Fansided

Each state’s nominee for America’s Team

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Sep 11, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys former player George Teague carries an American Flag on to the field before the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. New York won 20-19. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys former player George Teague carries an American Flag on to the field before the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium. New York won 20-19. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 24, 2015; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Dominique Reed (87) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Auburn Tigers during the first half at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2015; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Dominique Reed (87) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Auburn Tigers during the first half at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

Arkansas

Arkansas Razorbacks football

Baseball is big in the south, and Arkansas’ two Double-A Texas League baseball clubs, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (affiliate of the Kansas City Royals) and Arkansas Travelers (affiliate of the Seattle Mariners), welcomed a combined 618,571 fans through the turnstiles in 2016. However, the heart of the state bleeds a distinct shade of cardinal red.

Originally nicknamed the Cardinals, the University of Arkansas first fielded a football team in 1894. The Razorbacks have since won 700 games, including 16 bowls. The Hogs have won 13 conference championships (all in the now defunct Southwest Conference), three SEC West titles, and claim a national championship from the 1964 season.

A total of 24 Arkansas football players have been named consensus All-Americans, and the Frank Broyles Award, named after the Hogs’ legendary coach, who roamed the sidelines from 1958-76, is given annually to the top assistant coach in the nation. Broyles is one of five College Football Hall of Famers to coach the Razorbacks, and Ken Hatfield, who posted a 55-17-1 record, won two SWC titles and took the team to six bowl games in six years at Arkansas, should be the sixth.

Furthermore, eight former Arkansas players are in the Hall of Fame. Also, Houston Nutt was national Coach of the Year in 1998, and running back Darren McFadden was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 2006 and 2007.

But more than the success the program has had on the field, Arkansas football is the most important sports team to residents across the state. Though the school itself is based in Fayetteville, and Razorback Stadium holds 72,000 fans (roughly the population of the city) with the ability to expand to 80,000, the Hogs still travel to the state capital, Little Rock, at least once per season – a practice that dates back to 1947.

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