FAYETTEVILLE — Missouri has won nine of the last 10 games in the Battle Line Rivalry against Arkansas, but first-year head coach Ryan Silverfield doesn't care about what he called "recent failures " by Arkansas in the matchup.
"I try to avoid talking about recent history," said Silverfield, who inherited a program that has gone 2-10 thrice in eight years. "That has zero reflection or zero effort on what we're going to do moving forward. We appreciate the trophy. The four-foot tall trophy, the rivalry game, all those things, a lot of respect for that.
"But ultimately, it's the next game. It's very important for us to go out there in the rivalry game and put our best foot forward, just like it would be any game. But we don't harp on it too much as a program, as a team. I think they're just excited to go back out on the field this Saturday.
Arkansas' last win against Missouri came in 2021, and the Hogs have only two wins since the game became an annual matchup in 2014. Even if some fans say that rivalry is one fabricated by the SEC, Arkansas' inability to make it competitive from a win-loss perspective has turned some frustration into hatred for UA's border rival.
"The one thing about our fans is, I think they hate every one of our opponents, which I love," Silverfield saiod. "I like that mindset. When I got here, it was certain things people said, 'Hey, you just win one, you got to beat Texas. You win one, you got to beat Mizzou. You just win one. You got to beat LSU.
"I said, 'Well, in our jobs, just go out there and do do our best versus every single one of them. That'd be great.' And they said, 'Well, we'll take that too.' But I think it's it's important because the fans are so passionate about it, and that's what you love. And listen, I think it's good to have some hate in your heart for your opponent. And certainly, I I love the fans because I know they're going to show up and and be rabid and loud on Saturday. And I haven't been here long enough for me to get through a full season, and eventually maybe that'll be an off-season question for me, which way I rank [rivals]. I'm sure they'll all be near the top."
This year is the first year of the rivalry that it will not be played on the final weekend of the regular season after Thanksgiving, with the Battle for the Golden Boot between Arkansas and LSU making its return as the season finale.
Kickoff between Arkansas and Missouri is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. on Oct. 31, with coverage on the SEC Network and the Razorback Sports Network.
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