Where Arkansas' tune-up game against Alabama A&M can go wrong or right

With the SEC moving to a nine-game conference schedule, the days of playing three 'cupcakes' a year are over. Of course, in the last season with three non-Power Four teams on the schedule, Arkansas plays a borderline top-25 Memphis team in the Bluff City and an Arkansas State team that's waited over a century to knock off the state's flagship university. Luckily, the Hogs are starting with one at Alabama A&M.

Starting the season with a tune-up game is exactly what every team needs. Some could say it's a dream scenario, but playing cupcakes could turn into nightmares just as quickly—just ask 2024's Notre Dame team.

Heading into today's game against Alabama A&M, here are the best and worst-case scenarios for Arkansas football.

Arkansas football vs Alabama A&M: Dream/nightmare scenarios

Dream scenarios

Zero turnovers

Last season, Arkansas wasn’t the worst in the league at protecting the football, but it was close. More costly than the sheer number of turnovers was their timing.

The Razorbacks had a frustrating knack for coughing up the ball at the most critical moments, often setting up opponents with prime opportunities to score. While Arkansas should still be able to win Saturday’s game even with a negative turnover margin, tune-up games are meant for working out mistakes like that while still keeping control of the scoreboard.

If the Hogs can eliminate turnovers altogether, though, it could signal real progress—suggesting this team is further along than many expected.

Gives backups experience

Sam Pittman credits much of last season's win against Tennessee to the then-backup Razorback quarterback Malachi Singleton playing significant snaps in Arkansas' win over Tennessee. Allowing this season’s backup KJ Jackson the same opportunity is paramount to his development as well.

That goes for the rest of the team, too. Building strong backups could be crucial for positions like the defensive line, whose depth is far from where it should be.

Game is dominant

This isn't meant to be disrespectful—only truthful. The talent discrepancy between Arkansas and Alabama A&M is the Marianas Trench deep. There's absolutely no reason the Razorbacks should have problems this afternoon.

In the SEC, the games are won in the trenches, and that's perhaps where the teams differ the most. Just the size disparity between Arkansas' offensive/defensive lines and Alabama A&M's is striking. Aside from the occasional busted play, anything less than total domination today would be a red flag for Arkansas.

Nightmare scenarios

Catastrophic injuries

Injuries are always a nightmare scenario, but especially in the first game and against teams like Alabama A&M. Losing a key contributor in the easiest game on one of the hardest schedules in college football would be a gut punch.

Arkansas' defense is porous

One of the biggest question marks about this season's Arkansas team centers around the defensive line and the secondary. The Razorbacks have decent depth on the edge, but the only returner with any semblance of 'playing time' is Quincey Rhodes, who backed up star Landon Jackson.

The tackles have decent starters with Cam Ball and Ian Geffrard filling up the interior. However, their depth isn't great, and Arkansas even had to move Keyshawn Blackstock from the offensive line to boost the position.

Between 10 and 15 yards behind the line, the secondary is almost completely new as well. However, that season, the Hogs had one of the worst passing defenses in the country. Arkansas has a chance to be better with a bigger look, but will that make up for last season's problems?

If Arkansas gives up more than a handful of plays on defense, it may be a long season for the Hogs.

A loss

Of course, the worst situation for any game would be a loss, but one against an FCS team would be so much worse. With the narrative surrounding the program, and especially around head coach Sam Pittman, losing today may be enough to end his career in Fayetteville.