Tag: razorbacks football

ESPN Football Power Index gives Alabama a 93% chance to win on Saturday

Well, time for Arkansas to prove everyone wrong.

After suffering a crushing loss to No. 17 Texas A&M on Saturday, the No. 20 Arkansas Razorbacks are set to return home this Saturday to face No. 2 Alabama at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

The Razorbacks hope to shake off the loss to Texas A&M by knocking off a tough Alabama team that currently holds a 14-game winning streak over Arkansas.

Do they have the chance to pull the upset? Absolutely. Head coach Sam Pittman believes that his team can get the job done due to how solid his players are.

“I think we’ll bounce back. I really do. I love our kids. They’re tough and resilient. I know Alabama has a really good team. (Reynolds Razorback Stadium) will be sold out and rocking in there,” Pittman said during his postgame press conference on Saturday. “A lot of people spend their hard-earned money to come watch us play and we’ll be ready to play. They’re hurting right now but they’ll be fine.”

However, the latest ESPN Football Power Index still heavily favors Alabama in this matchup, giving them a 93% chance to win on Saturday. The percentage is up from the 88% chance that Alabama had during the preseason.

Heading into the week, Alabama checks in at No. 1 in the FPI, while Arkansas has dropped four spots to No. 42.

Arkansas hosts Alabama on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. CT at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The game will be broadcasted live on CBS with Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, and Jenny Dell on the call.

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Quarterback pressure the ultimate deciding factor in Arkansas’ win over Missouri State

Arkansas relied heavily on quarterback sacks in their comeback win over Missouri State on Saturday night.

The Arkansas defense left the field following Saturday night’s win over Missouri State with areas of concern.

For the third straight week, the No. 10 Razorbacks allowed over 350 yards of passing. There were also tackling concerns, as well as a few committed penalties that helped the opposition.

However, there was one aspect of the stat sheet that Arkansas’ defense performed well in, and that was making stops behind the line of scrimmage.

In Saturday’s 38-27 win over Missouri State, the defense hurried the quarterback five times, made nine tackles for loss, and sacked quarterback Jason Shelley eight times.

Head coach [autotag]Sam Pittman[/autotag] said after the game that he is proud of his defense for making so sacks because Missouri State’s offensive line, as well as Shelley, provided his unit with a challenge all game long.

“(Shelly) is hard to tackle. He’s a good player,” Pittman said after Arkansas’ win Saturday night. “But we had to pressure him and of course, (Jordan Domineck) got a couple I guess. Drew (Sanders) got two or three I think.”

Most of the sacks were recorded by the trio of [autotag]Drew Sanders[/autotag], [autotag]Jordan Domineck[/autotag], and [autotag]Zach Williams[/autotag], who combined to make 6.5 sacks in the game. Sanders led the unit with 2.5 sacks.

Sanders has been an asset to the Arkansas defense since his arrival from Alabama. Pittman expressed how valuable Sanders is to the Arkansas pass rush.

“(Sanders) is so valuable in that because he can, a lot of times, run you down if you get out of the pocket. Going into the game that was exactly the gameplan,” Pittman said. “We were going to put pressure on (Shelley) because we knew how good their receivers were. We just couldn’t contain him. He’d get outside the pocket and make plays with his feet or his arm.”

Pittman went on to say Sanders is in his element when he pressures the opposing quarterback and praised defensive coordinator Barry Odom and linebackers coach Michael Scherer for continuing to draw up plans to get him into the opposing backfield often.

Through three games at Arkansas, Sanders has made 28 stops with 6.5 tackles for loss.

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Three reasons why Arkansas will beat South Carolina this Saturday

Arkansas opens the SEC slate on Saturday morning when they host South Carolina. What are three advantages they have over the Gamecocks?

The SEC slate begins Saturday when [autotag]No. 16 Arkansas[/autotag] hosts the South Carolina Gamecocks at Reynolds Razorback Stadium.

Both teams enter the game with a 1-0 record. Arkansas joined Georgia and Ohio State by knocking off a fellow ranked opponent last Saturday when they beat Cincinnati, 31-24. As for South Carolina, they handled business by defeating Georgia State, 35-14 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.

