Allen suffered a shoulder injury against Southern Miss.

The Razorbacks jumped out to a 24-7 lead midway through the third quarter. However, the lead quickly evaporated.

Rutgers scored on a 58-yard punt return near the end of the third quarter, then Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova took over, tossing a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. Nova finished the game with 346 yards and three touchdowns.

For the first time all season, Collins and Williams were held under 100-yards. They combined for only 102 all-purpose yards.

Even with a backup quarterback, this loss is inexcusable. The Scarlet Knights are 5-6 overall and 2-5 in an extremely weak American Athletic Conference. Last week, Rutgers lost to UConn, which was 1-9 going into the game, by 11 points.

GRADE: D+

Game 5 - Arkansas 33, No. 10 Texas A&M 45

The Razorbacks responded with a valiant effort against No. 10 Texas A&M, but reigning Heisman Trophy-winner Johnny Manziel was too much to handle.

Manziel was 23-for-30 for 261 yards and two touchdowns, both to wide receiver Mike Evans. He also extended plays with his feet and ran for 59 yards.

Every time the Aggies seemed to start to pull away from Arkansas, the Razorbacks would answer. At halftime, Texas A&M led by only four points after Zach Hocker made a 39-yard field goal as time expired. Late in the third quarter, Arkansas pulled within five points, but it could never take the lead.

The Razorbacks had the ball with the opportunity to take the lead three times in the second half, but failed to get a first down each time. In his first game back after his shoulder injury, Allen finished with 282 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

GRADE: C+

Game 6 - No. 18 Florida 30, Arkansas 10

Florida has traditionally played well against Arkansas, and 2013 was no different.

The Gators came into the game allowing only 53.5 rushing yards per game, the fewest in the NCAA, but the Razorbacks passed that mark in the first quarter, as Williams scored on a four-yard run to give Arkansas a 7-0 lead.

After Florida kicked a field goal, Allen threw a pick-six for the second consecutive week and the Razorbacks never saw the lead again.

Arkansas appeared to recover a muffed punt inside the red zone late in the second quarter, but it was penalized for kick catching interference and did not get the ball. The play would have put the Razorbacks in position to take the lead or tie the game.

Instead, the Gators scored 24 unanswered before Hocker made a 30-yard field goal late in the third quarter.

At the time, the loss did not seem that bad, as Florida was a ranked opponent and was 4-1. However, they finished the season on a seven-game losing streak, including an embarrassing 26-20 loss to an FCS school, Georgia Southern, that gashed the Gators for 429 rushing yards.

GRADE: D

Game 7 - Arkansas 7, No. 14 South Carolina 52

Arkansas returned to Fayetteville only to extend its losing streak to four games, with a 45-point loss to South Carolina.

Again, the Razorbacks got out to an early 7-0 lead on a 6-yard touchdown run by Collins, but the lead did not last.

The Gamecocks responded by scoring 52 unanswered points, including a 15-yard touchdown reception by former Razorback Kane Whitehurst, who transferred to South Carolina after the 2011 season.

The Razorbacks’ defense gave up 537 yards of offense and Arkansas was minus-two in turnover margin.

South Carolina finished second in the SEC East with a 10-2 record, so they are a quality opponent, but the loss was the second-worst loss by the Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

GRADE: F

Game 8 - No. 1 Alabama 52, Arkansas 0

Many fans worried that Arkansas’ trip to Tuscaloosa, Ala., would be worse than its 52-0 loss to the Crimson Tide in Fayetteville last season, but they were wrong. It was the same.

The Razorbacks got into Alabama territory only four times. One trip resulted in a blocked field goal attempt, while another stalled out inside the red zone near the end of the game.

Alabama’s scoring was capped with an 80-yard touchdown run by its third-string running back, freshman Derrick Henry. The Crimson Tide averaged 9.5 yards per carry and had two running backs with more than 100 rushing yards. Another running back had 88 yards.

Allen completed only 28 percent of his passes for 91 yards and two interceptions.

