Arkansas vs. Tennessee: Prediction, TV Channel, Kickoff Time and Everything Fans Need to Know

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Razorbacks (2-3, 0-3) are set to host the Tennessee Volunteers (4-1, 1-1 SEC) for the first time since their last home SEC victory since Oct. 5, 2024.

There is so much futility surrounding the football program with athletics director Hunter Yurachek supposedly on the hot seat. Then, Ryan Silverfield's slow start to the season, including a blowout road loss to struggling Texas A&M and recruits beginning to back off commitments, has the program in free fall once again this season.

The Razorbacks are in a bad spot, floating around in football irrelevancy with no sign of upward trajectory in sight. Football has been played at Arkansas since 1894 with 10-game regular seasons becoming more common in the 1930s, and the program produced just three seasons of eight or more losses prior to 2012.

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Ryan Silverfield speaks with general manager Gaizka Crowley after his team lost 45-17 to No. 2 Georgia at CommunityAmerica Razorback Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs on SI Images

The once tradition-filled program has fallen on hard times since 2012, with seven seasons of eight or more losses, including three with 10 losses which has never happened prior to the Yurachek administration.

Every team has its dry spells. Tennessee knows it all too well with its eight worst seasons coming in an 13 season stretch from 2008-2020 under four different coaches Phillip Fulmer, Derek Dooley, Butch Jones and Jeremy Pruitt.

Like Arkansas, the Vols flashed promise before bottoming out under every coach prior to the hiring of Josh Heupel. Perhaps that can give fans hope a rebound is right around the corner.

Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre was reportedly named the starter for Saturday, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN, as starter Faizon Brandon recovers from a shoulder injury against Texas nearly two weeks ago.

Arkansas quarterback KJ Jackson celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first half against Texas. | Nilsen Roman, Hogs On SI Images

Game Information

Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Tennessee Volunteers
Kickoff Time: 3:15 p.m. CT
Venue: Razorback Stadium, Fayetteville, Ark.
TV Channel: SEC Network
Radio: Arkansas Razorbacks Sports Network
Series Record: Tennessee leads 14-7
Betting: Tennessee (-13.5), O/u: 51.5 total points (FanDuel)

DISCLAIMER: Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

What ESPN Thinks

Like Fanduel, ESPN has Tennessee as heavy favorites, according to ESPN's Football Power Index model, with an 86.9% chance of pulling out a road win at Arkansas. The Volunteers are ranked at No. 10 by the analytical data, and have a 27.3% chance of making a return to the College Football Playoff.

For Arkansas, the football season appears bleak once again falling five spots to No. 65 following a 34-7 loss at Texas A&M in Week 5. The Razorbacks' projected overall record now sits at 3-9, which means ESPN expects the team to pull out a win against an SEC opponent at some point down the stretch.

First-year coach Ryan Silverfield and his team have slim hopes of making it to at least a bowl game, as the FPI data gives them just a 3.3% chance of even reaching bowl eligibiliy with seven games to go and what appeared to be a managable stretch of games during talkin' season.

ESPN FPI (SEC) Rankings

1. Georgia
2. Texas
3. Alabama
4. LSU
5. Tennessee
6. Texas A&M
7. Florida
8. Missouri
9. Oklahoma
10. Ole Miss
11. Auburn
12. Mississippi State
13. Kentucky
14. South Carolina
15. Vanderbilt
16. Arkansas

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel yells and points during a college football game between Tennessee and Auburn at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Oct. 3, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

What Heupel Is Saying

Heupel knows all too well what it's like to coach inside Razorback Stadium, losing an 11-point second half lead to a Taylen Green-less Arkansas offense.

The Vols are looking to mold together as a team down the final stretch of the regular season with Alabama looming next Saturday at home.

“First SEC road game here coming up this week. It's a place that, historically, hasn’t had a ton of success recently as a program. Opportunity for us to continue to grow and get ready to go play a lot of physical football here on Saturday afternoon. A ton of respect for Arkansas, Year 1 (head coach Ryan Silverfield), continued growth from them. It will take us being at our best."

Chris Marshall leads the Razorbacks in receiving and ranks No. 2 in the SEC with 35 receptions for 549 yards and two touchdowns this season. Heupel is well aware of what the fifth-year senior is capable of doing along the boundary and knows it'll take defensive movement to throw him off.

“Yeah, one, [Marshall] is extremely explosive out on the edge," Heupel said Monday. "You gotta know where he’s at and limit his ability to change the way the game is played, create explosive plays. You’ve got to do a really good job bottling the quarterback up. Defensively, they’re big, thick up front. We’ve got to create movement and stay ahead of the chains, stay out of third and longs against this group."

Prediction: Tennessee 28, Arkansas 10

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