Fresh off a 4-8 campaign in 2023, head coach Sam Pittman and the Arkansas Razorbacks are looking to turn things around this fall in Fayetteville.
After winning back-to-back bowl games in 2021 and 2022, Pittman's squad saw a drop off last year with a lack of leadership in the locker room and even in some coaches. Things changed over the offseason with a new crop of transfers and freshmen, who seem poised to improve on last year's woes.
Also new this season are plenty of faces on the offensive staff, including new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. The former Head Hog is back in the Natural State, where he is beloved by most fans despite his controversial firing back in 2012.
With fall camp about a month out, the Hogs are gearing up to prepare for the season opener against UAPB on Thursday, Aug. 29, at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Right after that, the Hogs will make their first road trip to Oklahoma State on Saturday, Sept. 7.
The home schedule at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium is strong for Arkansas this fall, as it features games against LSU, Tennessee, Texas, Ole Miss, Louisiana Tech and UAB. Even still, the tests the Razorbacks will face on the road are daunting.
HawgBeat ranks the Hogs' four true road games this year. Not included is the trip to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to face Texas A&M on Sept. 28.
4. Mississippi State - Oct. 26
Led by first-year head coach Jeff Lebby, the Bulldogs are also looking to improve on a down year in 2023, which saw them go 5-7 overall and 1-7 in conference play. The only SEC win was a 7-3 victory over Arkansas on Oct. 21.
I've been to Starkville and there's no doubt that Davis Wade Stadium is a madhouse no matter how good the Bulldogs are. The cowbells are deafening.
Like Arkansas, Mississippi State is going to be listed near the bottom of the league in every preseason poll. This game isn't until later in the season, so there's a chance the Bulldogs could end up being a tougher task than expected, but they will also be fresh off back-to-back games at Georgia and vs. Texas A&M.
Baylor transfer quarterback Blake Shapen seems to be the man the Bulldogs want running their offense, and he's in good shape with Lebby — former Oklahoma offensive coordinator — as his coach.
The Bulldogs return some key talent on defense, especially in defensive end De'Monte Russell and safety Corey Ellington, but it's a new-look team on both sides of the ball for the most part.
Winning on the road in the SEC is never easy, but this should be the easiest of Arkansas' games away from home.
3. Oklahoma State - Sept. 7
A little over 2.5 hours away from Fayetteville is Stillwater, Oklahoma, which is home to Boone Pickens Stadium. The Oklahoma State fans will be rowdy and excited to host an SEC team, especially given the fact that rival Oklahoma is now in the league. Luckily for the Razorbacks, this game is an 11 a.m. CT kickoff.
With this game being just the second of the year, the season-opener against UAPB becomes that much more important. Boise State transfer quarterback Taylen Green will need to nail down his timing on the offensive side of the ball for the Hogs, while the young linebacker corps for defensive coordinator Travis Williams will have a chance to see another offense for the first time in what will feel like forever.
Running back Ollie Gordon is the star for head coach Mike Gundy, who has been at the helm of the Cowboys' program since 2005. Gordon, who was recently arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, led the nation with 1,732 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Seventh-year quarterback Alan Bowman is also back and the Cowboys' offensive line has six redshirt super seniors on it.
Oklahoma State will look to improve on defensive woes in the 2023 season, which saw them finish 86th in scoring defense (28.6 points per game) and 123rd in pass yards allowed per game (275.0).
This one is tough given it's so early in the season, but the 11 a.m. kickoff and the fact that Oklahoma State also opens the year against reigning FCS national champion South Dakota State, Arkansas has a really solid shot here.
2. Auburn - Sept. 21
Winning at Jordan-Hare Stadium is never easy, and neither is facing Hugh Freeze. Pittman has lost at home in two straight years to two different teams coached by Freeze — Liberty and Auburn.
Last year's matchup was a 48-10 beatdown that had to have left the Hogs' coaches and returning players wanting revenge on the Tigers, who ended with a 6-7 record in 2023.
Back is quarterback Payton Thorne, who threw for 1,755 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last year. Thorne threw for 163 yards and three scores against the Razorbacks while also adding 88 rushing yards and one score on the ground.
While Auburn's running game ranked 23rd in the country (172.7 yards per game) last year, the passing game was one of the nation's worst. The Tigers addressed that by loading up with transfer pass-catchers KeAndre Lambert-Smith from Penn State and Robert Lewis from Georgia State, plus five-star Cam Coleman is expected to be a starter as well.
The Tigers returned six defenders who started games in 2023 and they also added a pair of talented transfers on the defensive line in Trill Carter (Texas) and Gage Keys (Kansas).
Auburn's defense wasn't bad last year, as it ranked 45th nationally in total defense and 31st in pass defense. On paper, the Tigers only seemed to get better talent-wise and that does not bode well given the fact that this will be the Hogs' first SEC game of the season.
The Razorbacks did get a 41-27 win last time they were in Auburn during the 2022 season, but they are 1-4 on the road against the Tigers since 2014.
1. Missouri - Nov. 30
Winning in Columbia, Missouri, is something Arkansas has never done. The Razorbacks are 0-6 all-time at Mizzou, including an 0-2 record under Pittman.
Last year, the Tigers waltzed into Fayetteville and dominated Arkansas with a 48-14 victory in the regular season finale. That win was the Tigers' 10th of their season, which was capped off by a Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State.
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz returns a loaded offense headlined by receivers Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr., who will catch passes from quarterback Brady Cook. Last season, Cook didn't have to do much against the Hogs, as he threw for 112 yards and two touchdowns while adding one score on the ground.
It was Mizzou running back Cody Schrader who torched Arkansas last year with 220 rushing yards and three scores, but gone is Schrader and in is Georgia State transfer back Marcus Carroll and Appalachian State transfer Nate Noel.
The Tigers were a formidable foe on defense in 2023, ranking top-50 nationally in scoring defense (25th), rushing defense (30th), passing defense (47th) and total defense (33rd).
Missouri returned five players who started games last year, including linebacker Chuck Hicks and safety Daylan Carnell. Clemson transfer corner Toriano Pride Jr. and Florida transfer defensive tackle Chris McClellan were solid portal additions.
Arkansas could be fighting for bowl eligibility in this game, or the season could already be over with very little to fight for — like last year. On the flip side, Missouri could have a legit shot at playing for a College Football Playoff spot with the field expanding to 12 teams this year.
