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The University of Arkansas Athletics Curse
Posted on 6/19/25 at 8:59 am
Posted on 6/19/25 at 8:59 am
For whatever reason, John McDonnell and Nolan Richardson confronted the demons in Fayetteville and went to the right church. Not sure how, but they are the outliers of repeated collapse of all Arkansas appearances on the big stage with everything on the line.
1965 Arkansas Football
Arkansas claims the 1964 National title and the AP actually changes the rules for how it awards their title for the 1965 season. Arkansas had won 22 straight games, only to lose to LSU in the 1965 Cotton Bowl with everything on the line.
1969 Arkansas vs. Texas
Everyone knows this story. Arkansas led the entire game and a miraculous comeback back Texas late in the fourth quarter seals the Hogs fate, 15-14 and Nixon crowns the Longhorns National Champions.
1978 NCAA Mens Final Four
Suttons boys fall down the stretch to eventual champion Kentucky by 5 points. Arkansas then won the consolation game over Notre Dame, and Kentucky beats Duke by 6 to claim the National Championship.
1979 College World Series
Arkansas coasts through to the championship undefeated. Cal State Fullerton comes out of the losers bracket and must beat a favored Arkansas team twice. Arkansas loses game 1 13-10 and then loses game 2, 2-1.
1988 Football Arkansas @ Miami
For those who may not recall this, Arkansas was undefeated and ranked inside the top ten and on the road at #3 Miami. Arkansas led 16-15 going into the fourth quarter. With about 5 minutes to go in the game, Miami kicks a 20 yard field goal to take the lead and Arkansas could not recover and sees its national title hopes dashed in a two point loss on the road.
1998 Football Arkansas @ Tennessee
Like 1969 Texas, fans know all about this. An undefeated Arkansas led the entire game only for the stumble and fumble from QB Stoerner to give Tennessee the ball with under two minutes remaining. Tennessee goes on to win and also win the 1998 National Championship.
2006 Football SEC Championship
After a opening game smashing at the hands of USC, Arkansas runs off ten straight wins to take home the SEC West crown. Arkansas and Florida trade blows back and forth with Arkansas taking the momentum and the lead in the second half. Florida punts and the ball is headed inside the five. Reggie Fish makes the decision to try and field the punt, muffs it, and Florida gains all momentum and goes on to win the SEC Title and National Championship.
2018 College World Series
Arkansas sweeps through its bracket and is waiting on an extra game on the other side. Oregon State comes out of the losers bracket, low on pitching. Arkansas wins game 1 and has Oregon State on the ropes in game two up 3-2 in the 9th. A foul ball down the RF line lands between three Arkansas players that would have been the third out. The ball drops, Oregon State goes on to take the lead and win the game. Oregon State wins game 3 of the series the next day to win the National Championship.
2025 College World Series
In the most Arkansas way ever, Arkansas blows a 9th inning 5-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth. First baseman Robinette strays 30 feet off of first base in an attempt to field a ground ball meant for the second baseman. He throws wide and the runner advances to second. With one out and runners on first and second, a routine double play ball is hit to SS Aloy. He fields it and decides to go to third instead of rolling the double play. On the next at bat, LSU hits a line drive to left field. LF Chuck Davalan slips on his initial read, never recovers and loses the ball...He finds it late and is diving to make the catch. He misses, it hits his backside and the ball rolls all the way into the LF corner. LSU scores two and ties the game. The next batter, hits a bloop to second. 2B Kozeal makes a leaping attempt and the ball ricochets just off the top of his glove and LSU scores the winning run.
There are plenty more...feel free to add your own.
1965 Arkansas Football
Arkansas claims the 1964 National title and the AP actually changes the rules for how it awards their title for the 1965 season. Arkansas had won 22 straight games, only to lose to LSU in the 1965 Cotton Bowl with everything on the line.
