… and that means we’re about to get rolling downhill toward Saturday and a reunion with an old SWC foe: Arkansas.

Finally, the Frogs get to play Arkansas – the last former member of the Southwest Conference that TCU hasn’t played in football since the conference went away in 1995. In the years since we laid the SWC to rest, the Frogs faced Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, Houston, SMU, Rice and Texas A&M – played them all. But not Arkansas, which adds to the appeal of this matchup.

The last time the Frogs and Hogs played was in Fort Worth in 1991 – a wild game that saw the Frogs bolt to a 21-0 lead, only to fumble it away in a 22-21 last-minute loss. Former head coach Jim Wacker was in his last year at TCU. Jack Crowe was in his last year as head coach at Arkansas.

The next year Arkansas was off to the SEC.

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Ironic that 25 years later, if you go looking for the most recent conference football championship trophy in the Arkansas case, it says “1989 SWC Champions”. That’s the last one for the Hogs. They played Tennessee in the 1990 Cotton Bowl, losing 31-27.

The last time the Frogs beat Arkansas at home was in 1981, a delicious 28-24 win that saw the Frogs end a 22-game losing streak to the Hogs. That’s right … 22. Quarterback Steve Stamp engineered a 99-yard, fourth-quarter drive and found Stanley Washington in the north end zone of Amon G. Carter Stadium for the winning touchdown. Before that game, 1958 was the last time TCU had beaten Arkansas, so to celebrate, they left the scoreboard on until Monday! It was TCU head coach F.A. Dry’s signature win for the program.

This year’s freshman class at TCU was born the same year that the Frogs beat USC in the Sun Bowl.

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Nonetheless, it’ll be fun to hear them “call the Hogs” and bring all that Arkansas has to offer on a football Saturday. For those 45 and older, it’ll remind of the old days. Can the ’80s and ’90s really be the good ol’ days?? Wow, I’m getting old.

Fact is, new Frog fans don’t know about Arkansas, or the SWC … or losing. This year’s freshman class at TCU was born the same year that the Frogs beat USC in the Sun Bowl. Fathom that stat.

 

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More on Arkansas on Friday.

Here are some takeaways from the Frogs’ win over South Dakota State:

1. Kenny Hill is for real. Just let him get a little more rust knocked off.
2. The wide receiver corps is deep – nine different Frogs caught passes last Saturday.
3. South Dakota State was better than people thought – told you. It will pay off down the road.
4. The defense was a little slow out of the blocks. Not to worry. GP has his tool box open. Bolt tightening under way.
5. Turpin-Time – that punt return was a thing of beauty. It doesn’t seem like he had an off-season. He’s always on.

 

See you Friday.

 

Kick ‘Em High!