With only seven total meetings since 1906, there isn’t much of a history to the Arkansas-Missouri rivalry.
Now that the two teams are set as permanent cross-division opponents, the SEC is trying to make the game into more of a rivalry, introducing the Battle Line trophy in the 2015 season.
According to former Missouri coach Gary Pinkel, it’s not the easiest trophy to hoist.
“It’s the heaviest trophy in the world,” Pinkel joked to the Little Rock Touchdown Club, per Whole Hog Sports. “If you pick it up, you’ll throw your back out.”
Despite the lack of history, Pinkel sees potential for the Battle Line rivalry.
“I think the Missouri-Arkansas rivalry is one that will grow to be a great rivalry,” Pinkel said. “It will just take some time.”
Pinkel stepped down at the end of the 2015 season after announcing that he has non-Hodgkins lymphoma. He told the crowd in Little Rock that he’s doing much better.
“You can’t cure it,” Pinkel said. “I might get treatment in six months. I might get treatment in 15 years. But my body has reacted to the treatment really well.
“I’ve been blessed in so many ways. I wanted to de-stress my life and I wanted to spend more time with my family. I’ve got eight grandkids. I just had to adjust. I feel very, very good that I did it.”
Pinkel posted a 118-73 record in 15 seasons at Missouri. He was 2-2 in four meetings with the Razorbacks.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