1969 Arkansas vs. Texas
Everyone knows this story. Arkansas led the entire game and a miraculous comeback back Texas late in the fourth quarter seals the Hogs fate, 15-14 and Nixon crowns the Longhorns National Champions.
1978 NCAA Mens Final Four
Suttons boys fall down the stretch to eventual champion Kentucky by 5 points. Arkansas then won the consolation game over Notre Dame, and Kentucky beats Duke by 6 to claim the National Championship.
1979 College World Series
Arkansas coasts through to the championship undefeated. Cal State Fullerton comes out of the losers bracket and must beat a favored Arkansas team twice. Arkansas loses game 1 13-10 and then loses game 2, 2-1.
1988 Football Arkansas @ Miami
For those who may not recall this, Arkansas was undefeated and ranked inside the top ten and on the road at #3 Miami. Arkansas led 16-15 going into the fourth quarter. With about 5 minutes to go in the game, Miami kicks a 20 yard field goal to take the lead and Arkansas could not recover and sees its national title hopes dashed in a two point loss on the road.
1998 Football Arkansas @ Tennessee
Like 1969 Texas, fans know all about this. An undefeated Arkansas led the entire game only for the stumble and fumble from QB Stoerner to give Tennessee the ball with under two minutes remaining. Tennessee goes on to win and also win the 1998 National Championship.
2006 Football SEC Championship
After a opening game smashing at the hands of USC, Arkansas runs off ten straight wins to take home the SEC West crown. Arkansas and Florida trade blows back and forth with Arkansas taking the momentum and the lead in the second half. Florida punts and the ball is headed inside the five. Reggie Fish makes the decision to try and field the punt, muffs it, and Florida gains all momentum and goes on to win the SEC Title and National Championship.
2018 College World Series
Arkansas sweeps through its bracket and is waiting on an extra game on the other side. Oregon State comes out of the losers bracket, low on pitching. Arkansas wins game 1 and has Oregon State on the ropes in game two up 3-2 in the 9th. A foul ball down the RF line lands between three Arkansas players that would have been the third out. The ball drops, Oregon State goes on to take the lead and win the game. Oregon State wins game 3 of the series the next day to win the National Championship.
2025 College World Series
In the most Arkansas way ever, Arkansas blows a 9th inning 5-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth. First baseman Robinette strays 30 feet off of first base in an attempt to field a ground ball meant for the second baseman. He throws wide and the runner advances to second. With one out and runners on first and second, a routine double play ball is hit to SS Aloy. He fields it and decides to go to third instead of rolling the double play. On the next at bat, LSU hits a line drive to left field. LF Chuck Davalan slips on his initial read, never recovers and loses the ball...He finds it late and is diving to make the catch. He misses, it hits his backside and the ball rolls all the way into the LF corner. LSU scores two and ties the game. The next batter, hits a bloop to second. 2B Kozeal makes a leaping attempt and the ball ricochets just off the top of his glove and LSU scores the winning run.
There are plenty more...feel free to add your own.
8
Posted on 6/19/25 at 9:37 am to Hawgeye
You nailed the last four.
The collapse against UNC that finally would have gotten us back to the sweet 16 late in Mike’s tenure would be honorable mention.
The back to back Auburn/Florida games in RRS in 2003 gets the award for most devastating consecutive games.
The collapse against UNC that finally would have gotten us back to the sweet 16 late in Mike’s tenure would be honorable mention.
The back to back Auburn/Florida games in RRS in 2003 gets the award for most devastating consecutive games.
This post was edited on 6/19/25 at 9:52 am
Posted on 6/19/25 at 9:47 am to beaverfever
Blowing a 16 point lead against TTU this season
Our FB dropping a walk-in TD against Bama
Mallett and Bobby P blowing it against Bama
So many what-ifs, but the ones that hurt the most are the ones where we shot ourselves in the foot for no particular reason, like the Stoernover, Fish fumble, 2018 CWS and last night.
