Playing Few Games in Fayetteville Not Curse Many Think

So many tough games at Razorback Stadium advantage, but not why most assume

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman at the Red-White game in Razorback stadium April 13, 2024 in Fayetteville, Ark. / Michael Morrison-allHOGS Images

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Sam Pittman did his best to give a non-answer at the SEC media days last week when someone asked about Arkansas playing four of its first five games away from Fayetteville.

He drug on about playing in Dallas and eventually went into a discussion about playing times being important and getting his athletes used to the routine at different times of the day. Anything to avoid the actual answer to the question.

The truth is Pittman's most honest answer is playing only one game in Fayetteville before the first weekend in October looks like a blessing, but he wasn't about to say that. Everyone keeps listing the Hogs' toughest games being at home as a positive for the upcoming schedule, and technically it is, just not for the reason that is being implied.

If last season is any indicator of what to expect from these players and coaches, the Hogs' best chance to get momentum rolling is by way of a whole month's worth of games being away from Razorback Stadium to start the year. Everyone remembers the last time Arkansas played in Fayetteville.

It was a demoralizing 48-14 loss to a Missouri team that went on to win 11 games. What people tend to forget is the home game before that was an even worse 48-10 loss to an Auburn team that finished with a losing record and didn't win a game the rest of the season, including a 31-10 loss to New Mexico State and a 31-14 loss to Maryland.

Many have forgotten that this was also the Polar Express game, which meant in no way imaginable was the loss to the Tigers a good look. Nor was the most embarrassing game of the season, a 7-3 loss of ineptitude against Mississippi State or the blown lead over BYU that sent the season spiraling to begin with.

Even the win over Kent State in Fayetteville was a major red flag as Arkansas struggled for much of that game and didn't feel in control until the final 10 minutes. Razorback Stadium was the last place to look for a good performance by the Hogs.

Now, when it came to playing on the road, that was an entirely different group. They were virtually unrecognizable as they went toe-to-toe with the big names of the SEC.

The Hogs went to LSU in a night game against the Heisman winner and only lost 34-31 with a real shot a winning it. Down in Oxford, a smoking hot Ole Miss team needed two scores in the final seven minutes to come away with a 27-20 win.

The following week in Tuscaloosa, the Arkansas defense held Alabama to a field goal the entire second half as the Razorbacks came charging back with a touchdown to close the third quarter and another early in the fourth to cut the lead to 24-21. Nick Saban played the field position game and was able to do just enough to avoid the upset and keep the Tide on track for an eventual playoff berth.

After that abysmal performance in Fayetteville against Mississippi State, the Hogs went to Florida and took the Gators out in an overtime blackout game, 39-36. Unfortunately for Pittman, there were more home games left on the schedule, which led to both the Auburn and Missouri debacles.

The good news is most of Arkansas' most winnable games are away from Fayetteville. Arkansas-Pine Bluff should be a nice way to test out the new offense and chemistry with room to make corrections.

Playing Oklahoma State in Stillwater doesn't seem winnable on its face given how well the Cowboys have played in the Big 12 as of late. However, OSU struggled with Central Arkansas to open the season and got plastered by South Alabama and Central Florida not long afterward.

Another advantage no one brings up is Bobby Petrino coached perhaps the least inspired Texas A&M team ever against Oklahoma State in the Texas Bowl and barely lost, 31-23. He got to see and prep for a lot of the personnel who will take the field in a few weeks while he shows up with an unknown ARkansas roster and playbook.

Auburn will be marginally improved over the bad team it was last year when the Hogs travel there in late September and Texas A&M will close out the month in Dallas with a roster of players Petrino just spent an entire year disecting for every possible weakness.

The Hogs get a break from a brutal home schedule with a trip to Starkville and new coach Jeff Lebby in early November and then close the season in Missouri. If Arkansas has any reason to care about that game, there's a real possibility the Razorbacks have their best chance to win by being on the road.

Every game away from Razorback Stadium is winnable, especially if Arkansas carries the same road warrior mentality it did last season. Because of this, when factoring in the lone Fayetteville game in August or September is against Alabama-Birmingham, it's possible Pittman's team can build a bit of momentum that might keep those home games from being the disaster they were last season.

Either way, it's unlikely the Arkansas coaches are upset about having four of the first five games away from Fayetteville. It's potentially the greatest blessing the Razorbacks could have received heading into such a pivotal season.

Momentum and a lucky break on a 61-yard walk-off field goal was all it took to get Missouri going last year. Avoiding Fayetteville early in the schedule sets up a similar possible surge in wins for Arkansas also provided the road mentality holds for another season.

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