Predicting the Outcomes of Arkansas' Games in 2024

© Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Arkansas' 2024 season is one of the most intriguing in recent history. With the return of Bobby Petrino, new faces at both quarterback and running back and the weight of the Natural State's expectations resting on Sam Pittman's shoulders, 2024 can be considered a do-or-die season for the Razorbacks. Here are our predictions for how the Razorbacks will fare in a crucial campaign.

Week 1: Arkansas Pine-Bluff (Little Rock)

How bad were the Golden Lions of Pine Bluff a season ago? How about a 2-9 record that included a seven-game losing streak in a weak Southwestern Athletic Conference? Arkansas is bigger, stronger and more athletic than UAPB. The Razorbacks should easily beat the Golden Lions in this in-state matchup, and as long as War Memorial Stadium doesn't run out of water again, the Razorback fans who come out to Little Rock, Ark. should go home happy.

Record: 1-0

Week 2: at Oklahoma State

In what is one of the most important Week 2 games on the calendar, Arkansas will need an inspiring road performance to start their quest for bowl eligibility. Does it sound crazy to say a non-conference Week 2 matchup is a must-win game? Maybe, but that's not far from the truth. Arkansas will play the Cowboys close, but if Sam Pittman's record in tight games is any indication, the Hogs will come up just shy of a crucial victory in Stillwater, Okla.

Record: 1-1

Week 3: UAB

Coming off of a 4-8 season, UAB shouldn't pose much of a problem for Arkansas, but the Razorbacks should be wary of their poor performance in last year's Fayetteville, Ark. opener against Kent State. This isn't a contest Arkansas can simply sleepwalk through, but the speed of the Razorbacks—specifically QB Taylen Green—will be enough for Arkansas to pull away from the Blazers in the second half.

Record: 2-1

Week 4: at Auburn

Arkansas' first Southeastern Conference matchup of the season feels eerily similar to their Week 2 matchup against Oklahoma State. It feels like the Razorbacks' matchup with Auburn is another game they must win to achieve bowl eligibility, but with one Power Four road contest under his belt, Green will have enough heroics to will Arkansas to their second straight win in Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Record: 3-1

Week 5: Texas A&M (Arlington)

In what should be an enthralling edition of the Southwest Classic inside AT&T Stadium, Petrino will get a chance to go up against the team for which he was the offensive coordinator in 2023. There are plenty of other intriguing storylines in this rivalry matchup, but the one that stands out the most is whether Arkansas' offensive line can offer any protection against a stout Aggie defense. Arkansas' offensive line was a sieve against A&M in 2023, and if the Hogs want to have any chance, the pass protection has to be better. The Razorback offense will put forth a valiant effort, but a more experienced Connor Weigman will lead the Aggies down the field on a game-winning drive, adding another painful loss to Arkansas' tear-stained AT&T Stadium scrapbook.

Record: 3-2

Week 6: Tennessee

With the gauntlet of SEC play fully underway, the Volunteers come to town for a matchup that always ignites both painful and triumphant memories for Razorback fans. With the polar opposites of 1998 and 1999 far in the rearview mirror, however, Arkansas will need to turn its attention to the present-day and highly-touted Vols QB Nico Iamaleava. Arkansas' secondary was respectable last season, but Tennessee's fast-paced offense will have its way with the Hogs en route to the Vols' first win in the series since 2007.

Record: 3-3

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Week 7: LSU

The last time these two teams met in Fayetteville, they did so on an icy day on which offense reverted to its 19th-century counterpart. While last year's bout between these border rivals was the exact opposite, it featured the same result—a three-point win for LSU. Playing before a raucous Arkansas crowd at night, the Razorbacks will contain a potent LSU offense. It'll be the play of Utah transfer Ja'Quinden Jackson that gives Arkansas the edge in the "Battle for the Golden Boot", earning the Hogs their first victory in the series since 2021.

Record: 4-3

Week 8: at Mississippi State

In what's probably the most winnable SEC game for Arkansas in 2024, Jeff Lebby's Bulldogs will put up a fight in Starkville, Miss. Arkansas will earn a win in Stark Vegas by fewer points than the Las Vegas oddsmakers predict, but Green's newfound SEC experience at the QB position will be enough to get Arkansas within one victory of bowl eligibility.

Record: 5-3

Week 9: Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin and Sam Pittman are knotted with two wins apiece in this rivalry matchup, but Ole Miss' flashy offense will get the better of Arkansas for the second straight season. The Razorbacks will keep it close in the fourth quarter, but it'll be Ole Miss who wins its second straight in the series—possibly en route to a College Football Playoff berth.

Record: 5-4

Week 10: Texas

As much as Arkansas fans would like to believe their magic from their 2021 matchup with the Longhorns will carry over, Texas is a much better team in 2024 than in Steve Sarkisian's first season in Austin, Texas. As the Longhorns march toward a second consecutive CFP appearance, Arkansas will bow up and put forth a commendable effort in front of a sold-out Razorback Stadium. Unfortunately, Texas' big game experience will trump Arkansas', leaving the Longhorns with a close road victory.

Record: 5-5

Week 11: Louisiana Tech

A matchup with a Louisiana Tech team that is expected to be near the bottom of Conference USA will be exactly what the Razorbacks need after seven consecutive SEC bouts. In a game that could lift Arkansas to bowl eligibility, it'll be Arkansas' stellar receiving corps doing the heavy lifting. Unlike their 2016 matchup which came down to the final minutes, Arkansas will rout Louisiana Tech to clinch bowl eligibility for the fourth time in five seasons under Pittman.

Record: 6-5

Week 12: at Missouri

The surging Tigers are expected to be one of the SEC's best in 2024, but what if Arkansas were to pull a massive road upset and disrupt Missouri's path to a potential playoff spot? Columbia, Mo. hasn't been kind to Arkansas—in the 15 games they've played against their border rival, the Hogs have never been victorious on the road—but after losing their last two games in Columbia by a combined four points, the Razorbacks are due for a road win. Arkansas' offensive line will pave the way for a season-best rushing effort, while Mizzou will be treated to an onslaught of penalties and self-inflicted mistakes that result in Arkansas' first-ever win at Faurot Field.

Record: 7-5

Razorbacks Overview

Arkansas may not be world-beaters in 2024, but nobody expects them to be. Pittman knows getting the Razorbacks back to a bowl game is his only path to job security—whether it be short-term or long-term—and a seven-win season would go a long way in getting him back into the good graces of the Arkansas faithful.