The Crimson Tide was ranked No. 1 until suffering its first loss Saturday, but again, a 52-point loss is inexcusable.

GRADE: F-

Game 9 - Arkansas 17, No. 8 Auburn 35

For the first time in UA history, Arkansas was playing its fifth consecutive ranked opponent.

The Tigers scored on an 88-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter to increase their lead to 28-3, but the Razorbacks did not go away. Freshman Korliss Marshall returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards to set up a 13-yard touchdown pass from Allen to sophomore Keon Hatcher.

Arkansas used a fourth-down conversion out of the swinging gate formation on its next drive to score another touchdown and pull within 11 points.

On Auburn’s next offensive play, quarterback Nick Marshall broke free on a 28-yard run, but fumbled the ball. Despite Arkansas having three players around the ball, Marshall recovered his own fumble and Auburn eventually scored a touchdown on the drive.

It ended up being an 18-point loss for the Razorbacks, but if they had recovered that fumble, Arkansas would have kept the momentum and potentially could have pulled off the upset. Instead, the Tigers finished the season 11-1 and won the SEC West.

GRADE: C+

Game 10 - Ole Miss 34, Arkansas 24

Arkansas tied a school record with its seventh consecutive loss Nov. 9. The only other time the Razorbacks had lost seven games in a row was in 1990.

Hocker got the Razorbacks on the board first with a 51-yard field goal, but Ole Miss responded with two field goals and a touchdown of its own to take a 10-point lead early in the second quarter.

The Rebels took the 10-point lead into halftime after they exchanged touchdowns with the Razorbacks. Ole Miss looked to extend its lead after receiving the kickoff in the second half, but an interception by junior Alan Turner led to an Arkansas touchdown and gave the Razorbacks momentum.

Arkansas’ defense forced a three-and-out on Ole Miss’ next possession, but its offense couldn’t keep the momentum going. The Rebels scored touchdowns on their next two possessions to put the game out of reach.

Ole Miss ended the regular season with a 7-5 record and spent a few weeks ranked in the top 25. Plus, it was a road game, so it wasn’t a terrible loss, but it is one Bielema must learn how to win in order to be successful in the SEC.

GRADE: C-

Game 11 - Arkansas 17, Mississippi State 24 (OT)

After suffering seven straight losses, the Razorbacks seemed primed to end the losing streak with a win against Mississippi State.

Arkansas stormed to a 10-0 lead before the Bulldogs kicked a field goal in the second quarter. The Razorbacks would have held a seven-point lead going into the half, but a failed fake punt gave Mississippi State good field position, which it capitalized on by scoring a touchdown.

The teams traded touchdowns to make the score 17-17 before Arkansas got into the red zone with under six minutes remaining. Points were imminent for the Razorbacks until Collins fumbled at the nine-yard line and the Bulldogs recovered.

Mississippi State marched down the field and attempted a game-winning 42-yard field goal with 18 seconds remaining, but it missed wide right and the game went into overtime.

Freshman quarterback Damian Williams gave the Bulldogs the lead with a 25-yard touchdown run on the first play of overtime. The Razorbacks could not force a second overtime period, as Allen’s pass on fourth down was intercepted.

Coming into the game, Mississippi State was 1-5 in SEC play and the loser of the game would likely finish last in the SEC West. To make the overtime loss worse, only 45,198 fans attended the game at War Memorial Stadium.

GRADE: D

Game 12 - No. 15 LSU 31, Arkansas 27

When LSU and Arkansas meet for the Battle for the Golden Boot every Thanksgiving weekend, records can be tossed out the window. The Razorbacks were already eliminated from bowl eligibility, while the Tigers were 8-3 and coming off of a commanding victory over Texas A&M.

Despite being a heavy underdog, Arkansas led 17-14 at the half, thanks to a 20-yard field goal by Hocker as time expired.

LSU regained the lead midway through the third quarter, but the Razorbacks answered with a 15-play, 75-yard drive ending on a two-yard touchdown reception by Henry to give them a 27-21 lead.

