Arkansas football seniors look to complete trophy trifecta in Battle Line Rivalry
FAYETTEVILLE — The Battle Line Rivalry trophy is a unique one. It's a silver outline of the states of Arkansas and Missouri, standing more than four feet tall and weighing more than 180 pounds. Dividing the two silver states is an insert, either gold or red, that is changed out depending on the winner of the annual game between the Tigers and Razorbacks.
The trophy hasn't featured the cardinal-colored insert since 2015, the last time Arkansas defeated Missouri.
Arkansas plays three trophy games every year against Texas A&M, LSU and Missouri. But when coach Sam Pittman showed his team the trophies Arkansas would be playing for, none of the players had seen them.
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No current Razorbacks had beaten Texas A&M or LSU until this year. The Southwest Classic trophy and the Golden Boot were totally new to them. This week, Arkansas (7-4, 3-4 SEC) has a chance to complete the trifecta and take back the Battle Line Rivalry trophy from Missouri (6-5, 3-4) on Friday (2:30 p.m., CBS).
"We have an opportunity to have all three of them, and I don't think this is bulletin board material, but we want them," Pittman said Monday. "It's never been done in the history of Arkansas. I know that history's short because the trophies haven't been here all the time, but to have all three would be a big deal for us."
Arkansas' last win over Missouri was in Fayetteville, a 28-3 blowout in which running back Alex Collins had 130 yards and three scores. It was Missouri coach Gary Pinkel's final game, as he resigned and was replaced by now-Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom.
Since then, there have been some close games, including last year's 50-48 contest, and many attempts to stoke the flames of rivalry. Former Missouri defensive lineman Eric Beisel was the most maligned Tiger among Arkansas fans five years ago, when he said Arkansas showing up for the game "would be a mistake" and referred to the rival as "Ar-Kansas."
Odom becoming Arkansas' defensive coordinator and Missouri featuring Fayetteville natives Akial Byers and Barrett Banister on its roster have contributed to the growing rivalry, too.
This year's Battle Line Rivalry game has an added element for Arkansas: Senior day. For players like redshirt senior linebacker Grant Morgan, whose freshman season was 2016, it's been a hard road. Morgan said last week that if it weren't for Pittman, he wouldn't have come back for his final year of eligibility after the 2020 season.
"This has literally been a roller coaster that never stopped," Morgan said. "Coach Pittman is probably the most genuine person I’ve ever been around. He loves this football team so much. ... He knows what it (means) to be an Arkansas Razorback."
Morgan credited Pittman with that rollercoaster's steady rise this season, but Pittman credited seniors like Morgan who came back after a dismal 3-7 season.
"They wanted bowl opportunities and the opportunity to be ranked, all those type of things that they never had," Pittman said. "It's all about them, and they're the best recruiters we have when we go out and win games."
Christina Long covers the Arkansas Razorbacks. You can email her at clong@swtimes.com or follow her on Twitter @christinalong00.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansas football vs. Missouri in Battle Line Rivalry: look to sweep
