The 2023 college football season is nearly here and Arkansas is looking to get back on its upward trajectory of success after hitting the nine-win mark in 2021 and seven-win mark in 2022.
For their season opener, the Razorbacks will welcome Western Carolina at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock for the first-ever matchup between the two programs. The Catamounts finished 6-5 overall in the 2022 regular season including a three-game winning streak to end the year against Wofford, East Tennessee State and Chattanooga.
Western Carolina last played an SEC team in 2019 when it faced the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Catamounts lost that game 66-3.
The Hogs have not played a Southern Conference foe since 2013, when they escaped a close matchup against Samford, 31-21.
While the Razorbacks enter the season opener as 34.5-point favorites (Bet Saracen), the Catamounts are an FCS squad with plenty of experience against SEC teams. Despite that, Western Carolina has an 0-61 record against FBS teams dating back to 1977 and it is also 0-20 against SEC opponents.
Here are all the details you need to know for how to watch or listen to Saturday's game, which will kickoff at noon CT.
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
Where: War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. CT
TV: Streaming on ESPN+/SECN+ on ESPN app
Radio: Learfield IMG College Razorbacks Sports Network (Chuck Barrett and Quinn Grovey)
Western Carolina players to know:
#1 - RB Desmond Reid - SO, 5' 8", 170 lbs.
2022 Stats: 117 ATT, 824 YDS, 4 TD, 21 REC, 212 YDS, TD
#11 - TE Ajay Belanger - SR, 6'3", 245 lbs.
2022 Stats: 20 REC, 176 YDS, TD
#9 - DE Micah Nelson Jr. - R-JR, 6'3", 265 lbs.
2022 Stats: 35 TOT TKL, 14 SOLO, 3.0 SKS
#21 - S Andreas Keaton - JR, 6'2", 200 lbs.
2022 Stats: 72 TOT TKL, 47 SOLO, 5 PB, 2 INTs
#15 - LB Antoine Williams - R-JR, 5'10", 205 lbs.
2022 Stats (Austin Peay): 77 TOT TKL, 37 SOLO, 2.0 SKS, FF
Vegas Odds:
Vegas: Arkansas -34.5, O/U 62.5
ESPN FPI: Arkansas has 99.0% chance to win
Headlines
- Arkansas football official depth chart for Western Carolina game
- What Western Carolina HC Kerwin Bell said about Arkansas
- Arkansas freshmen to watch for against Western Carolina
- Pair of veteran defensive players could miss Western Carolina game
- Arkansas moves up kickoff time for Western Carolina game
- Scouting the Western Carolina Catamounts
- Behind Enemy Lines: Gaining Western Carolina insight with Chris Womack
- Hogs not forgetting history of War Memorial Stadium
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