A 37-yard field goal pulled the Tigers within three points, but senior quarterback Zach Mettenberger was knocked out of the game with a knee injury.

Mettenberger’s injury forced freshman Anthony Jennings, who had attempted only three passes in his career before Friday, into the game. After junior Sam Irwin-Hill’s punt was downed at the LSU 1-yard line, Jennings had just over three minutes to lead the Tigers 99 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

He needed only two.

The freshman backup quarterback ran the ball twice for 23 yards and completed four passes for 76 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown pass to Travin Dural.

Although the game ended in a loss, it gave many Arkansas fans hope for the future. The Razorbacks came into Death Valley as 24-point underdogs, but left with a four-point loss and were minutes away from a victory.

GRADE: B-

The Season as a Whole

Bielema’s first season at Arkansas will always be remembered for the school record nine-game losing streak. However, it wasn’t as bad as the record shows.

Most people agree that if Allen was not injured during the Rutgers game, Arkansas would have won. The Razorbacks were also a fumble away from winning the Mississippi State game and a few minutes away from a signature upset over LSU.

Fans should also remember that Bielema accomplished all of that with players mostly recruited by the previous coaching staff, which was suited for a completely different offensive scheme.

It would be unfair to grade Bielema and the Razorbacks for what they failed to accomplish. Instead, you should look at what they were able to do and the improvements they made late in the season.

That said, Arkansas still went 0-8 in SEC play for the first time in school history. It was the first time the Razorbacks went winless in conference play since 1942, when Arkansas was 0-6 in Southwest Conference play.

GRADE: D+

TAT: By the Numbers - Final Football Numbers

These stats were originally compiled for the December 4, 2013 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

1,026 - Rushing yards by true freshman Alex Collins this season. He is the second true freshman in UA history to rush for over 1,000 yards. Darren McFadden had 1,113 as a true freshman in 2005.

68 - Times a true freshman has gained 1,000 rushing yards in NCAA history after Collins eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark Friday. Collins is just the 10th true freshman to do it in the Southeastern Conference.

61 - Field goals made by Zach Hocker during his career at Arkansas. His two field goals against LSU moved him ahead of Todd Wright, who made 60 field goals from 1989-1992.

77.2 - Career field goal percentage of Hocker, who made 61-of-79 field goals at Arkansas. That is the highest career field goal percentage in UA history, also ahead of Wright, who made 60-of-79 for a 75.9 field goal percentage.

354 - Career points scored by Hocker, the most in UA history. The nine points he accounted for in the season opener against Louisiana moved him ahead of Bill Burnett, who scored 294 points for the Razorbacks from 1968-1970.

6 - Ranked teams Arkansas played this season. The season included a stretch of five consecutive games against ranked opponents, the longest of such stretches in UA history.

71 - Years since the last time Arkansas finished a season winless in conference play. The Razorbacks went 0-6 in Southwest Conference play in 1942. Saturday’s loss to LSU capped Arkansas’ 2013 SEC record at 0-8.

7 - Times Arkansas has gone winless in conference play since joining the SWC in 1915. The Razorbacks went 0-2 in 1916, 0-1-1 in 1917, 0-1 in 1918, 0-4 in 1931, 0-6 in 1941 and 0-6 in 1942 when they were members of the SWC.

16 - Times an SEC team has gone 0-8 in conference play since 1992, when Arkansas and South Carolina joined the conference. Arkansas became the 15th team to do so Friday, with Kentucky finishing the season at 0-8 in conference play Saturday.

21 - Arkansas’ average margin of defeat in its eight SEC losses this season. That is the seventh-worst margin out of the 16 times an SEC team has gone 0-8 since 1992.

5 - Times Arkansas has lost at least eight games in one season. The Razorbacks went 2-8 in 1950 and 1952, 3-8 in 1990, 4-8 in 2012 and 3-9 this season. This is the first time in UA history that the Razorbacks have lost eight or more games in back-to-back seasons.