Both teams have things to watch for in Saturday’s game. In a physical game, Arkansas led Cincinnati, 14-0 at halftime. But the Bearcats stormed back and rode the heels of Arkansas the rest of the way before the Razorbacks ultimately won.

For South Carolina, they earned a three-touchdown advantage over Georgia State, doing so despite being outgained in the yardage department, and quarterback Spencer Rattler was also intercepted twice.

What advantages does Arkansas have over South Carolina? There are a few. Here are the top three reasons why Arkansas moves to 2-0 this weekend:

Sam Pittman understands Arkansas, and the football program is better for it

Sam Pittman is a true “Arkansas man”, which makes him the perfect man to lead the Razorbacks’ football program.

Every College Football program takes a risk when hiring a head coach. There are times when an experienced coach becomes fired after three seasons for not producing expected wins. There are also coaches that succeed at a particular program despite not having a lengthy resume.

Arkansas athletic director [autotag]Hunter Yurachek[/autotag] elected to bring [autotag]Sam Pittman[/autotag] over from Georgia, despite Pittman having zero head coaching experience. No one knew what caliber of success Pittman would bring to the Razorbacks football program, but one thing that no one can deny is Pittman’s love for the University of Arkansas.

Pittman joined SEC Network’s “Marty and McGee” live from campus this morning, where he was asked about his interest in becoming Arkansas’ next head football coach in 2020. Pittman, who served as associate head coach and offensive line coach for the Razorbacks from 2013-15, jokingly said that he needed some time to think about accepting the Arkansas job.

“When (Arkansas) called me that morning and said “do you want to be the head coach at Arkansas?” I’m like… “let me think about it for a second,” Pittman said. 

What helps a head coach succeed, especially in the college ranks, is being in tune with the expectations, as well as the personality of the university. Pittman grasps the concept, making him a true “Arkansas man.”

“A lot of people didn’t understand,” Pittman said. “I don’t think that I was the first guy that (Arkansas) offered the job. I know I wasn’t. But (the other candidates) don’t understand Arkansas. They would have took it if they did.”

Pittman begins year three of his tenure at Arkansas this afternoon, as the Razorbacks host Cincinnati at Reynolds Razorback Stadium at 2:30 p.m. CT.

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Who is listed as Arkansas’ key departure according to On3?

Burks’ 2021 production will be hard to replace, and even harder to replicate says On3.

The rise of quarterback [autotag]KJ Jefferson[/autotag] is what has propelled Arkansas football to higher expectations heading into the 2022 season.

Jefferson completed 67% of his passes for 2,676 yards last season. His return has Razorbacks fans and the national media alike believing that Arkansas has a high chance of dethroning Alabama for the top spot in the SEC West.

While Jefferson has the talent to become one of the league’s best quarterbacks this fall, he can credit most of last season’s success to his No. 1 target, [autotag]Treylon Burks[/autotag].

Burks reeled in 1,104 yards last season, and was on the receiving end of 11 of Jefferson’s 21 touchdown passes last season. Burks has moved on to the NFL after being selected 18th overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2022 NFL Draft, leaving a huge spot to fill on offense.

On3 recently ranked listed the key departure for each program in the SEC West, whether it be due to the transfer portal or NFL Draft. For Arkansas, the selection is clearly Burks. On3 says that it will be hard to replicate the production that Burks handled in 2021, but believes that one playmaker will step up to fill that role.

Burks was the go-to playmaker for the Razorbacks, with Arkansas OC [autotag]Kendal Briles[/autotag] force-feeding the ball to the 6-2, 225-pound wideout with bubble-screens, quick slants and pop passes. Burks graded out as the No. 1 receiver in the SEC, per Pro Football Focus, and 607 of his 1,110 yards came after the catch. Burks was also extremely sure-handed, dropping just three balls all season despite a heavy workload. The Hogs are hoping former 5-star Oklahoma transfer [autotag]Jadon Haselwood[/autotag]can play a similar role but those are some major shoes to fill in 2022.

Who else joins Burks as one of the SEC West’s key departures? Here’s a look at On3’s picks:

247sports predicts the winner of Arkansas’ season opener

Arkansas is set to play a high-profile matchup in week one. How much confidence does the national media give Arkansas to get the win?

