Now that Arkansas has successfully conquered the state of Texas, and soared into the top 10 for the first time since 2012, a few questions come to mind.

First, are the Razorbacks really for real? Are they ready to step into and handle the white-hot spotlight that shines brightly on the SEC elite?

Second, are they in it for the long haul? Is this meteoric rise under 2nd-year head coach Sam Pittman sustainable? Or are they one-hit wonders? Are the stars aligning just right in 2021 for the Hogs to have what has started out to be a season to remember, and we’re just along for the ride?

Well, much of the first question will be made known on Saturday when Arkansas visits Athens to face No. 2 Georgia. It will be Arkansas’ first true road game of this remarkable season. Last Saturday’s 20-10 victory over Texas A&M, although the Hogs’ first game away from Razorback Stadium, was accomplished on a neutral site at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

A victory this Saturday obviously would be monumental. It also would shift the narrative to whether the Hogs could somehow supplant the Tide as the class of the SEC West. That’s where this runaway train, engineered by sophomore quarterback KJ Jefferson and a veteran defense, could be headed if all goes their way at Sanford Stadium on Saturday.

The oddsmakers aren’t too optimistic. They’ve declared the ride over for Arkansas, making Georgia an 18-point favorite. You can bet that little tidbit of information will be at the top of the Razorbacks’ bulletin board for all to take in during this week of preparation.

Is KJ Jefferson’s bruised knee more serious than initially thought? Not sure what else could make the line so one-sided? A healthy Jefferson puts the Hogs on nearly equal terms with the Bulldogs. Home-field advantage couldn’t possibly swing the opening line that much.

In any case, let’s get way, way, way ahead of ourselves. That’s what you do when you start the season 4-0 for the first time since 2003. Let’s ponder the question of whether this surprising success is maintainable or are the Razorbacks simply playing the same numbers from LSU’s 2019 winning lottery ticket?

It’s a veteran group that’s leading this juggernaut from obscurity with 7 senior starters on each side of the football. Not many programs can say that. Not with early departures, opt-outs, and the transfer portal replacing four-year commitment in this era of college football. And that’s a testament to Pittman’s growing influence on the program.

Arkansas has grown up. It’s a group that has certainly taken its share of lumps along the way. But it’s a group with a vision of what Pittman is building, and they’re dedicated in seeing it through. That’s a rarity in 21st century college football anymore.

So, you’ll have to excuse the traditionalist in those of us who have become a bit giddy over this developing story.

Where is that story headed long term? That’s a question that only time will answer. Once this season eventually comes to an end, those seniors will be moving on and where does that leave the program? Jefferson will be back, though. Then it becomes a matter of how well Pittman has stocked the cupboards. At the beginning of this week, his 2022 recruiting class ranked No. 21 nationally, according to 247sports.com. He’s hoping to pull in a top 20 class, which Arkansas hasn’t had since 2009, 1 of only 4 top 20 recruiting classes this century. And that makes this year’s results even more amazing.

But let’s dial it back to the present. Let’s not just yet turn our attention that far in the future. Let’s enjoy this ride and see where it takes us.