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Arkansas Razorbacks coach John Calipari argues with an official during a break in play against the Baylor Bears during the first half at American Airlines Center. Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Notable Razorbacks’ home non-conference game off schedule this season

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Jacob Davis | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 2:27 PM ET

Arkansas coach John Calipari announced that the Razorbacks' home game against Baylor will not take place this season.

The Bears were scheduled to visit Bud Walton Arena for a non-conference game, but will likely be pushed to next year, according to HawgSports.

"I don't think it will happen this year," Calipari told the Little Rock Rotary Club Tuesday. "When we filled out the schedule, we kind of moved on from that."

Arkansas lost to Baylor last season 72-67 in a neutral site game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Razorbacks fell behind double digits before managing a comeback to get within three points with less than three minutes to play in the second half.

Losing the Baylor game in Fayetteville leaves a huge opening during the early portion of the schedule as season ticketholders are void of a marquee home game for now.

Calipari has scheduled several premier neutral court games headlined by Duke (Chicago) Nov. 27 at the United Center. Other games include the likes of last year's Sweet 16 opponent Texas Tech (Dallas) and national runner up Houston (Brooklyn).

Last season, Arkansas scheduled a rather navigable schedule in non-conference play with a win in Brooklyn over Michigan and a road victory at Miami as part of the SEC-ACC Challenge.

"Our strength to schedule wasn't bad last year," Calipari said. "But you schedule to your team. Like, you don't schedule because you just want to schedule, you’ve got to look and say, ‘Ok, where are we? Is this too much for these guys? Are we being fair?’ So yeah, this schedule is good.

"We're talking about every team in the Elite 8 we’re playing. We're also looking at some of the what they'd call buy games against teams that were in the NCAA Tournament a year ago."

Arkansas will be taking a trip to East Lansing to face Tom Izzo's Michigan State team that went 30-7 before falling to Auburn in the Elite Eight.

Calipari's team is a bit older this go around and full of experience in the SEC which wasn't Arkansas' luxury going into his first season.

"Last year [in the SEC], the top seven teams had 90% or more of their team back, Calipari said. "That's why they were the top seven. We were the youngest team in the league. Georgia was right above us, but we were the youngest. And everybody else filtered down.

"This year, we have the most returning. It's only 45%, but it's still the most in our league, and everybody's lost most of their team, and they're having to do what we did a year ago."

Arkansas is scheduled to play Southern (Nov. 3) for the season opener followed by Central Arkansas (Nov. 11). The Razorbacks added a 2025 NCAA Tournament in Mount St. Mary's last week for Dec. 16 in Fayetteville.

The Mountaineers won its Atlantic Athletic Conference postseason tournament, going 23-13 in year one under coach Donny Lind. Mount Saint Mary's advanced past American University, 83-72, in the First Four before falling to No.1 seed Duke 93-49 in the round of 64.