Volunteers bold to designate special theme for game against Hogs

The Razorbacks are currently behind in the series from a historical perspective (Tenessee leads 13-7 all-time) but have gotten the better of the Volunteers for the past 20 years.

The two teams have met six times over the previous two decades and have won five of the past six meetings including last years field storming 19-14 victory with the Vols ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 poll.

In what could've been a meeting between a pair of second year starters, Nico Iamalaeava left the Tennessee program one day before the Volunteers' spring game.

His brother, Madden, surprisingly flipped his commitment from UCLA to Arkansas during December's early national signing period but eventually entered the transfer portal following spring practice to join his brother with the same school he initially pledged to.

During the previous two decades, Arkansas has played Tennessee just two times at Neyland Stadium with the two programs splitting the meetings.

The Volunteers won the 2007 game in convincing fashion, 34-13, one week after Darren McFadden's SEC record tying 321 yard rushing performance against South Carolina on Senior Night.

Arkansas returned the favor in 2015 with a memorable come from behind 24-20 victory which sparked a season turnaround that saw the Razorbacks win seven of its final nine games of the season.

The Hogs fell into a 14-0 first quarter hole before the run game of Alex Collins a true freshman Rawleigh Williams III pounded out 275 yards and two touchdowns

Other memorable games between the two programs include the1999 redemption game when Arkansas quarterback Clint Stoerner threw a touchdown strike to Anthony Lucas for the 23-yard game winner with 3:44 left in the fourth quarter.

The Razorbacks hosted its first and only ESPN College Gameday show Nov. 11, 2006 when McFadden officially started his sophomore Heisman campaign.

He totaled 199 yards and three touchdowns in front of an announced crowd of 76,728, a figure that still ranks in the top five in program history.

Arkansas' 49-7 thrashing in 2011 definitely wasn't the most exciting game in the series but did produce a couple of memorable plays like Jarius Wright's multi bobble reception.

It would also be a travesty not to include some casual punt return touchdown by Joe Adams.

The victory over that lowly Volunteers' team, led by former coach Derek Dooley, began Arkansas' current stretch of four straight victories.

While Tennessee is projected to win total is 8.5 as of today, it still has more questions than answers as fifth-year coach Josh Heupel looks to take his team back to the College Football Playoff this season.