Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman hopes the SEC scheduling 'eases up a bit' in the future

The Hogs face a tough task this season. Will realignment help even out SEC scheduling?

According to ESPN FPI, Arkansas has the 12th most difficult schedule in the country.

Which, all things considered, seems a little low when you look at the games.

Every single opponent the Hogs will face in 2022 made the postseason last year. Two of them (Cincinnati, Alabama) made the College Football Playoff.

Head coach Sam Pittman spoke on the difficulty of SEC scheduling, and how he hopes that in the future, things get a little easier.

"Well, you know, schedules are scheduled out so many years in advance. Nobody knew, maybe they did, but Cincinnati, when they were scheduled, I know they weren't in the College Football Playoff," Pittman said.

To top off an already tough schedule, the Razorbacks make an October 15th trek to Provo, Utah to take on a veteran BYU squad.

"BYU has always been really, really a good program," Pittman noted. "But they're at the top of their game. Well, not top. I think they played for a national championship a few years back. I may be all messed up on that one. But being 21-4, having 20 starters coming back, I laugh at home saying they're trying to fire me. I hope not. I mean, I like it there."

Arkansas is just one of many SEC schools that will take on a rough regular season slate. In fact, despite having one of the 15 toughest schedules in the nation, the Hogs have the eighth most difficult schedule. Seven SEC schools sit ahead of them in ESPN's strength of schedule rating, including five from the SEC West.

Could Texas and Oklahoma's move the conference help even out schedules? Pittman believes so.

"So I think with the realignment, which thank you for not asking me that question, everything is trying to become fair. Right now the West, if you're in the West, it's a beast. I'm not saying the East isn't. You have that, then play another couple, three teams in your non-conference schedule that are go-getters, it's hard, hard to maintain."

"One point I'm hoping it will ease up a little bit. But right now it hasn't."

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