Arkansas Razorbacks 2021 Schedule Analysis: A Split Between SEC and SWC
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
Give a proud college football program reason to believe, and they will respond 10-fold. Arkansas fans across the country are “calling the Hogs” again after a successful first season on The Hill with head coach Sam Pittman. After suffering through the worst two-year span in program history under former head coach Chad Morris, the longtime offensive line coach gelled the Razorbacks into a competitive SEC squad. Switching back from a conference-only schedule to a full 12-game schedule taking on non-conference opponents, Razorback fans have dreams of bowling fall of 2021.
Being optimistic coming off a 3-7 campaign would have most college football fans, rightfully, scoffing, but there are great reasons for the Arkansas fanbase to be hopeful about the future. If nothing else, the former staff was only able to muster two wins in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Furthermore, had the SEC refs not cheated Arkansas out of two wins in 2020 (Auburn and LSU), the Hogs would have surpassed two years of misery in short time.
Pittman and Co. also did not have benefit of playing non-conference games to pad the win-loss resume. Instead, the SEC placed one of the nation’s toughest schedules on their shoulders that included six Top 20 teams and the defending national champions. As one might guess, the 2021 season does not let up for Arkansas with the usual slate of SEC West teams, a midseason road trip to perennial Top 10 Georgia in the East, and an early visit with longtime Southwest Conference foe Texas.
Arkansas Razorbacks 2021 Schedule Analysis
Sept. 4 Week 1 vs. Rice Owls at Razorback Stadium (Fayetteville, AR)
The ties between Rice and Arkansas run deep going all the way back to the 1919 season. The Owls owned this series up until 1953 with the Hogs only walking off the field with five wins. But since then, it has been all Arkansas holding a 35-29-3 all-time series lead against yet another former SWC foe winning 16 of the last eight showdowns. Hard times have fallen on the Owls in recent history with their last winning season coming in 2014 (8-5).
Sept. 11 Week 2 vs. Texas Longhorns at Razorback Stadium (Fayetteville, AR)
The Texas-Arkansas series (53-22) is also long and even more historic dating back to 1906. The Hogs spotted Texas the first 11 victories in the series, only notching six of their own wins up until 1953, but since then the series has even out some with Texas holding a 27-16 advantage seeing the Hogs take four of the last six meetings. Arkansas could play spoiler in new head coach Steve Sarkisan’s first big game with the Longhorns. Being Texas and with a new head coach coming from Alabama, expect the Longhorns to be ranked going into this one after a 7-3 run last fall.
Sept. 18 Week 3 vs. Georgia Southern at Razorback Stadium (Fayetteville, AR)
A Sun Belt Conference team or not, having Georgia Southern on the docket in 2021 is not an easy task. If one is not familiar with what head coach Chad Lunsford has done with the Eagles, the program has won 25 games the last three years going 2-1 in bowl games after becoming a FBS program in 2014. The Eagles will be ready for this one after squaring off against Gardner-Webb and Florida Atlantic.
Sept. 25 Week 4 vs. Texas A&M “Southwest Classic” at AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
Fire up another nostalgic trip down memory lane for the Gen X-ers and older Arkansas fans. The Hogs at one time dominated this series while part of the SWC, and still kind of do per the win-loss record (41-32-3), but have gone into a tailspin once the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012. In total, Arkansas has lost nine consecutive to A&M. But this showdown is one of college football’s best kept rivalry secrets with five of the Southwest Classics coming down to the last minutes of the game. A&M should sail into this one with no problems seeing Kent State, Colorado, and New Mexico first.
Oct. 2 Week 5 at Georgia – Sanford Stadium (Athens, GA)
Five games into the season, potentially a third Top 15 team for Arkansas to face. No matter how Georgia fairs in their season opener against Clemson in Charlotte, the Bulldogs have games against UAB, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt to get back on track. Doubtful, but the hope for Arkansas fans here is seeing UGA look ahead to next week’s road trip to Jordan-Hare.