Our FB dropping a walk-in TD against Bama
Mallett and Bobby P blowing it against Bama
So many what-ifs, but the ones that hurt the most are the ones where we shot ourselves in the foot for no particular reason, like the Stoernover, Fish fumble, 2018 CWS and last night.
This post was edited on 6/19/25 at 9:48 am
Posted on 6/19/25 at 10:13 am to Hawgeye
Just do the last 8 years in baseball
2018 - Foul ball
2019 - Squad back, everything there, lose 1-0 to FSU in CWS game 1
2020 - should be our best team, COVID
2021 - Flawed team but #1 all year, NC State
2022 - Faltered down the stretch but got hot in the postseason, Ole Miss
2023 - Flawed team but knew how to win, TCU
2024 - Solid team but then blew a regional again, Vitello wins a Natty
2025 - Best team of the DVH era, yesterday
Of the 7 years where there was a postseason, we were a national seed 6 of them.
Every single year ended in heartbreak, maybe 2021 and 2022 were the only years I could just tip my hat to the Wolfpack and Rebs.
It’s amazing how great we’ve been, and equally amazing how painful this ride has been
2018 - Foul ball
2019 - Squad back, everything there, lose 1-0 to FSU in CWS game 1
2020 - should be our best team, COVID
2021 - Flawed team but #1 all year, NC State
2022 - Faltered down the stretch but got hot in the postseason, Ole Miss
2023 - Flawed team but knew how to win, TCU
2024 - Solid team but then blew a regional again, Vitello wins a Natty
2025 - Best team of the DVH era, yesterday
Of the 7 years where there was a postseason, we were a national seed 6 of them.
Every single year ended in heartbreak, maybe 2021 and 2022 were the only years I could just tip my hat to the Wolfpack and Rebs.
It’s amazing how great we’ve been, and equally amazing how painful this ride has been
Posted on 6/19/25 at 12:06 pm to Hawgeye
I think scoop and score belongs there.
One chance at a BCS bowl win and then we all know what happened next.
One chance at a BCS bowl win and then we all know what happened next.
This post was edited on 6/19/25 at 12:07 pm
Posted on 6/19/25 at 5:05 pm to Hawgeye
quote:
1988 Football Arkansas @ Miami
For those who may not recall this, Arkansas was undefeated and ranked inside the top ten and on the road at #3 Miami. Arkansas led 16-15 going into the fourth quarter. With about 5 minutes to go in the game, Miami kicks a 20 yard field goal to take the lead and Arkansas could not recover and sees its national title hopes dashed in a two point loss on the road.
You left out the part were our All American free safety Steve Atwater dropped an int that hit him square in the middle of his chest that would've sealed the win. Then they made the kick.
Posted on 6/19/25 at 5:18 pm to Hawgeye
2011 Sugar Bowl blocked punt we should’ve scooped and scored on.
Posted on 6/20/25 at 11:12 am to Hawgeye
1979 basketball vs Larry bird and Indiana st final four, a dude who shoots worse than angel reese hits a buzzer beater to win the game.
Posted on 6/20/25 at 12:30 pm to Clark14
quote:
1979 basketball
After a BS travelling call on Reid. Now I'm mad all over again.
Posted on 6/20/25 at 2:30 pm to Hawgeye
Posted on 6/20/25 at 2:58 pm to Hawgeye
Look at it a different way...
I'd take all of these moments, and the seasons that led up to them, over what we've endured in football the last 13 years. No heartbreak. Just pure irrelevance.
I'd take all of these moments, and the seasons that led up to them, over what we've endured in football the last 13 years. No heartbreak. Just pure irrelevance.
Posted on 6/20/25 at 3:02 pm to hawgfaninc
In that picture I see clips of 2 programs competing at the highest level but falling short.
Then I see one program that doesn't even have a clip from a meaningful game or moment to be included
Then I see one program that doesn't even have a clip from a meaningful game or moment to be included
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