Arkansas football to face six straight AP Top 25 vote-earning opponents, nine total

Three-fourths of Arkansas schedule is against teams who earned votes in the AP Top 25 Poll.
Sep 2, 2023; Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman during the second half against the Western Carolina Catamounts at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Sep 2, 2023; Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman during the second half against the Western Carolina Catamounts at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Another omen pointing toward the 2025-26 college football season has appeared. The preseason AP Top 25 Poll dropped Monday morning with 12 SEC teams receiving votes. Unfortunately, Arkansas wasn't one of them.

The Razorbacks earn 14 votes in the USA Today's Coaches Poll, essentially coming in No. 42. However, the AP Poll's mark for SEC teams seems to cut off right before reaching Arkansas. Apart from the 10 SEC teams in the top 25, Missouri and Auburn received votes, both were just ahead of the Hogs in the Coaches Poll.

The nine SEC teams in the Coaches Poll are represented in the AP's. However, the 60 journalists covering college football who collectively create the AP Poll believe Oklahoma should be added, coming in at No. 18. The other conference representatives are Texas, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, Florida, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.

The Razorbacks, like every season for the past decade, have one of the toughest schedules in the country, but according to the AP Poll, the Hog may have more on their plate than expected. Arkansas will face six preseason-ranked teams. There's also a stretch that starts with Ole Miss on Sept. 13 and ends with Auburn on Oct. 25, where the Hogs will face a team that earned preseason votes for six straight games.

Preseason AP Top 25 rankings

  1. Texas *
  2. Penn State
  3. Ohio State
  4. Clemson
  5. Georgia
  6. Notre Dame *
  7. Oregon
  8. Alabama
  9. LSU *
  10. Miami
  11. Arizona State
  12. Illinois
  13. South Carolina
  14. Michigan
  15. Florida
  16. SMU
  17. Kansas State
  18. Oklahoma
  19. Texas A&M *
  20. Indiana
  21. Ole Miss *
  22. Iowa State
  23. Texas Tech
  24. Tennessee *
  25. Boise State

Other teams to receive votes

BUY, Utah, Baylor, Louisville, USC, Georgia Tech, Missouri *, Tulane, Nebraska, UNLV, Toledo, Auburn *, Memphis *, Florida State, Duke, Liberty, Navy, Iowa, TCU, Pittsburg, Army, Colorado, Louisiana-Lafayette

*—Denotes teams that Arkansas will play in the 2025-26 regular season.