3 - Times Arkansas has won four or fewer games in back-to-back seasons since 1944, when it permanently went to a schedule of at least 10 games. The Razorbacks won two and three games in 1952 and 1953, respectively, four games in 1996 and 1997 and four and three games in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

357.2 - Yards per game gained by Arkansas’ offense this season. That is the lowest offensive output by the Razorbacks since 2002, when they gained 353.6 yards per game.

413.4 - Yards per game allowed by Arkansas’ defense this season. That is the most yards allowed in a single season in UA history, dating back to 1947, when statistics are first available.

Bottom 10: College Football Rankings

The moment Auburn's Chris Davis crossed the goal line Saturday to end Alabama's perfect season in one of the most spectacular finishes in college football history, debate began about who the top two teams in college football really were.

Some argued that a one-loss SEC team (Missouri or Auburn) should jump an undefeated Ohio State. Others believe that Florida State and Ohio State should play in the BCS championship game regardless of their strength of schedule.

You can only imagine the chaos that would ensue if Michigan State upset Ohio State in the Big Ten championship and Duke upset Florida State in the ACC championship. There would potentially be eight one-loss teams vying for two spots.

However, that isn't the real drama of college football. If you want controversy, try figuring out the bottom 10 teams in college football. It's really similar to the top 10, with two winless teams and eight one-win teams duking it out for the prestigious ranking of No. 125.

I thought it was only fair if I came up with a computer ranking system similar to the BCS, so that human-bias would be removed and it would name a TRUE chumpion. Just like the BCS.

So here we go. Don't come after me if you think your team should be higher on the list. Blame the math.

10. (116.) Cal: 1-11 (0-9 Pac-12)

Being a member of a BCS automatic qualifying conference was too much to overcome for the Golden Bears. Cal played five teams ranked in the top 25 and its opponents hold a .366 losing percentage. The 22.9 average margin of loss is impressive, but not enough to make up for its weakness of schedule.

9. (117.) Purdue: 1-11 (0-8 Big Ten)

The Boilermakers ran into the same problem as Cal. Purdue's opponents had a losing percentage of .343, the lowest of any of the Bottom 10 teams. Also, four opponents finished in the top 25 of the most recent BCS standings. The computers held these stats against the Boilermakers. In a BCS AQ-conference, you'd almost have to finish the season with a perfect 0-12 record to have a chance at the chumpionship.

8. (118.) Georgia State: 0-12 (0-7 Sun Belt)

A perfect season would guarantee a spot in the top two, right? Wrong. The computers have no respect for Georgia State, which did everything they could by finishing the season winless. An FBS newcomer, the Panthers played three FCS schools. Unfortunately for them, all three finished the season with at least eight wins and two made the FCS playoffs. In fact, their opponents finished with a .396 losing percentage. Apparently, the computers did not like this stat.

7. (119.) Hawaii: 1-11 (0-8 MWC)

Some experts consider Hawaii to be a major pretender. The Warriors scored an average of 27.4 points per game, by far the most of any Bottom 10 team. They also lost by an average margin of 11.4. These are not stats you want to have when you're contending for the chumpionship.

6. (120.) Western Michigan: 1-11 (1-7 MAC)

Western Michigan came within one point of finishing the season with a perfect record. The Broncos allowed a UMass receiver to get open in the end zone on a game-winning two-point conversion attempt, but the effort was not enough. UMass' quarterback would not take the win and sailed the pass well out of bounds.

5. (121.) UMass: 1-11 (1-7 MAC)

The one-point loss to Western Michigan is the only thing keeping the Minutemen ahead of the Broncos. Looking back at the season, it is safe to assume that UMass would have finished No. 1 if it would have lost its sixth game of the season, in which it beat Miami (OH) by seven.

