Kickoff times set for Arkansas football's first three games of 2023
The game times and television details for Arkansas football's first three games of the 2023 season were announced on Wednesday.
Head coach Sam Pittman and the Razorbacks will kickoff at 3 p.m. CT on against Western Carolina in the season opener at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock on Saturday, Sept. 2. The game will be streamed on the SEC Network Plus and ESPN Plus.
Western Carolina is a Division I FCS program led by head coach Kerwin Bell. The Catamounts posted a 6-5 overall record last season and they were 4-4 in Southern Conference games.
Arkansas will then play two straight games at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville before playing four straight games away from home.
The Week 2 matchup on Sept. 9 against Kent State is slated for a 3 p.m. CT kickoff and it will be televised on the SEC Network. The Golden Flashes posted a 5-7 record in 2022 and they hired new head coach Kenni Burns on Dec. 14, 2022.
Arkansas will fulfill the home-and-home agreement made back in 2018 with BYU on Saturday, Sept. 16, for a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPN2. Arkansas beat the Cougars 52-35 last season at LaVelle Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah.
Head coach Kalani Sitake has led BYU since 2016 and his team went 8-5 with New Mexico Bowl victory over SMU on Dec. 17 last year.
The Razorbacks now know the kickoff times for four of their 12 games on the 2023 schedule, as the Battle Line Rivalry matchup with Missouri on Black Friday will kickoff at 3 p.m. CT and it will be broadcast on CBS.
According to ESPN's Football Power Index, Arkansas has the sixth toughest schedule in the country and fourth toughest in the SEC. Ole Miss' schedule was ranked as the hardest, Florida checked in at No. 2 and Auburn was one spot ahead of the Razorbacks at No. 5.
Below is the full 2023 schedule for Arkansas football...
2023 Arkansas Football Schedule
Sept. 2 - Western Carolina%* - 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network+ and ESPN+
Sept. 9 - Kent State* - 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network
Sept. 16 - BYU* - 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2
Sept. 23 - at LSU
Sept. 30 - vs Texas A&M^
Oct. 7 - at Ole Miss
Oct. 14 - at Alabama
Oct. 21 - Mississippi State
Oct. 28 - OPEN
Nov. 4 - at Florida
Nov. 11 - Auburn
Nov. 18 - Florida International*
Nov. 24 - Missouri - 3 p.m. CT on CBS
Home games in BOLD
*Non-conference game
^Southwest Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
% Game played at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock