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Arkansas’ steady rise under head coach Sam Pittman is reflected in ESPN’s SP+ ratings.
After a top-25 finish in 2021, the Razorbacks check in at No. 28 in the initial 2022 preseason rankings by advanced analytics guru Bill Connelly.
That is substantially better than the No. 108 final ranking for Arkansas in 2019 and also better than its No. 76 and No. 41 preseason rankings in Pittman’s first two seasons at the helm.
In each of those years, Arkansas managed to finish better than its preseason slot. It ended the 2020 season at No. 57 and last season at No. 22 - a jump of 19 spots each year. A similar increase would put the Razorbacks in the top 10 at the end of 2022.
Specifically, the Razorbacks have a preseason rating of plus-12.8. They were at plus-8.8 in the February release before last season and minus-3.1 a year before that.
They are 10th among SEC teams in the metric, but part of that is due their low returning production numbers, which is a major factor in the preseason projections. Arkansas is 79th nationally in that category, at 62%.
That is also likely why Arkansas is six spots lower than where it finished the 2021 season, as well as the fact that the projection also factors in recent recruiting and recent history.
According to the SP+ plus, the Razorbacks’ offense ranks 31st in the FBS, while their defense ranks 36th.
Connelly will update the preseason SP+ ratings in August, when he can factor in additional transfers, injuries and other things, but you can click here (ESPN+ subscription required) to view the complete rankings as of Wednesday.
