FAYETTEVILLE – No matter what is said when Arkansas takes its turn at this week’s SEC Media Days, the Razorbacks’ 2019 season isn’t all that difficult to dissect.
After going 2-10 last fall and inheriting one of the most favorable non-conference schedules in program history, the goal for this year’s team is clear: make a bowl game – any bowl game.
Six wins is needed to make that happen, and it’s not asking a lot considering the non-conference slate consists of home games against Portland State, Colorado State, San Jose State and Western Kentucky.
Granted, Arkansas lost to CSU and North Texas on its way to its worst season in school history last fall, but Hog fans would rather chalk that up as part of a grueling rebuilding process under first-year coach Chad Morris.
This year, the Razorbacks will be favored – likely by a considerable margin – in all four of its home non-con games.
If the Hogs take care of business in those contests, they would only have to win two of their remaining eight games to make a bowl game for the first time in three seasons.
It’s easier said than done, but there are a few games that stick out as potential toss-up games for the Razorbacks, and none is bigger than a Week 2 matchup at Ole Miss.
The Rebels are coming off a 5-7 season and have gone 16-20 over the last three years combined.
This year, they’re returning an SEC-leading 10 starters on defense but have to replace their quarterback and the top three receivers from last year’s squad.
Redshirt-freshman Matt Corral, who represented the Rebs at SEC Media Days on Tuesday, is expected to take over at quarterback.
He threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns but maintained his redshirt status by only appearing in four games last season.
While the Ole Miss defense returns loads of experience, it hasn’t exactly been good experience.
The Rebels were the only team in the SEC that finished below Arkansas in scoring defense last season, as Ole Miss allowed 36.2 points-per-game to the Razorbacks’ 34.8 clip.
Ole Miss was also dead last in total defense, giving up a staggering 6.79 yards-per-play and 483.6 per contest.
Last season, Arkansas led the Rebels 27-10 with just over two minutes remaining in the second quarter at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, but starting quarterback Ty Storey and running back Rakeem Boyd both left the game with injuries, and Ole Miss surged back in the second half to take a 37-33 win.
This year’s meeting is enormous for the Razorbacks because – again, assuming they take care of the non-conference games – there is potential for a 4-0 start with the first four weeks consisting of Portland State, Ole Miss, Colorado State and San Jose State.
The Hogs would then have to travel to Arlington (Texas) for their annual trip against the Texas A&M Aggies before enjoying a bye week on October 5.
From there, Arkansas’ schedule includes a trip to Kentucky, which is also replacing quite a bit from last year, a home game against Auburn, a road game at Alabama, and back-to-back home games against Mississippi State and Western Kentucky before the second bye week rolls around.
The regular season ends with a trip to LSU on Nov. 23 followed by a home game against Missouri in Little Rock.
Sure, Arkansas would love to exceed expectations and make it to a respectable bowl destination.
But after going 2-10 last year and 35-52 in the last seven years combined, Razorback fans wouldn’t argue with a trip to Shreveport or Birmingham in 2019.