Four weeks ago, when last we donned our prediction hats, confidence was running high among the RazorBloggers. All three picked a win in Atlanta and yours truly even went so far as to predict a blowout of the Gators. Uh…yeah…little did we know at the time that we (and the Hogs) would be the latest victim of premature echompulation.
Nevertheless, congratulations to reader WaldronHog for the closest prediction of 27-24. It took most of the season predicting losses, but you finally got it didn’t you WH? 
One last thing before we get started…please note that we will be completely changing these predictions right before the third series of the game. Just want to make sure everyone on the Internet got that. Third series. Guaranteed change. Giving you plenty of notice. So here we go:
Walking on Sunshine: This is a tough one…two evenly matched teams that like to run the football. My best guess is this will come down to quarterback play and the kicking game…two areas where we have been dismal lately. Wisconsin has a fifth-year senior QB in John Stocco and kicker Taylor Mehlhaff was a Groza Award semi-finalist. That’s the difference I think. However, all bets are off if Mustain plays significant minutes. Wisconsin 30, Arkansas 27.
HogBaller: I think this game will be a defensive battle fought on the ground. The Badgers are bigger and faster than most expect. They will have success in forcing Arkansas to pass. I think the Wildcat package has been overused and Wisconsin has had plenty of time to prepare for it, but will they be prepared for the speed and power of McFadden? The Badgers will try to run over the Hogs defense, which plays to the Hogs strength. If the Badgers have success running the ball, it could be a long day. In the end, I think it will be a hard fought, low scoring battle of grind it out, smashmouth football. “The year of the Hog” – 21, “We don’t need no stinkin’ Badgers” – 17.
HogBlogger: The Hogs will sell out to the run and get occasionally abused in the passing game. On offense we will be more interested in showing up the critics with our play calling than in actually moving the ball. Our bowl record alone makes picking the Hogs difficult. Wisconsin 30, Arkansas 21.
TipsterHog: As Han said to Chewie, “I have a bad feeling about this.” Hogs’ bowl history is bad. Houston Nutt history vs. Big 10 is bad. Hillis still out. Damian gone. Special teams a mess. Two quarterbacks playing. Ugh. But after a loss prediction against LSU, I said I wouldn’t do it again this year. Arkansas 31, Wisconsin 20.
Leave a comment with your pick and feel free to add your own take like “Dick, Mustain, McFadden and RoJo all throw TDs” or “Ikegwuonu injures toe while playing Xbox. Hogs roll.”
Updated 12/28/06 10:00 a.m.
Hogs will run the ball well, as this is the identity of our offense. It will not be enough to beat WI as Biemela is a defense guru and will shut down our running game enough to win (his gameplan against us will work…I promise if we stick to the run!). I will attempt my two predictions. I don't think CD has the confidence to toss a good game if he makes a couple mistakes in the beginning. MM will make mistakes but is capable of rebounding to throw a good game, in addition, he is alot better of hiding the ball on handoffs…with him, you can't always tell it is going to be a running play! I like Arkansas with MM playing 75% of the game. If Casey plays more…well, there is always next year!
MM getting the snaps…
AR 31 WI 21
CD geting the snaps…
AR 21 WI 24
I've been waffling back on forth on this game. Hillis out, DMac not 100%, uncertainty at QB, the possible lingering effects of the Springdale parents' pathetic cry for attention… none of it boding well for our Hogs. However, we're due for a few breaks after our last 2 games.
Hogs 23 UW 20
We will come out of the gate firing on all cylinders as the players have a chip on their shoulder due to all the negativity and the parents-JFB meeting. Nutt will have them in the "it's us against the world" mentality. Wisconsin is solid, but hardly deserving of their ranking. The only ranked team they…… well we all know that story. Hogs play with venegence and make us all itch for 2007.
Hogs-27
Badgers-13
The Razorbacks play a complete game after several special teams miscues the last two. Mustain will reopen the short passing game with Farod Jackson in the flat & Ben Cleveland, Cedric Houston & Robert Johnson behind the linebackers. Casey will pick up at least one maybe two long ones to Monk & Crawford. Darren & Felix will continue to get theirs. It will be good to see Butu at 100% and our ability to bring in a fresh second defensive front will help offset the size of Wisconsins' offensive line.
Hogs 28
Wisconsin 17
In one of the most boring games to watch on New Years Day the Hogs pull out a squeeker 24-23. Dale puts his best foot forward in trying to screw things up by taking us back to the 40's and keeping things simple: run left, run right, smoke draw, punt (if any wisconsin fans are reading this please dont leak this top secret information to the team). Lucky for us we have Darren McFadden and Felix Jones who end up taking three of the run playes to the house. After the game Nutt takes that foot he put forward and promptly sticks it in his mouth. He cries tears of joy and makes sure that Razorback nation knows that this was HIS team and HIS work and this is about HIM. In a side story Mitch plays relatively well but Nutt anoints Dick as his leader for next year. The Human Anatomy portion of our football team is restored. Hogs win… hogs win.
Oh yeah… Hillis not hurt and we will be seeing his name as an early entry….
BelAirHawg, why all the anger, why the sarcasm, the obvious hatred. I'm glad you are able to look into your crystal ball and predict everything that is going to happen for the next year. Hogs win with a superior running attack, coupled with enough of a passing game in the flats and tight ends across the middle to keep Wisconsin honest.
Casey continues to struggle
Mitch does better than expected
Fans left wondering… what if Mitch played more against LSU and Florida?
The anger steams from our current offense, or lack there of. When I get sick of worthless things I tend to expose my sarcastic side. When my sarcastic side is out there it pretty much looks like hatred. But in this case I actually do hate our Offensive suckage. The idea our Offensive Coordinator had about HUNH toarched Alabama the other day and is common in the NFL, but he can't run it at the U of A? Nutt is UNFREIKINBELIEVABLE!
hogs win 35-17
we finish #9 in the polls
UNFREIKINBELIEVABLE??? What a goob!! As the year continued, with the exception of one game (McFadden was hurt against Florida) We ran the ball up and down the field, pretty much at will. Guys like you will be eating much crow as our offense continues to grow year after year.