4. (122.) Idaho: 1-11 (Independent)

Idaho established itself as the Notre Dame of the Bottom 10 with a solid performance against opponents that gave them one of the worst weaknesses of schedule, at a losing percentage of .406. Thankfully for the rest of the Bottom 10, the Vandals slipped up against Temple, winning by two points despite a late rally that nearly gave the Owls the win. Even with the loss, Idaho had an impressive 28.6 point average margin of loss, the highest of the Bottom 10.

3. (123.) Florida International: 1-11 (1-7 C-USA)

Conference USA gave the MAC a run for its money, with two teams in the Bottom 10. The only blemish on FIU's schedule is a one-point to the No. 2 team in the Bottom 10, in which a Golden Panthers player inexplicably blocked a Southern Miss field goal as time expired. That mistake cost FIU a shot at the chumpionship, but it was still a great season.

2. (124.) Southern Miss: 1-11 (1-7 C-USA)

Southern Miss is the Alabama of the Bottom 10. The Golden Eagles were riding a 23-game losing streak entering the final weekend of the season and seemed to be the favorite to repeat as chumpion. However, they blew it with a 35-point victory over UAB. Surprising many experts, Southern Miss only fell to No. 2 in the computer rankings. This is probably because of its superior weakness of schedule, with their opponents owning a .500 losing percentage, the highest of all teams in the Bottom 10.

1. (125.) Miami (OH): 0-12 (0-8 MAC)

The RedHawks have been close to the title before, including a one-win season in 2009, but they got over the hump this year. Miami (OH) scored an average of 9.8 points per game, a number only matched by Florida International. Their weakness of schedule is also solid, as their opponents had a .483 combined losing percentage and they played no teams ranked in the top 25. While fans from Georgia State might disagree, it's hard to argue with perfection. Highlights of the season include a 34-point loss to Kentucky (2-10) and a seven-point loss to No. 5 UMass.

Congratulations RedHawks, you're No. 1...or No. 125. But who cares? Let the debate begin.

**Disclaimer: This is supposed to be funny. The stats are real, but everything here is said sarcastically. Don't get offended if your team made the list.**

TAT: Hogs in the Pros (Dec. 4)

These stats were originally compiled for the December 4, 2013 issue of The Arkansas Traveler.

NFL

Week 13

Knile Davis, Kansas City Chiefs

• L 35-28, vs. Denver Broncos
• 1 carry, 20 yards, 2 receptions, 18 yards, 2 kickoff returns, 130 yards, 1 touchdown
• 108-yard kickoff return TD was the longest play in Chiefs history

Peyton Hillis, New York Giants

• W 24-17, @ Washington Redskins
• 6 carries, 45 yards, 1 reception, 6 yards

Dennis Johnson, Houston Texas

• L 34-31, vs. New England Patriots
• 3 carries, 13 yards, 1 reception, 11 yards

Felix Jones, Pittsburgh Steelers

• L 22-20, @ Baltimore Ravens
• 1 kickoff return, 27 yards

Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders

• L 31-24, @ Dallas Cowboys
• 5 carries, 13 yards

George Wilson, Tennessee Titans

• L 22-14, @ Indianapolis Colts
• 3 solo tackles, 2 assisted tackles, 1 TFL, 2 pass breakups

Jarius Wright, Minnesota Vikings

• W 23-20 (OT), vs. Chicago Bears
• 3 receptions, 53 yards

NBA

11/26-12/2

Patrick Beverley, Houston Rockets

• 4 games, 4 starts
• Averages: 33 min., 7.8 pts., 4.3 reb., 3 ast., 0.5 blk., 1.8 stl.

Ronnie Brewer, Houston Rockets

• 3 games, 0 starts
• Averages: 7.3 min., 1 pts., 0.3 reb., 1 ast.

Joe Johnson, Brooklyn Nets

• 4 games, 4 starts
• Averages: 33.3 min., 17.5 pts., 4.5 reb., 3.3 ast., 0.5 blk.

Jannero Pargo, Charlotte Bobcats

• 2 games, 0 starts
• Averages: 4 min., 3 pts., 0.5 ast.