Arkansas Business

This story is from the archives of ArkansasSports360.com.

This week in the Notebook, we look at "GameDay" showing up in Aggieland, Georgia's new running star, some impressive performances throughout the league, and offer Week 2 of our SEC Power Poll, with Alabama clearly on top now.

THE "WELCOME" MAT FOR AGGIES: Arkansas fans keep hoping ESPN will bring "College GameDay" back to Fayetteville, such as for the Sept. 15 game with Alabama. The Saturday "College GameDay" has made just one trip to Fayetteville, and that was for the 2006 game with Tennessee.

It probably won't make Razorback fans happy to know Texas A&M, which joined the SEC this season, will have "GameDay" at College Station, for its first conference game. "GameDay" will originate from the A&M campus Saturday when the Aggies play Florida.

ESPN is broadcasting the game as well, starting at 2:30 p.m.

For Florida, it's the program's nation-leading 33rd appearance on "GameDay" but it's the Gators' first since the Dec. 5, 2009, SEC Championship Game against Alabama. "College GameDay" has been traveling around the country to game sites since 1993, where the show hosts are greeted by large, enthusiastic crowds. It previews the day's college slate  with emphasis on the game played at the site where the broadcast originates.

Arkansas defeated Tennessee 31-14 in its only home "GameDay" appearance.

Would ESPN make the SEC the subject for "College GameDay" three weeks in a row ("GameDay" was in Arlington, Texas, last weekend for Alabama-Michigan)? Arkansas fans hope it will. Odds say it won't. One strike against Arkansas getting "GameDay" for the Alabama game is that CBS, rather an an ABC/ESPN affiliate, is carrying the Sept. 15 game. Typically, though not always, ESPN chooses a nationally significant game that either is being carried on an ESPN channel or ABC.

But that's not stopping some Arkansas fans for pleading the Hogs' case with ESPN on the "GameDay" Facebook page.

BURLY GURLEY: Burly freshman Todd Gurley may have answered the question of who will replace departed Georgia problem child Isaiah Crowell at running back. Gurley had 100 yards on eight carries, scored two rushing touchdowns and ran a kick back for a score last week against Buffalo.

Crowell, a 5-star recruit who started last season as a freshman, was dismissed from the program during the summer and enrolled at Alabama State, a Football Championship Subdivision school.

But Gurley's performance wasn't enough to convince him he's taken over the starting tailback role. Gurley told reporters in Athens earlier this week he considered himself still the backup. Gurley was the replacement for Ken Malcome, who injured his hand early in the game. Malcome is scheduled to return this week when the Bulldogs visit Missouri.

Georgia Coach Mark Richt said Wednesday on the SEC conference call that he expected to again give all his backs plenty of carries carries. Another highly touted freshman, Keith Marshall, had 10 carries for 46 yards against Buffalo. 

Gurley had 227 all-purpose yards and shared Freshman of the Week honors in the SEC with Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon, who was a standout (111 yards on 11 carries) against Michigan.