Arkansas fans have good reason to watch the LSU Tigers

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – With Arkansas off this weekend, it’s a good opportunity for fans to spend a little time on the water at their favorite fishing spot, do a little squirrel hunting or do some Christmas shopping.

However, there is one game that Razorback fans should definitely tune in for – No. 9 Ole Miss vs. No. 13 LSU on ABC at 6:30 p.m. from Baton Rouge. It’s essentially a playoff game for both teams.

Whoever loses, their chances of making the College Football Playoff are next to slim. It’s the kind of game where you can beat a team twice.

While Arkansas licks its wounds and tries to use the momentum of a big win over then-No. 4 Tennessee to carry the Hogs through a focused off-week, LSU is putting everything into a single game against a dangerous Rebels team that still has a huge lead Wake-up call: The loss to Kentucky is still fresh in their minds.

If the Tigers lose, the emotional toll that comes with the season is essentially over, as the team’s goals were set before the season and there is a strong chance that they will result in a poor performance in a night game at Razorbacks Stadium. As Paul Finebaum said earlier this week, there’s not much to worry about in Fayetteville when it comes to day games, but when the sun goes down it can be an absolute beast.

The last thing the Tigers want is to be uninspired after dark in the Ozarks. The heat on Brian Kelly and fans’ lack of patience with him could also turn ugly pretty quickly.

Of course there is another side of the coin. No matter how good Arkansas or LSU are on the year, this game is always shockingly close.

The smallest thing can decide the game in favor of another team. In this case, if the Tigers get a big win over Ole Miss and have the best playoff position in front of them, it will be difficult for the Razorbacks to overcome that kind of focus and motivation, regardless of the home atmosphere.

Even though Arkansas won’t play this week, Baton Rouge could prove whether the Hogs set another record in the win column. It’s definitely worth spending a few hours on a Saturday night just to know what’s coming up in Fayetteville next weekend.