After back-to-back seasons with 2-10 records, the Arkansas Razorbacks showed a bit of life in 2020, improving to 3-7 under Sam Pittman. From there, the Hogs have burst onto the scene as a legitimately dangerous squad in 2021, posting a 7-4 record in the first 11 games and defeating the quartet of Texas, LSU, Mississippi State and Texas A&M along the way. On Friday, the Razorbacks will finish up the regular season with an annual showdown against Missouri on national television. In advance of that contest, Harry Styles brought a bit of extra attention to North Little Rock on Wednesday night, ultimately leading the entire venue in “calling the hogs” to great applause and excitement.
Harry making the crowd call the hogs tonight in Little Rock, AR – November 24 (via nvpxo) pic.twitter.com/5bfAxTMn21
— HSD Love On Tour (@hsdlot) November 25, 2021
Styles, who isn’t exactly known for his college football bonafides, was playing a sold out concert at Simmons Bank Arena on Nov. 24, and either Styles or someone close to him clearly did some research on the crowd. During the show, Styles set it up in elaborate fashion, as you can see above, and then delivered on the situation with vigor.
It seems possible, or even likely, that Styles didn’t know much about this particular tradition before this night. Still, he pulled it off quite well, and the crowd was clearly buying in to what he was selling. Of course, it helps that most people paying to come see him perform probably have a great deal of investment in Styles himself, but others may be swayed by this spectacle in advance of a big game on Black Friday.