It’s officially official — Missouri will once again face Arkansas on Black Friday, this time in Little Rock
Not sure why they don’t just permanently announce that Missouri will play Arkansas the day after Thanksgiving every year, but it’s once again official for 2019: The not-forced-at-all Battle Line Rivalry will kick-off at 1:30 p.m. CT Friday, Nov. 29 on CBS.
#Mizzou at Arkansas
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) May 29, 2019
Presented by Shelter Insurance®
️ Nov. 29
Little Rock
⏰ 1:30 PM
@CBS
https://t.co/3uAgrDRCsd#MIZ #ShowMe pic.twitter.com/fuG9WCRBZx
This is the sixth consecutive year that this game has taken place on Black Friday; Missouri has won four of the five meetings since joining the SEC, including three in a row.
Now, the location of this game isn’t new news: It’s been known for sometime that Missouri will face Arkansas at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium. They’ll also play in Little Rock in 2021 and 2023 — Arkansas’ current deal to play one game a year at War Memorial was extended six years in 2018 by new athletic director Hunter Yurachek.
Playing in Little Rock is more of a burden on Arkansas than for Missouri — although adding another 90 minutes to a drive from Columbia is KIND of a burden.
From the USA Today article linked above:
Critics note the school pays the War Memorial Stadium commission $75,000 per game to play there while the stadium also collects concessions and parking fees — all lost revenue when the Razorbacks didn’t play in Fayetteville
Also, the Razorbacks are unable to host recruits in War Memorial Stadium because the game is off campus and several former players have spoken out in recent years about their dislike of games in Little Rock.
I wonder if that recruiting aspect will change. It seems like a tough sell to lose a prime official visit weekend at the end of the season because you’re playing an off-campus game.
Regardless, mark your calendars and set your DVRs. Missouri-Arkansas, Nov. 29, 1:30 p.m on CBS. With Missouri’s NCAA appeal still on-going, this could very well be the season finale for the 2019 Tigers.
Nothing like a bowl game in Little Rock!
Yesterday at Rock M
More Links:
- Dave Matter takes a stab at ranking the top returning SEC quarterbacks, and pencils Mizzou’s Kelly Bryant in at No. 3. The two guys above him may surprise you! — just kidding, it’s Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa.
- Apparently Kareem Rush was on American Ninja Warrior last night, but I can’t seem to find any video evidence of that. AmericaNinjaWarriorNation.com says Rush was eliminated at the Walk the Plank portion of the course.
- Gabe DeArmond answers questions from readers in the latest PowerMizzou.com mailbag.
- Mizzou track and field athletes Hannah Thomas and Jayson Ashford were named to the SEC Community Service Team.
- The Columbia Missourian took a look at ten calls from the past season that might explain why the SEC is reviewing its officiating.
- Missouri football is going to have a pretty solid tandem of starting cornerbacks in 2019.
These SEC cornerbacks allowed the lowest completion percentage when targeted last season. pic.twitter.com/G7RliJRRWD
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 29, 2019