NCAAF News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Newsletter

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman looks on during warm ups prior to the game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Non-SEC games could be biggest issue no one really considering now

Originally posted on Arkansas Razorbacks on SI
By Andy Hodges | Last updated May 11, 2025 2:35 PM ET

It's probably a good bet when Arkansas scheduled the non-conference games for this year they probably thought a couple of them wouldn't be dangerous.

They finally decided to play Arkansas State in Little Rock in a stadium that should have been imploded decades ago. No problem. The thought may have been a guaranteed win but things may be a little tougher.

The Red Wolves aren't contending for a College Football Playoff spot but they have a fairly good team.

Then there's the road trip to Memphis that probably seemed like a good idea at the time.

Now the Tigers have a decent team and could be a big problem because of a couple of other factors.

Throw in a road game against Ole Miss along with a home game against Notre Dame. See how it's starting to get complicated, which has usually not worked out well for the Razorbacks.

Now the punchline. This is all in September.

Soon pic.twitter.com/wN3Pa4VEEx
— Arkansas Razorback Football (@RazorbackFB) May 8, 2025

For Sam Pittman, who worries enough without all of this, it has to be causing some sleep issues. With an opener against Alabama A&M there will be at least one win.

But whether anybody wants to admit it or not there's as clear of a path to 1-4 by the end of September as it is to 5-0. Reality will likely fall somewhere in the middle.

Unless there's some serious development from the end of spring practice to the season there is no evidence this Razorback team could sweep through September unscathed.

Before anybody knee-jerks on that, it's not a prediction. After all the Irish did lay an embarrassing egg against Northern Illinois. It could happen again at Razorback Stadium, but few will predict it.

Arkansas is coming into a season with far more question than answers. Based on what the media was able to see in spring practice there's not a lot of reason to start making big postseason plans.

The Hogs do have some good players. They can make plays that will get fans on their feet. But it's hard to see those plays getting stacked high on top of each other enough to compete for a championship.

What happens in October and November could have a lot riding on what happens in September. A 1-4 start could lead to a disaster. A 4-1 start could at least provide some hope going into an SEC schedule that is mind-numbing.

We haven't even gotten to the summer when the media will be putting rankings to everything around college football. Sooner or later somebody somewhere is going to rank pep squads and bands.

The over-under betting lines have the Razorbacks hovering around six wins for the season. The problem is that includes six losses and continued mediocrity.

Sooner or later the fans will stop complaining. That's because they really don't care anymore. Former coach and athletic director Frank Broyles always said the worst thing in the world was fan apathy.

A bad September this year could cause that. Traffic would be lighter around Razorback Stadium.