Oct. 9 Week 6 at Ole Miss – Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium (Oxford, MS)
Three home games to start the season, a trip to Mississippi ends a three-game road swing for the Razorbacks. After producing the conference’s third best offense averaging 39.2 points per game in his first year in Oxford, one can make the assumption Lane Kiffin’s offense will once again be firing on all cylinders. The Hogs took this one at home in 2020 confusing quarterback Matt Corral into six interceptions in a 33-21 win. Will the Hogs have any gas in the proverbial road tank for the Rebels?
Oct. 16 Week 7 vs. Auburn at Razorback Stadium (Fayetteville, AR)
The Auburn Tigers will be one of the SEC’s wildcards during the 2021 season. Coming off a 6-5 season under former head coach Gus Malzahn, former Boise State ringleader Bryan Harsin takes over. Harsin produced a 69-19 record during his seven seasons with the Broncos inheriting a program built up by Dan Hawkins and Chris Petersen. Harsin has veteran SEC coaches at the coordinator positions, Mike Bobo on offense and Derek Mason on defense, but does he have the talent desired to run his schemes? Harsin may be daydreaming of a Mountain West schedule after colliding against Penn State, LSU, and Georgia before tacking to Fayetteville to see the Razorbacks.
Oct. 23 Week 8 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff at War Memorial Stadium (Little Rock, AR)
As Division-I FCS programs go, Arkansas-Pine Bluff is coming off a fantastic 2020 season this spring. The Southwestern Athletic Conference squad posted a 4-1 record finishing in the Top 25. College football fans may wish to see the Hogs take on a P5 or G5 team in this spot, but this one is for the Natural State.
Bye: Week 9
Nov. 6 Week 10 vs. Mississippi State at Razorback Stadium (Fayetteville, AR)
Taking down then-No. 16 Mississippi State 21-14 last fall caught all of college football’s attention. The Bulldogs, with Mike Leach at the helm, had just whipped up on No. 6 LSU in Death Valley (44-34) to start the college football season. The Hogs kickstarted a four-game slide for MSU bringing the Leach hype machine back to earth. Mississippi State’s schedule this fall is brutal sans a November meeting with Tennessee State. Non-conference games to start the season includes Louisiana Tech, NC State, and Memphis before hosting LSU, traveling to A&M, and welcoming Alabama. A road trip to Vanderbilt and then meeting Kentucky at Davis Wade all happens before kicking off a two-game road swing at Arkansas.
Nov. 13 Week 11 at LSU – Tiger Stadium (Baton Rouge, LA)
The 5-5 season LSU posted in 2020 will quickly be forgotten this fall. The Tigers will miss a few key starters, but this group is absolutely loaded, especially in the trenches, and has a new coaching staff that is ready to put the program back on a national championship trajectory. The Hogs are the sixth game in run for LSU than should prove to be challenging. Starting with Auburn, the Tigers then face Kentucky, Florida, Ole Miss, and Alabama. This could be a trap game for LSU after tangling with Bama.
Nov. 20 at Alabama – Bryant-Denny Stadium (Tuscaloosa, AL)
Nick Saban returned to his perch atop college football with a 13-0 record that included demolishing Notre Dame (31-14) and Ohio State (52-24) in the College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide will be a Top 5 team come preseason, but are not as experienced across the board with big question marks on offense. The Bama defense is lining up to be one of the nation’s best, can the offense pull their weight? The Hogs are the last contest in a four-game home swing before heading across the state to finish the regular season in the Iron Bowl.
Nov. 26 vs. Missouri at Razorback Stadium (Fayetteville, AR)
Missouri represents another missed opportunity for the Hogs last fall. The Tigers held on at home for a 50-48 win notching their fifth consecutive win in the series. This will be a “who wants it more” game with both squads reeling after taking on top SEC teams. In the five games ahead of seeing Arkansas, Missouri will have played A&M, Georgia, and Florida.
Photo credit: dynastyfootballfactory; No. 16 Treylon Burks vs. Ole Miss