A Closer Look at the Arkansas Razorbacks’ 2015 Schedule

The SEC released schedules for the 2015 college football season on Tuesday.

Today we take a closer look at each Arkansas Razorbacks’ game for next season.

SEP 5 vs. UTEP- The Arkansas Razorbacks will open the new season with a Conference USA opponent at home. The Hogs last played the Miners on November 13, 2010; a 58-21 blowout that saw running back Knile Davis run wild.  Arkansas should dominate the contest and head for a week 2 game in Little Rock on a positive note.

SEP 12 vs. TOLEDO – The game at Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium comes early in 2015. The Arkansas Razorbacks will welcome Toledo in what will be their first ever meeting in a college football game. Currently 1st in the Western division of the MAC, the Rockets will make the long trip to Arkansas in 2015 and again in 2018.

SEP 19 vs. TEXAS TECH – Enter the 2nd year of the “home and home” contract with Texas Tech and this time it’s Razorback Stadium to play host. The Hogs stormed into Lubbock, TX on September 13th of the current season and rolled over the Red Raiders, 49-28. Kliff Kingsbury’s boys currently ride a four-game losing streak, but expect to come into Fayetteville much improved and hungry for revenge in 2015.

SEP 26 @ TEXAS A&M – It will be almost a year to the day the Arkansas Razorbacks suffered the heartbreaking loss to the Aggies in September of the current season. This is a date all of Sooie Nation will have circled on their calendars as the Hogs head back to Texas for a little revenge of their own. The game will again take place at “Jerry World” of Arlington, TX and most likely labled the ‘2015 Southwest Classic.’

OCT 3 @ TENNESSEE – The Arkansas Razorbacks last hooked up with Tennessee on November 12, 2011. It was a home game for the Hogs who crushed the Vols with a 49-7 win, but not before receiver Joe Adams produced one of the greatest punt returns known to man:

OCT 10 @ ALABAMA – It’s off to Tuscaloosa for the Hogs’ third consecutive road game; all against SEC opponents. This has to be one of the toughest stretches in all of college football, plain and simple. Rely on the Arkansas Razorbacks to come into Bear Bryant Stadium with a massive chip on their shoulders in spite of what transpired this past weekend. This is hostile territory for the Hogs, but a winnable game if Alabama struggles to find consistency in life without TJ Yeldon and Amari Cooper.

OCT 24 vs. AUBURN – The Razorbacks don’t get a break in strength of opponent, but they do come off a bye. Auburn’s offense struggled against the Hogs’ tenacious defense in week one of the current season, but pulled away late in the 3rd quarter. It will be interesting to see how they match up with both programs in third seasons under their current head coaches. The third year is where fans can count on seeing Bret Bielema’s recruiting efforts really make a difference on the field.

OCT 31 vs. UT-MARTIN – It’s FCS school time as the Hogs avoid scheduling five-consecutive conference opponents, of which is an actual rule of the SEC. Tennessee-Martin is more used to playing Central Arkansas on Saturdays, but will instead make the trip to Razorback Stadium and get walked over for a nice sum.

NOV 7 @ OLE MISS – The Hogs will welcome Ole Miss to Fayetteville later in the current season and if all goes well, Wooo Pig Sooie is crushing College Football Playoff hopes for all those watching in Oxford, MS. If the Razorbacks can pull off a 2014 win, then 2015 can serve as somewhat of a rubber match. The Hogs were defeated by the Rebels in their 2013 visit to The Grove, 34-24, a game in which Bo Wallace threw for 407 yards.

NOV 14 @ LSU – Death Valley is never an easy place to play, but expect Arkansas to be up for the challenge. With Les Miles’ Tigers struggling through 2014, we can expect a more mature and focused opponent next season. The Hogs did take it to LSU while on the road in 2013, but let “The Golden Boot” slip away when they allowed Anthony Jennings to lead the Tigers on a two-minute drill that clinched a 31-27 win. LSU is still due to appear in Fayetteville come mid November of the current season.

NOV 21 vs. MISS. ST – Could the Bulldogs be defending National Champions come 2015? The Arkansas Razorbacks will look to play spoiler in their November 1, 2014 game in Starkville, but hopefully come 2015, things are the other way around. Mississippi State’s current season is a good lesson to the Hogs in how things can be turned around in the SEC West. Not long ago, Dan Mullen’s program was in a similar position to that of the current Razorbacks. Mullen has built a winning culture in “Stark Vegas” and with some hard work and persistence, the Razorbacks are stealing headlines of their own in 2015.

NOV 28 vs. MIZZOU – The Hogs open and close their the season at home and for the second straight year, a clash with Missouri will end the regular season. The two will play in the final week of the current regular season, but their last match up came in 2008 when the, (then Big 12), Tigers defeated the Hogs, 38-7. The Arkansas Razorbacks did; however, defeat Mizzou when they clashed in the 2003 Independence Bowl, 27-14. Mizzou currently owns a 3-2 lead in the series that began in 1944.