Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

7/25/2011 at 9:35am

Image by Mark Wagner

Tailback Knile Davis is one of the reasons Arkansas is beginning to generate talk outside Fayetteville as a contender for the SEC West.

Arkansas was one of the first teams to kick off SEC Media Days last week. The Razorbacks had an early appearance time, but they weren’t forgotten by the end of the week.

Media across the region pointed to Bobby Petrino’s team as a candidate to win the SEC West. And we all know that a team capable of winning the West is national title contender.

Al.com columnist Kevin Scarbinsky views Arkansas as “this year’s Auburn.” He could see them making a big jump from last year’s 10-win team that advanced to the Sugar Bowl.

Meet Bobby Petrino and the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Their toughest challenge will be road games at the two teams expected to finish ahead of them in the division, Alabama and LSU. But if the Hogs leave Tuscaloosa with a victory in late September, look out.

Their next big stop will be Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game.

John Adams, a columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel, also sees the Razorbacks as a team worth of contending. More importantly for Volunteer fans suffering through a rebuilding process, Adams views Arkansas as a team worthy of support.

Not only are the Razorbacks a dark-horse contender, they should be the most entertaining team in the league with coach Bobby Petrino calling the offensive shots for all those talented running backs and wide receivers.

There's compelling history to consider with the Razorbacks. You would have to question the humanity of any UT fan who doesn't have a soft spot in his heart for the Hogs after what happened at Neyland Stadium in 1998.

Arkansas players, of course, are embracing the expectations. Running back Knile Davis asked me last week: “Why not us?”

That same attitude was coming from Arkansas last year. Now, though, it seems others outside of Fayetteville are beginning to ask a similar question: Why not Arkansas?

Tagged: 2011 SEC Media Days, Alabama Crimson Tide, Al.com, Knoxville News Sentinel, John Adams, Kevin Scarbinsky, Auburn Tigers, LSU Tigers, Arkansas Razorbacks