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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Arkansas Football is among the top 20 most valuable programs in the nation

Being a member of the SEC in addition to having a strong, supportive fan base means a huge annual payday for Arkansas football.

College football is a huge business, and usually turns a huge profit year in and year out.

College football programs earn money in a handful of ways, from media contracts to revenue sharing between teams in a program’s conference, even from overwhelming support from their loyal fanbases.

GoBankingRates recently compiled a list of college football programs that have brought in the most money over a three-year span according to Forbes. Among those programs? The Arkansas Razorbacks.

The Razorbacks rank 16th among the top-25 most valuable programs in the nation by reeling in $95M annually, and will continue to climb the ranks says GoBankingRates:

This number will continue to rise under the direction of Sam Pittman, who took a dormant SEC program and pushed the Razorbacks to eight wins in Year 2. An Outback Bowl win would go a long way in continuing this team’s momentum into 2022 and create quite the fanfare for next season.

Who are the other programs that reel in a huge profit every year? Here’s the top-20 most valuable college football programs in the country:

On3 reveals the most pivotal SEC game for Arkansas

How soon will we know the trajectory of Arkansas’ season? On3 says it will come in late September.

Arkansas shocked the college football world last season by earning their first winning season since 2016, and by winning their first bowl game since the 2015 season.

This season, more eyes will be on the Razorbacks as they look to earn their first SEC Western division title since 2006, as many believe that this is the best chance for Arkansas to accomplish this feat.

What game will define how the season will go for Arkansas? According to On3, the pivotal game for Arkansas will come in late September.

On3 recently revealed their pick for the most important 2022 conference game for each SEC opponent. For Arkansas, the biggest game for them will come Sept. 24 against Texas A&M.

Jesse Simonton, who complied the rankings for On3, says that Texas A&M’s place on the schedule will be a good measuring stick of how the rest of Arkansas’ season will go.

We’ll find out fairly quickly if the Razorbacks can continue their 2021 momentum into the fall of 2022, as they open the season with Cincinnati and South Carolina. Both those games are at home, though, so there’s a decent chance Sam Pittman’s Hogs will be 3-0 before it rolls into Jerry World for their annual rivalry game with the Aggies. They won 20-10 last season and the game this year could be another pivot point (potential quality bowl vs. a .500 team) in their season.

Texas A&M will be the second conference game of the season for Arkansas, behind South Carolina. It will be important for the Razorbacks to get a win over a fellow surging program in Texas A&M, as they face the Aggies one week before hosting Alabama. If they can prove their worth in Arlington, it will set up a showdown with the Crimson Tide for the top spot in the western division.

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Arkansas Football: Overall Record, Streaks vs. SEC teams

Here’s a look at Arkansas Football’s current record and winning streaks against teams in the SEC, as well as future opponents Oklahoma and Texas.

Despite being a member of the Southeastern Conference for 30 years, the Arkansas Razorbacks are still among one of the younger teams in the league in terms of competing against members of the SEC.

According to Winsipedia, Arkansas is 178-223-8 against current teams in the SEC, where they hold a winning record over five of those teams.

Razorbacks Wire has taken a deeper look into Arkansas’ history against the SEC by breaking down series records, current winning streaks, as well as the first, last, and next scheduled meeting against each program. To add flavor, we also included records against future SEC members, Oklahoma and Texas.

Here is the final product of our research, thanks to Winsipedia and FB Schedules.

Two Razorbacks are among the SEC’s top-22

Auburn Wire recently ranked the top-22 players in the SEC ahead of the 2022 season, and Arkansas has two players represented.

Auburn Wire recently released its list of the top 22 SEC players heading into the 2022 season, and Arkansas is represented by two defensive players.

Linebacker [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Jalen Catalon [/autotag] were listed among the conference’s best athletes, and are expected to play key roles in the Razorbacks’ success in 2022.

Catalon looks to have a successful bounce-back season after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury halfway through the 2021 season. Before his injury, he recorded 46 tackles and two interceptions.

Pool is an All-SEC selection from last season after recording 125 total tackles, with 7.5 of those being for loss.

Here’s what Brody Smoot of Auburn Wire has to say about Catalon and Pool: