Arkansas and Ole Miss's Respective Record Since the Advent of NIL Explain Why Fans Want Change

For decades, Arkansas and Ole Miss were fighting in the same weight class. Year after year, they played close games, often coming down to the last snap – no matter how good or flawed the Razorbacks or Rebels were.

From 2010 to 2020, Ole Miss went 65-69; Arkansas, 61-74. Both had a 2-10 season during that span (two for Arkansas), and both proved to be competitive, middle-of-the-pack SEC teams who, every few years, would flirt with a 9- or 10-win season.

However, as time has shown, a switch was flipped recently. The Rebels now find themselves in the top 5 of the AP Poll after their cathartic win against LSU and former coach Lane Kiffin. Arkansas, on the other hand, would consider it a miracle to win a conference game.

That switch was flipped on July 1, 2021.

A Tale of Two Administrations

On that summer day in 2021, the NIL era began. For the first time, players could profit off of their name, image, and likeness, ushering in a wave of parity the likes of which the college football world has never seen.

Ole Miss came prepared for the party.

Since the advent of NIL, the Rebels are 55-15. The Razorbacks – whose athletic director, Hunter Yurachek, fought against the inclusion of NIL as the “new normal” at every turn – have had to stomach a 30-36 record.

Ole Miss and athletic director Keith Carter (a native of Perryville, Arkansas, who played college basketball for the Rebels after being turned down by former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson) approached the new Wild West of college athletics with an open mind.

The Rebels were one of the first to launch an NIL collective funded by fans. The Grove Collective -- run by Walker Jones -- became an immediate cash cow for the former SEC afterthoughts, making them a formidable player in the pay-for-play era. In 2022, they raised over $10 million (back when that was a milestone). Today, along with additional funds brought on by Carter and revenue sharing, the Ole Miss roster budget is now estimated to be around $39-$43 million, as reported recently by The Athletic.

Of course, it helped to have a coach as talented as Kiffin (one who motivated fans to donate due to his on-field product, but likewise to keep his eyes away from other suitors). However, the Razorbacks were in the running for Kiffin during the cycle when he was hired by Ole Miss. But incompetence at the top kept Arkansas from – allegedly – getting into a bidding war for him. And it all leads back to one man.

Hunter Yurachek at the Scene of the Crime

Under Hunter Yurachek’s stewardship, the Razorback football team has gone 37-63 (14-53 in SEC play). There have been three 2-10 seasons, 12 straight losses to FBS opponents, and 9 straight home losses against P4 opponents.

In 2025, he told reporters that former coach Sam Pittman “did not have the resources he needed to appropriately compete in this conference.” His most recent hire, Ryan Silverfield, spent the majority of his first off-season fundraising instead of coaching (for money he won’t see until next year).

On top of that, he was late to the party in hiring a General Manager, and was so opposed  to NIL and revenue sharing that he actually wrote an op-ed calling for congressional limitations while Ole Miss was building its war chest.

Instead of embracing the new normal, the leadership at the University of Arkansas pushed back with all of its  might. Of course, not everything falls on Yurachek, but as the face of the administration, there’s a reason the bright lights are being shone on him.

If you compare Arkansas to Ole Miss, their respective actions since July of 2021 tell the whole story. The Rebels wanted to win and did everything possible to make it happen; the administration at Arkansas just wanted to profit and stay debt-free. Both succeeded. Five years later, one program is thriving, while the other program’s fans are in open revolt.  Ole Miss and its leadership clearly understood that fortune favors the bold. 

It’s easy to see why rumors are swirling around the temperature of Yurachek’s seat. In today’s college football landscape, you must be proactive. Leading is encouraged, but sometimes following a leader like Ole Miss can work too. 

Unfortunately for Yurachek, he thought he could take his sword and cut another path. For the Razorbacks, simply following in the footsteps of a program that, not too long ago, they were on an even playing field with would be a great start.

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