LITTLE ROCK — Anticipating Ole Miss will finish at or near the bottom of the SEC West, note that history says Saturday’s outcome in Oxford will provide an accurate read on the relationship between the Razorbacks and Rebels in the final league standings.
Since joining the SEC in 1992, only once have the Razorbacks lost their first conference game and finished ahead of that team in the standings. By the same token, the Razorbacks have never finished behind a team they beat in their SEC opener.
Detailing the math, Arkansas is 10-17 in SEC season openers and the exception to the rule occurred in 2015 when the UA lost to Texas A&M in overtime, but won four of its last five SEC games - including two in overtime - and finished 5-3.