The Arkansas Razorbacks are set to play one of the toughest schedules again this season, beginning with a College Football Playoff participant from last season in the Cincinnati Bearcats.
The Bearcats have yet to lose a regular season game this decade and hope to keep that streak alive when they visit Fayetteville on Sept. 3. It will be a challenge, as they begin life without quarterback Desmond Ridder and cornerback Sauce Gardner, two of the key pieces of their recent success.
On the other side, Arkansas is entering this season with more confidence that they have had in years. The Razorbacks won nine games last season, and have a solid roster that can propel them to new heights.
How much does each story weigh in to the result of the season opener? 247sports breaks it down.
Brad Crawford of 247sports recently predicted the results of College Football’s key season opening games, including Arkansas-Cincinnati, where he projected the Razorbacks to win the game, 34-24.
The hype meter is increasing for the Razorbacks this offseason thanks to a roster many believe Sam Pittman could lead to a potential No. 2 spot in the SEC West behind Alabama next season. With quarterback KJ Jefferson returning along with several key transfer portal additions, Arkansas looks to build on 2021’s success with noticeable confidence. This isn’t the same Cincinnati team that has run off consecutive unbeaten regular seasons under Luke Fickell, but you can bet the Bearcats are using the naysayers as fuel heading into the opener with a national spotlight chance against an SEC opponent.
The Razorbacks open the season with Cincinnati on Sept. 3 at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CDT, and can be seen on ESPN.
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