No. 3 Arkansas (16-1) looks to start Southeastern Conference play with a bang as it travels to Oxford, MS. to take on the No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels (14-2). The Razorbacks, currently on a 12-game winning streak, are dominating on offense, averaging 9.2 runs per game.
This is the 116th all-time meeting between the two programs, with the Hogs leading the series, 62-53. Arkansas is going to be put to the test in its first SEC matchup of the season and will need to display how much the team has improved from last year.
With that being said, here are three keys the Razorbacks will need to take the series opener.
Arkansas vs Ole Miss: 3 Keys to victory
Capitalize on Ole Miss’s tough midweek loss
Ole Miss was upset on Tuesday night by South Alabama, 14-5, on the road for its second loss of the year. The Rebel pitching staff put the team in a hole early by allowing six runs in the first three innings of the game. Despite being a midweek game, these types of losses can affect a team as a whole.
Our SEC Opening Weekend rotation 🐗 pic.twitter.com/W05zqvLZpZ
— Arkansas Baseball (@RazorbackBSB) March 13, 2025
This potential loss in confidence can give the Hogs the chance to take the series opener on the road. As it is well known, winning on the road can be a tough challenge, especially after the Razorbacks posted a 7-8 record in true road games.
Have Zach Root keep doing his thing
Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn has decided to switch starting pitchers around by having LHP Zach Root start on Friday and RHP Gabe Gackle start on Saturday. This will allow the Razorbacks to go left-right-left in the series to disrupt the Rebels’ batting order.
Root has been electric on the mound for the Hogs while throwing up consistent numbers. The southpaw has a 2-0 record in four starts while posting an ERA of 2.11 across 21.1 innings with 36 strikeouts and six walks allowed. This start for Root is going to test him but could prove that he is going to be an elite arm for Arkansas.
Jump on the Rebel pitching staff early and consistently
The Ole Miss pitching staff is going to be a real challenge for the Arkansas bats, especially against the man who will be starting on the mound in the first game. LHP Hunter Elliott is off to a great start since coming back from a season-ending elbow surgery that took him out for the rest of the 2023 season and all of 2024.
As a freshman, he picked up the win and allowed just one earned run (three total) over 6.1 innings against the Razorbacks in the 1-0 game of the 2022 College World Series on June 20th. His superb pitching led Ole Miss to a victory and eventually helped the team win the national championship.
Elliot is one of the best pitchers in college baseball and will challenge the Arkansas lineup. The Hogs need to keep doing what they have been doing throughout non-conference play… Strike first.
The Razorbacks and the Rebels will open up the series on Friday in Oxford, MS., at Swayze Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m., and the game will be streamed on SEC Network+.